Shownotes
What if kids around the world already knew the secret to protecting the Earth… and all we had to do was listen?
In this Faithfully Explore episode, we zip up our Belief Backpacks and travel across the globe to discover how different cultures teach us to care for our planet. From the Māori idea of Kaitiaki (guardianship) to the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), kids will learn that even small actions can make a big difference.
Through interactive games, storytelling, and meaningful connections, this episode helps children see themselves as part of a global team of Earth guardians—working together with kindness, gratitude, and responsibility.
✨ What Kids Will Experience
- Learn global “secret passwords” for caring for the Earth
- Explore ideas like reciprocity, stewardship, gratitude, and repair
- Build a Friendship Bridge by discovering shared values across cultures
- Play a fun Guardian Power Challenge with real-life choices
- Take on 3 simple weekly missions to help the planet
- Hear the story of Meera and the Tamarind Tree, a reminder that even one voice can make a difference
🎒 Belief Backpack Takeaways
Kids will walk away with:
- The Heart of a Borrower – Understanding the Earth is a gift we care for
- The Hands of a World-Repairer – Taking small actions to help the planet
- The Voice of a Protector – Speaking up for nature and living things
- The Spirit of Gratitude – Saying “thank you” for what the Earth provides
🌱 Weekly Missions
Try these at home!
- The Big Thank You
- Say thank you each day for something the Earth gives you
- The High Five Repair
- Pick up five pieces of litter and help clean your space
- The Wisdom Whisperer
- Teach someone what you learned—be a Guardian of Wisdom
💬 Conversation Starters
- What does it mean to be a “guardian” of the Earth?
- Which idea did you like best—Kaitiaki, Khalifa, or Tikkun Olam?
- What is one small thing you can do today to help the planet?
🌍 Why It Matters
Even though cultures around the world use different words, they share the same message:
Care for the Earth. Protect what is precious. Help one another.
When kids understand this, they don’t just learn about the world—they begin to see their place within it.
🎧 Listen, explore, and take your first step as a Guardian today.
Stay curious. Stay kind. And keep exploring.
Transcripts
Listen closely.
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:Explorers, I'm going to whisper
a secret word in a language
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:from a place far, far away:
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:Kaitiaki.
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:Can you say that with me?
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:Kaitiaki.
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:That's a word from the Maori people in
New Zealand, and it means " guardian".
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:Not a guardian of a bank, but
a guardian of the whole world.
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:Today, we're going to find secret
passwords from all over the globe to find
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:out how to be the best guardian ever.
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:But first, it's time to
grab your Belief Backpack!
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:Reach behind you, grab the
straps, and give it a big zip.
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:Oh, I love that sound!
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:Today on Faithfully Explore, we're
packing our bag with treasures from
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:friends all over the world who have been
Earth Guardians for thousands of years.
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:Faithfully Explore! Intro:
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:faithfully Explore!
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:is the name.
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:Learning together is our aim.
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:Beliefs around the globe we'll track,
filling up our Belief Backpack.
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:Laura: You know what a guardian is, right?
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:It's someone who protects
something precious.
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:Like how a big sibling might guard
their little brother or sister, or how
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:a museum guard protects beautiful art.
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:Well, today we're exploring what it
means to be Guardians of the Earth.
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:Our first stop is with the
oldest wisdom on Earth, teachings
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:from Indigenous peoples.
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:These are communities that have lived in
harmony with nature for a long, long time.
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:Now there are many different indigenous
nations and communities all around the
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:world, and each one has its own special
traditions and stories, but many of
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:them share a really beautiful idea.
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:They have a secret teaching
that goes like this.
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:"We do not inherit the
earth from our parents.
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:We borrow it from our children."
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:Now, think about when you borrow
a favorite toy from a friend.
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:Do you leave it in the mud?
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:No way.
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:You take super duper good care of it so
you can give it back in perfect shape.
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:That's what this teaching means.
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:We are borrowing the trees and the
clean water so we can hand them
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:over to the kids who come after us.
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:Indigenous nations teach us the
secret password reciprocity.
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:Can you say that tricky word with me?
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:Reciprocity.
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:Reciprocity.
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:It just means "the big thank you".
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:If you pick a juicy berry,
you say thank you to the bush.
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:If you take a drink from a stream,
you whisper thanks to the water.
