Home > Press Releases

A Rocha Receives Hope for Europe Award

Contrary to popular belief, most Evangelicals take all Biblical mandates seriously -- including the call for creation care.  This was evidenced last week during the European Evangelical Alliance’s General Assembly when an international conservation organization was awarded for their commitment to environmental advocacy development.

A Rocha, a hands-on conservation organization whose goal is “to show God’s love for all creation,” was presented with the 2005 Hope for Europe award before 200 Evangelical leaders on 21 October 2005.

“We are very happy for this award because this represents the recognition that this is the work of God,” said Alfredo Abreu, an international trustee of A Rocha and part of the Bible Society, Portugal.  “We have done this for 23 years and the church is recognizing this work for caring for creation.”

According to Abreu, the environmental movement is in need of new hope, and the only true answer lies in the church.

“The environmental movement is lacking hope and they see things getting worse and worse,” Abreu explained.  “Unless you believe in God, you really don’t know what to expect.  But we know the creator is sitting on the throne.”

Accordingly, A Rocha won the National Association of Environmentalists in Portugal’s national award last year for its fresh, practical approach to conservation.

“The behaviour of people can change if you can change their convictions,” said Abreu.  “Governments are realizing this and are now looking to religion for help.”

The ministry began in 1983 as one local project in Portugal, and has since grown to a family of national organizations around the world.  A Rocha is now found in Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, UK and the USA.

A Rocha is defined by five “core commitments” to creation care: Christian, conservation, community, cross-cultural and cooperation.  For more information on A Rocha, visit: www.arocha.org.