To be called to the community of Mercy is to live a life led by a deep compassion for the world around you. Many of us champion many causes. Inundated daily with images of the world around us and plights calling to be heard. The ready access to information provided by the ever advancing technologies of this world can make these many plights overwhelming. With many of us being so attuned to the needs of others we lend ourselves susceptible to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a condition described as emotional and physical exhaustion leading to a reduced ability to empathize or feel compassion for others, often described as the negative cost of caring. It is sometimes referred to as secondary traumatic stress. While there are many plights that can cause us unrest one of the most common is the call to protect the earth.

From a young age we are taught that we are stewards of the earth entrusted to us by God. I remember as child the idea of being a “steward”, a person in a position to provide care, filled me with a quiet joy that made me stand a little taller as I embraced this sense of purpose. Today it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many environmental concerns facing communities around the world. In no particular order:

• Global warming
• Pollution: Ensuring we have clean air and clean water while safely tackling the issue of waste
• Population Growth
• Sustainable management of Arable land
• Dependence on Fossil Fuels

Just to name a few. Inundated with headlines touting “disaster”, “Dangerous”, “Damage”, “Crisis”, “Problem” and “Doomsday” it’s easy to see why compassion fatigue happens...

Dominique Marendy lives in Sydney, Australia. She is currently working in an Animal Health company called ‘Elanco’. Through both her career and vocations she has developed a strong passion for positive social change as well as empowering others to find meaningful ways to contribute. Following attendance of a Mercy School in Sydney, Dominique has maintained a connection with the Mercy International Association through her continued involvement in social justice initiatives of the local Mercy Action Group Network and more recently through her acceptance into the MELF program. She has a great interest in developing as a researcher in order to tackle issues surrounding Global Food Security and sustainability.

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