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:You'd never take more than you need.
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:Because a Guardian always shares
with the birds and the bears, too.
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:Now let's fly across the ocean to India.
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:In the Hindu tradition, the
Earth isn't just dirt and rocks.
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:The Earth is a goddess named Bhumi Devi.
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:Bhumi means earth, and Devi means goddess.
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:Imagine that!
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:The ground underneath your sneakers
is like a kind mother who grows your
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:food and gives you a place to play.
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:In India, our secret password
is more of an action.
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:Some people start their day by touching
the ground and then touching their heart.
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:It's like saying, "Good morning, Earth.
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:Thank you for holding me up."
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:Let's try it!
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:Reach down and touch the floor.
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:Now, touch your heart.
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:You just gave the Earth a high five.
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:Doesn't that make the ground
feel a little more special?
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:Next, we're visiting our Muslim friends.
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:In Islam, there is a secret
password called Khalifa.
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:Can you say that with me?
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:Khalifa.
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:A Khalifa is like a trustee
or a super caretaker.
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:It's like being the world's
most important babysitter.
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:Muslims believe that God put humans
in charge of the earth to make
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:sure every flower and every kitty
cat is treated with kindness.
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:A famous teacher named Mohammed once
said that if you plant a tree and
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:a hungry bird eats a fruit from it,
you've done something wonderful.
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:You get a kindness point every
time that tree gives shade or food.
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:So a Khalifa doesn't just look
at nature, they help it grow!
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:Our last stop is a Jewish secret password
that I bet you'll love Tikkun Olam.
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:Who can say Tikkun Olam?
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:In Hebrew, this means
"repairing the world".
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:Think of the world like a giant, beautiful
toy that has a few broken pieces.
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:Our job is to be the repair crew!
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:Every time you do something kind, you are
gluing a piece of the world back together.
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:Picking up a piece of litter.
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:Tikkun Olam!
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:Turning off the water
while you brush your teeth.
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:Tikkun Olam!
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:Being kind to a bug.
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:Tikkun Olam!
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:There's a famous saying that
means you don't have to fix the
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:whole world by yourself, but you
can't just sit and watch either.
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:You just have to fix your one
little piece of the puzzle.
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:Okay, explorers.
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:Let's pause for a second.
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:Pat your Belief Backpack.
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:Does it feel a little heavier?
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:That's because it's full of all
these amazing stories we just found.
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:We traveled to tall mountains,
busy cities, and quiet temples.
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:We heard words in Maori,
Arabic, Hebrew, and Sanskrit.
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:But did you notice something?
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:It was like a secret code.
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:Even though the words sounded different,
they were all saying the exact same thing.
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:When our Indigenous friends say
reciprocity, they mean be a helper.
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:When our Hindu friends say Bhumi
Devi, they mean love the earth mother.
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:When our Muslim friends say Khalifa,
they mean be a world babysitter.
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:When our Jewish friends say Tikkun
Olam, they mean fix the broken pieces.
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:Do you hear it?
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:It's like one big song being sung
in a hundred different languages.
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:Every single tradition teaches
us that you and I are part of
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:a giant global guardian team.
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:That's my favorite part
about being an explorer.
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:When we really listen to our neighbors,
we find out that even if they
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:pray differently or live far away,
they love the same things you do.
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:Think about it.
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:Do you love splashing in clean water?
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:Me too!
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:Do you love climbing trees
and smelling flowers?
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:Me too!
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:Do you want the animals
to have a safe home?
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:Me too!
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:All that me too is like
building a Friendship Bridge.
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:It's a bridge made of kindness that
connects a kid in India, a kid in New
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:Zealand, and you right where you are.
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:We're all walking across that
bridge together, holding hands and
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:looking after our beautiful Earth.
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:It's game time.
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:Explorers.
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:It's time to see if your
Guardian Powers are ready.
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:Stand up, shake out your arms
and get your legs ready to move.
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:Here's how we play.
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:I'm going to describe
something that happens.
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:If it's something a guardian would do.
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:I want you to strike
a guardian power pose.
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:If it's a nope, I want you to make a big X
with your arms and say, "Not on my watch!"
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:Are you ready?
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:Let's go.
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:Challenge one.
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:You see a spider in your bathtub
instead of a squish, you get a cup.
