CAIN & ABEL: FINDING THE FRUITS OF PEACE (2001)
Cain and Abel were born into God’s garden called Earth, a world of bright days for working in their fields and peaceful nights to share the stories of their dreams. The first children, the first brothers, they were so much alike yet so different–Cain a shepherd, Abel a farmer.
They lived side by side, surrounded by trees where wonderful, exotic fruits of many kinds grew: everywhere orapples, rasdew, and banangerines ripened all on a single branch. The air was sweet with the smell of pinango, limeberry and waterloupe.
But jealousy, anger, and fear took all of this away. Cain and Abel’s happiness came to an end, and with it, the trees’ ability to grow these special fruits.
In a world often hurt by violence, this retold biblical story gives children and adults a starting point for discussing anger and its effects on those around us. By harnessing the power we have to deal with our emotions in positive ways, we can once again cultivate the fruits of peace–and change the world for the better.