Malaysia: Wildlife Artist Christine Das Leads Catholics in Reflection on Elephants and Care for creation

A Catholic wildlife conservation artist and animal activist challenged parishioners to look more closely at the suffering of animals and humanity’s responsibility toward creation during a contemplative art session held October 2 at the Church of the Divine Mercy in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

The event, organized by the church’s Charismatic Prayer Team under the leadership of parish priest Fr. George Harrison, in collaboration with Christine Das, was held as part of the closing activities of the month dedicated to Care for Creation. It brought together nearly 20 participants, from senior citizens to young children, for prayer, storytelling and contemplative art centered on the theme, “Let Our Elephants Be Elephants.”

The session focused particularly on Dara, Amoi and Kelat (DAK), three Malaysian elephants sent to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, Japan. Through storytelling and art, Das invited participants to reflect on the animals’ experience in captivity and on broader questions concerning wildlife protection, conservation and human responsibility toward other living creatures.

For Das, art can be more than an expression of beauty. “There has been alleged millions pocketed by selling out our elephants, which is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission,” Das said. “They stole from our future, but they can’t silence our outrage. We are using art to shine a light on this corruption and fight for the welfare of our wildlife. Art is our resistance.”

The presentation proved eye-opening for several participants who said they had previously known little about the circumstances surrounding the three elephants.

Christine’s session gave Venessa Sandra a new perspective on wildlife and creation.

“Christine’s session was good. It was an eye-opener for me, especially as someone who was unaware of the situation surrounding the elephants. I also learned something new about God’s creation,” she said.

Catherine Agnes said the story of Dara, Amoi and Kelat helped participants recognize that animals, too, experience suffering. “Their story is a powerful reminder that animals, too, experience fear, loneliness and suffering.”

For Anne Chan, the session moved the issue beyond elephants to animals in participants’ own neighborhoods.

“This contemplative art session opened my eyes to the sad state of our elephants in captivity. I’ll tell more people about their plight,” she said.

Victor Vel said the event helped participants better understand what the three elephants were experiencing.

“Christine Das does a passionate job of defending life and, in this case, the lives of Dara, Amoi and Kelat,” he said. “While most of us knew about DAK, we didn’t really understand what they were going through until this event.”

For Don Bosco, Das’s willingness to speak openly about her experience added another dimension to the gathering.

“It meant a lot that she opened up and shared her experience,” he said. “Her honesty was both refreshing and inspiring, while it was also saddening to learn about the extent of corruption in our country.”

The participation of children and senior citizens created an intergenerational setting in which care for creation could be considered as a shared responsibility rather than an issue limited to environmental activists.

The October 2 gathering ultimately moved beyond artistic expression. Through prayer, storytelling and reflection, participants were encouraged to see wildlife conservation through the lenses of compassion, faith and human responsibility.

The experience offered a reminder that care for creation is not limited to a particular month. It is an ongoing call to recognize the value of all living creatures, learn about the threats they face and turn awareness into concrete concern and action.