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:Scoop him up and walk him
outside to a nice leafy bush.
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:Power pose or x mark?
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:Huge power pose.
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:Yes, you are a tiny creature bodyguard.
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:Even the smallest bugs are
part of the Earth's big family.
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:Challenge two.
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:You're eating a snack outside, you're
all finished, and whoosh, you toss
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:your wrapper right onto the grass.
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:Power pose or X mark?
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:Big X mark.
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:That's right.
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:A guardian says, not on my watch.
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:We keep our trash in the bin so
the animals have a clean home.
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:Challenge three.
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:You walk out of your bedroom and click.
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:You remember to flip the light switch
off because nobody is in there.
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:Power pose or X mark?
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:Power pose.
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:You're an energy ninja.
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:Saving electricity is a secret
way to be a hero for the planet.
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:Challenge four.
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:You're in the shower
singing your favorite song.
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:The water is warm and feels great,
so you stay in there for five more
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:songs while the water runs and runs.
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:Power pose or X mark?
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:X mark.
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:Guardians are water wizards.
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:We use just what we need and
then click off goes the tap.
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:One song is plenty of time for
a guardian to get squeaky clean.
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:Challenge five.
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:You find a bit of dirt
in a pot or a garden.
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:You tuck a seed inside, and you
give it a little drink of water.
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:Power pose or X mark?
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:The biggest power pose yet!
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:You are a life grower.
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:Every plant you grow helps the bees,
the birds, and the air we breathe.
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:Challenge six.
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:You need to go to your friend's
house just two blocks away.
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:You ask your family to drive the car.
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:Even though you have your bike
and your helmet ready to go.
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:Power pose or X mark?
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:X mark.
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:Oh, we caught you on that one.
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:If it's safe to bike or
walk, that's human power.
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:It keeps the air fresh
and your legs strong.
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:Woo, shake it out.
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:Explorers, you didn't let
a single nope get past you.
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:You're already acting like Kaitiaki,
Khalifas, and world repairers.
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:Remember, being a guardian isn't
about being perfect every time.
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:It's about making one power pose
choice at a time every single day.
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:Great job on the Challenge
explorers, but being a Guardian
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:doesn't stop when the music ends.
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:This week's challenge is
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:This week, I have three secret
missions for you to try at home.
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:Are you ready for your assignments?
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:Mission one: the big thank you.
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:Every day this week, I want you
to find one thing the earth gave
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:you and say thank you out loud.
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:It could be the water in your
cup, the apple in your lunch,
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:or the cool breeze on your face.
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:Remember what our indigenous
friends taught us about reciprocity.
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:When we say thanks, we're being
the best kind of borrowers.
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:Mission two: the high-five repair.
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:This week, when you're walking to
school or playing at the park, I want
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:you to find five pieces of litter,
like a candy wrapper or an old
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:bottle, and put them in the trash.
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:You are practicing Tikkun Olam.
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:You're literally repairing the world.
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:Five tiny pieces at a time.
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:High five for that.
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:Mission three: the Wisdom Whisperer.
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:This is the most important one.
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:I want you to go to someone in your
family, maybe a grown-up or a sibling, and
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:tell them one secret you learned today.
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:Tell them what Khalifa means, or
tell them the story of Bhumi Devi.
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:When you share these stories, you
aren't just a guardian of the trees,
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:you're a guardian of wisdom too.
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:Which mission are you gonna start first?
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:I bet you can do all three.
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:Now, reach into your Belief
Backpack one more time.
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:I have a story to tuck inside.
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:This tale comes from a beautiful country
called India, and it's about a girl
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:named Meera and a very, very grumpy man.
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:Now it's time for my
favorite part of the podcast.
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:It's story time.
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:I wonder what story
we're gonna hear today.
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:Once upon a time in a village
where the sun was big and golden,
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:there grew a giant tamarind tree.
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:It was enormous.
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:Its trunk was as wide as a van, and its
branches reached out like giant leafy
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:arms, giving the whole village a hug.
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:The tree was a giver.
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:When the wind blew, the leaves went
shhh-shhh-shhh, singing a lullaby.
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:It grew tart, tangy fruit
that tasted like sour candy.
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:And it was the best
hide-and-seek spot in the world.
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:Everyone loved the tree.
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:Everyone except a grumpy merchant.
