The Art of Cultivating Life
There is a quiet strength in the way Sr. Amalia Camacho tends to the world around her. Whether through her love of plants, her deep spiritual reflection, or her years of pastoral ministry, Sr. Amalia embodies the art of cultivating life — an attentiveness to life that begins in the small and flows outward in ever-widening circles of care.
She grew up in Port Isabel, Texas, in a home where rose bushes bloomed and herbal teas like te de manzanilla and lemon grass were steeped with intention. At her mother’s side, she learned the names and uses of medicinal plants, but even more than that, she learned to pay attention — to notice what needs care and respond with gentleness.
“To care for plants is the reverse in one’s spiritual journey,” she reflects. “The plants have a way of caring for us; it’s not a give and take situation. I see it as a partnership in the cycle of life.” For Sr. Amalia, nurturing is not about control — it’s about trust, relationship, and reverence for the interconnectedness of all creation.
Her call to serve led her first to Whatcom Community College, where she earned her Associate in Arts and Sciences in 1993. She continued on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Western Washington University in 1996, and later a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies in 2002. Her formation also included the Pastoral Leadership Program in 2006 and the Orientation Program for Vocation Directors in 2011.
Sr. Amalia’s ministry has spanned classrooms, parishes, and communities across Washington State. She taught seventh grade and supported sacramental preparation in Mount Vernon. She served as Pastoral Assistant at St. Louise Parish in Bellevue from 2002 to 2017, where her compassion and humility were central to her work. She ministered as an advocate for the Latino community in Longview and later co-directed the CSJP Associate Program alongside Sue Nies, accompanying others in their spiritual growth from 2009 to 2018.
Throughout her journey, Sr. Amalia has remained deeply rooted in the belief that “all forms of life are interconnected and even interrelated, and if we’re not careful, we can upset the balance of life.” She encourages others to step outside, to take a walk around the neighborhood or through a garden — not just to see the plants, but to notice the bees, the butterflies, the hummingbirds, and all that depends on those small seeds tended with love and care.
Her way of nurturing is not loud or flashy. It is quiet, steady, and full of heart — like a seed that lies dormant and, in time, becomes something beautiful.
Sr. Amalia is happy to share her poems and reflections on how we can deepen our connection with plants and care for creation. From poetry to simple tips for nurturing the earth, her insights invite us into a more loving and attentive way of being.