A Catholic charity worker has recently become an author of a children’s book, which explores how communities flourish.

Mum of one Elaine McGinlay has worked for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund for 12 years and is their Education Officer. She has written a children’s book drawing on more than a decade of work in development education.

Elaine was inspired to write the book The Wisdom of the River after she visited SCIAF’S partner communities and witnessed how they supported one another to flourish in the face of challenges such as severe droughts.

Every Catholic primary school in Scotland will now receive a free copy.

Elaine said: “My wee boy Matthew thinks it’s really cool that his mum wrote his new favourite bedtime story, although he is a wee bit young for it. It’s mainly aimed at 7-10 year olds.

“Matthew goes to the same primary school I went to – St Timothy’s. My mum used to be known affectionately in the school as “the SCIAF lady” for her long-term commitment to fundraising! He loves choosing different paths through the story and is looking forward to sharing with his teacher.”

The book follows the story of a community which lives on the banks of a wide, flowing river and the choices they face as they work together to help their town flourish and ‘sing again’. On each page, readers choose what happens next and which characters they wish to speak to, creating an interactive, choose-your-own-story adventure.

The book is a gentle introduction to Integral Human Development — the Catholic Church’s holistic vision of human flourishing, which considers the whole person and whole community. This vision shapes SCIAF’s work around the world.

The Wisdom of the River has been written for families and classrooms and explores the themes of faith, sustainable development and human flourishing.

The book allows readers to navigate challenges drawn from the real experiences of SCIAF’s partner communities around the world, such as collecting rainwater.

There is also a Gaelic version of the book.

Elaine added: “The Wisdom of the River brings SCIAF’s work to life in a gentle way, and I think it is a wonderful addition to any school or home library.

“My hope is that families enjoy reading this book aloud together and learn how flourishing isn’t only about material needs or simple solutions to complex global issues, including poverty and hunger, but about many connected solutions.”

Gospel of the day (Mark 2:23-28)

One Sabbath the Lord was going through the cornfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck ears of corn. And the Pharisees were saying to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?’ And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’

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🕊️ JOURNALS FROM JERUSALEM - "A People Who Need Peace"

Abu Suleiman, who leads a Bedouin tribe in the West Bank that the Holy Land Coordination visited on Saturday, gives a brief message to people in the UK.

"My message to our friends in your country is to look after the Bedouin. The British, when they were here in Palestine, or in Jordan, they looked after the Bedouin - they helped the Bedouin in the Middle East.

"We want them now to look after the Bedouin, to speak with the Israeli government, to ask them not to make a problem for them because they are not political, they are people who need peace. "

🎥 - James Abbott, Catholic Bishops' Conference (England and Wales)

📝JOURNALS FROM JERUSALEM - A Day With the Mihtawish Bedouin

🚌On Saturday, the Bishops and delegates of the Holy Land Coordination travelled east of Jerusalem to visit the Mihtawish Bedouin community and the Comboni Sisters who have accompanied them for more than twelve years.

🐐The Mihtawish are a Palestinian Bedouin community living in the West Bank. Like many Bedouin families, they are semi-nomadic by tradition, organised around extended family, hospitality, and a deep connection to land and livestock. Most families live in simple, temporary structures and face severe shortages of electricity, water, sanitation, and access to public services.

🧑‍🏫For over a decade, the Comboni Sisters have remained close to the Bedouin communities of this area, accompanying families across 13 villages. Their work is rooted in long-term relationships and regular presence. They support five kindergarten schools, provide healthcare and social assistance, and run women’s empowerment programmes that foster dignity, resilience, and opportunity.

⛪Through their presence, the Comboni Sisters embody a Church that remains close to the marginalised and is attentive to the human dignity of all, values that Pope Leo calls us to commit to in Dilexi Te.

🧵We heard from women who have worked with the Sisters to learn skills such as sewing and embroidery, to study English, and to pursue educational opportunities ensuring they are protagonists in their own lives and agents of change in their own communities.

🏘️The hills where the Mihtawish live are surrounded by illegal Israeli settlements which continue to encroach in on the Bedouins causing them to fear they will be squeezed out. A new settler outpost has appeared recently within walking distance of their farm. While we were there, we saw settlers approach and observe the community from nearby hills (pictured) and we witnessed new settlement buildings under construction.

🪨The women told us they are afraid to sleep due to increased settler violence in recent months. Settlers have come in the nights and taken sheep and goats and during the day they often intimidate and harass the Mihtawish, throw stones, and there have been incidents where children were attacked. Community leaders explained how settlers have entered their land, photographed Bedouin livestock and presented these images to police as false claims of theft against the Bedouins.

❤️In the first image is Rhagad with her younger sister. Her name means “ease of living” or “comfortable life.” She is 10 years old. Rhagad deserves to grow into the future that her name promises. But the older women of her community shared their fear of what lies ahead: if the settlers continue to come, where will the Mihtawish go?

🕊️When asked what the women wanted us to tell people on their behalf, they said: "We want to live in peace. Tell your people at home that our people want to be free; we want to live freely and securely on our own land."

📸Image Credit - Marcin Mazur: Catholic Bishops' Conference (England and Wales)