Coolies’ Visit to India 2011

Directly following placing their pens down for the last time our 11 ‘2010 Coolies’ were on a plane bound for Chennai in the very south of India. Once we landed in Chennai our first mission was to somehow find our way to our overnight resting place. This may sound easy, but to do this we needed to dodge a barrage of taxi drivers, uneven footpaths and a humidity we had only before experienced perhaps on a record heat wave in a Melbourne summer gone by. We completed this first mission and it all became absolutely worth it when we arrived at our final destination: St Joseph’s Keelimudiman, and laid eyes on the wonderful students who make up this Lasallian school. We were met by Principal Br Alfred and his group of inspiring Brothers who looked after us beautifully during our time in Keelimudiman. For the next four weeks the Coolies worked rain, hail or shine to assist building two classrooms from scratch and renovating the floor of the nearby boys hostel. The Coolies were also set the task of clearing a large amount of rubble behind the school to enable outdoor classroom space in the shade. Tasks that seemed impossible in the beginning came to completion as we worked along side real ‘Coolies’ who, despite the language barrier, became our friends as the work progressed. Of a night time, when work had finished for the day, the Coolies visited eight tuition centers in the towns surrounding Keelimudiman. These centres were set up by the Indian Brothers to allow students to complete their homework under a communal light source, as electricity is scarce in the homes of locals. Our Coolies and staff were amazed at the amount of study undertaken by the Indian students from as young as early Primary school age. In the blink of an eye our work was done and we were farewelled by the St Joseph’s community. Little did these students and Brothers know just how much they had touched our hearts, making us realize the enormity of the Lasallian family we are privileged to belong to. Two weeks of travel followed and we explored southern India. Hampi, Goa, Bangalore and Mysore were all on our list, each city unique. Singapore was our last stop and from there back home Mr Evans at work landing in Melbourne to be greeted by families we had not seen for six weeks. We were grateful for our comfortable homes with running water and electricity. But we carry an awareness of our responsibility to do what we can for, in the words of our Founder, ‘the last, the lost and the least.’ Thank you to Br Alfred and his team and the inspiring students of St Joseph’s Keelimudiman. Above all, thanks to Tom Gaylor, Jean-Rene Vauzelle, Mitch Sarpi, Daniel Stavrevski, Michael Bohan, Matt Tucker, Alex Minicz, Eugene Twomey, Tim Howard, Leo Morgan, Giacomo Fecht O’Brien, Mr Larry Evans and Mr Michael Watty. Ms Kate McIlroy