Mission 11: Give Back to Earth

THE GIVING GAMES: YOUTH AND SCHOOLS PAY IT FORWARD REFLECT ON YESTERDAY'S MISSION Before moving on to your eleventh mission, take a moment to reflect on yesterday’s mission. Which project or cause did your class choose to support, and why? What do you think they will do with your donation? Even if your donation is small, do you think it will make a difference? What other things could you do to make a difference for this cause? YAC supported the Hope for the Holidays Infant Crisis Services Drive.  ICS helps infants and toddlers providing most basic needs items to parents who cannot afford them.  I recently became a grandmother and thinking that my grandson could be lacking diapers, clothing, or food is something very difficult to face.  When I went to Sam's for the Casady Service-Learning Program donation of diapers and wipes, I was horrified at the prices.  I know even Oklahoma teachers with full time jobs struggle to meet the needs of their babies.  My personal donation was very small, but will buy needed formula for a baby who struggles with dietetic challenges.  My grandson is desperate when he is hungry and so at peace when the warm bottle of maternal and/or formula milk reaches his lips that I treasure the fact that the few dollars I donated will do the same for a baby I will never meet and place a big smile in the face of a mother or a grandmother feeding that baby. I also think this video was in the back of my mind and in my heart this week

Agents, your eleventh mission is to protect and restore our one and only home, Mother Earth! Do you know what a selfie of you looks like from outer space? Well, here it is. It looks like the WHOLE PLANET! With every person and living being on it! It is the ultimate selfie. No matter how you spin it, we are all connected to one another. This means we all depend on each other to respect and care for the Earth so that it can continue to sustain our life, the lives of our loved ones, and the lives of all living beings! So… your eleventh mission, Agents, is to discover ways you can give back to the Earth, our one and only home. You can do this as an individual Agent or as a Team. As an Agent, be extra mindful of the impact you have as you go about your day. Recycle whenever possible, and compost food instead of throwing it into a garbage where it will go to a landfill. Pick up litter on the ground to protect the wildlife, and avoid littering at all costs! Take time to understand what is threatening the security of our clean water at sites like Standing Rock, and other places around the world. As a Team, you can organize a service project to help make the Earth healthier. Organize a project where you plant trees to absorb carbon from the atmosphere while making the land more beautiful, or volunteer to clean up a nearby park or beach. Plant a garden to grow healthy, organic food, and donate some of the food to a local food shelter. Raise funds to assist Earth Protectors and Water Protectors and activists, and better yet, discover how you can become them yourselves! The sky is the limit...! Good luck, Agents. This is your second to last mission! If you haven't already begun to do so, report and share your experiences on the Compassion Report Map! We have already started to see meaningful and inspiring examples of what compassion looks like when brought to life by you and your team of Agents around the world! Tomorrow, on December 10th, Human Rights Day, the Giving Games will culminate in a global “Wopida,” which is an Octei Sakowin Thanksgiving Ceremony. This Wopida will be led by Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Chief Phil, and Faith Spotted Eagle, and brings together Indigenous communities, youth, interfaith leaders, and intergenerational allies to honor the blessings of life, light the spirit of giving, and support water protectors at Sacred Sites such as Standing Rock in North Dakota and around the world. During the Giving Games, we have Prayed With Standing Rock and began to “Build a Global Fire” that leads up to the Global Wopida. Build a Global Fire is a collective activity where Agents of Compassion and all allies... Learn more about Build a Global Fire here, and to RSVP to the Global Wopila! Each day during the Giving Games, the Compassion Torch will be passed to a different Champion of Compassion. For Day 11 of the Giving Games, we are absolutely delighted to pass the Compassion Torch from Terry Godwaldt and the Centre for Global Education to none other than Gary Zukav, his wife Linda Francis, and the Seat of the Soul Institute! Read Our Featured Story About Gary, Linda, and the Seat of the Soul Institute Here! View All Passed Missions! It's never too late to revisit past or missed missions to find inspiration for igniting compassion and generosity for the world! Previously released Giving Games missions are available to be viewed here!