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:He was very rich, and he
had a very loud voice.
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:He looked at the beautiful tree and
said, "Huh, that tree is in my way.
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:I want to build a giant
shiny shop right there.
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:Tomorrow, chop, chop, chop down it goes."
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:The villagers gassed.
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:"Oh no," they cried.
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:"The birds live there.
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:We nap there."
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:The merchant just plugged his ears.
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:That night, a little girl named Meera, who
was just about your age, couldn't sleep.
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:She thought about the
owls and the branches.
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:She thought about this sour candy fruit.
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:She knew she had to be
a Kaitiaki, a guardian.
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:The next morning, just as the
sun was peaking up, Meera stood
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:right in front of the merchant.
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:She was small, but she stood
tall like a power pose.
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:"Wait," she said, "before you chop,
will you come for a walk with me?"
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:The merchant grumbled,
but he followed her.
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:Meera pointed up.
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:"Look," she whispered.
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:They saw a mama bird feeding
a worm to a tiny, fluffy baby.
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:Cheep, cheep.
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:She pointed down.
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:"Look."
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:They saw a line of teeny tiny ants
marching like soldiers up the bark.
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:She pointed to the shade.
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:"Look."
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:The oldest grandpa in the village
was sitting there smiling because
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:the sun wasn't too hot on his head.
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:Meera looked at the merchant and said,
"This tree isn't just wood and leaves.
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:It's a home.
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:It's a gift.
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:It's been a guardian for us.
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:Now we have to be a guardian for it."
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:The merchant looked at the birds.
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:He looked at the ants.
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:He remembered when he was a little
boy, climbing trees and getting
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:green knees from the grass.
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:His heart, which had been small and
hard like a stone, began to melt.
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:He dropped his ax.
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:"You're right, Meera."
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:He said, "I was looking,
but I wasn't really seeing."
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:The merchant didn't just save the tree.
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:He became its best friend.
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:He built a little fence to keep the roots
safe and hung a sign that said, "This tree
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:is a gift for the children of the future."
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:And you know what?
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:Meera grew up to be a great
teacher, but she never forgot that
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:she saved a whole world of living
things just by using her voice.
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:I love that story because
it reminds me of you!
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:Sometimes grownups forget to
look at the birds and the ants.
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:Sometimes they forget that
the earth is a borrowed gift.
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:But you, you have guardian eyes.
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:You see how precious a single tree can be.
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:Just like Meera, your
voice is a superpower.
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:When you speak up for a bug or a flower
or a park, you are doing Tikkun Olam.
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:You are repairing the world.
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:You might be small, but your
heart is big enough to change the
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:mind of a grumpy merchant, too.
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:Take a deep breath in,
explorers, and let it out.
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:Can you still hear the
shhh-shhh-shhh of the tamarind tree?
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:What's inside our belief
backpack this week?
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:Before we go, pat that
Belief Backpack on your back.
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:It's heavy because it's full of
your new guardian superpowers.
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:You aren't just a kid
listening to a story.
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:You're going home with
the heart of a borrower.
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:You know the Earth is a
precious gift we're keeping
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:safe for the kids of the future.
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:You have the hands of a world repairer.
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:That's your Tikkun Olam.
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:You're part of the global crew that
fixes the broken pieces of our planet.
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:You have the voice of a
protector, just like Meera.
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:You have the power to speak up and say,
this tree, this world is worth saving.
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:And you have the spirit
of the big thank you.
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:You've learned that the ground
beneath your feet is sacred.
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:Whether you call it Bhumi Devi or Mother
Earth, you've got the power of gratitude.
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:Today, we built a Friendship Bridge
connecting you to kids in India,
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:New Zealand, and all over the map.
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:We might say the words differently.
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:Kaitiaki, Khalifa, or trustee.
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:But our hearts are all
saying the same thing.
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:I love our home.
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:Your mission this week is
to use your guardian eyes.
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:Look for the birds.
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:Thank the rain.
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:And remember, you are
a hero for the earth.
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:I'm so glad we explored together.
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:I'm Laura, and I'll see you
next time on Faithfully Explore!
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:Remember, stay curious, stay
kind, and keep exploring the
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:wonderful world around you.
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:Faithfully Explore! Outro:
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:Faithfully Explore!
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:is about you.
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:Let's grow kinder together, it's true!
