Upcoming Eco-Service Tour for Seniors in Leda

Contributed by The Leda Project

We are excited to announce that from July 22 to 31, 2016, a 10-day Leda Eco-Service Tour for seniors 55 and older will take place in the Pantanal region of Paraguay.

If you want to better understand and experience the heart and hope behind True Parents’ investment in building cooperation between South and North America, this program is for you. This project is also for those seniors who have watched their children travel to far-off places for service projects and wished that they could have that same experience. It is for those who perhaps find themselves empty-nesting and want to do something different, as well as for those seeking spiritual refreshment and renewal through a pure and simple life experience.

This Eco-Service project provides time to discover and contribute to the work that has been done in the Leda Settlement, which covers an area larger than New York City. Work in the fields of aquaculture, agriculture and animal husbandry is focusing on the goal of creating a sustainable settlement or, as True Father referred to it, “the New Garden of Eden.”

Initially participants will arrive for a short orientation in Paraguay’s capital, Asuncion, where they later will return for the closing day of the program. The activities in the capital will provide opportunities to meet our local Family Federation members, build friendships, and have invaluable experiences with the rich culture of Paraguay.

After the participants leave Asuncion, a stop will be made in Loma Plata, a Mennonite settlement. There we will study its establishment, structure and development as a thriving spiritual community. Once the group arrives in the region of Alto Paraguay (Leda), participants will spend a day visiting one of the indigenous villages and socializing with its children and adult members. The indigenous villages are without running water and electricity, yet the warmth of the local residents makes up for any inconvenience one might experience. The experiences of meeting and getting to know the villagers are always life-enriching for everyone involved.

During the one-week stay at the Leda Settlement, afternoons and evenings are slated as free time, and there will be opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of the region through fishing, horseback riding, swimming, bird watching and hiking. There also will be time to reflect, journal and photograph. During morning hours, participants will take part in work service and gain experience with fish farming, which provides many insights into engineering sustainability through agro-ecological farming and plant conservation.

Upon return to the capital, the participants will have the option to make a side trip to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the spectacular Iguazu Falls. For those who are interested, information and a registration form are provided at our website.