12 minute read
PULSE
Get to know Aboriginal people and learn about their culture
There are so many opportunities now to learn more about Aboriginal culture and the many nations that were present across this land. Workshops, cultural centres, tours (including in the Botanical gardens in Sydney ) and NAIDOC celebrations. Watch movies, listen to music, study art and read books written by Aboriginal people. Listening to the voice of Aboriginal people is key. When Jesus calls us to go and make disciples of all nations, he wasn’t talking about only people like us, or to make people into people like us. It was a call to love, to see every human as one of our brothers or sisters in Christ and to love everyone as God does. Loving, is not just about the good, fun and nice parts but also weeping through the difficult things as well. As parents and grandparents how do we model this to our kids in how we talk about and engage with Aboriginal people? Is their story our story, even when it does not shine a pleasant light on our past or even in our present?
PULSE Thinking through Aboriginal issues as a family
Before I start this conversation I want to say upfront, I am in no way an expert on Aboriginal issues or how we think about them as families. but this is important work and this is what I have learnt so far in my baby steps of a journey. WHO AM I?
I am a white woman, whose family has lived in Australia for generations. This is our home and the only land we have ever belonged to. My family never spoke about Aboriginal people, it was years later I discovered that a girl I went to school with was Aboriginal, and much later again the I discovered one of my closest and longest friends was also Aboriginal. We didn’t learn Aboriginal history in school but white history, with Aboriginal people in the background or useful trackers. The earliest memory I have is going to see the film Manganinnie and being devastated by what had happened. I grew up in a fairly working class family and I was the first person in my family to have attended University. We didn’t think we had a lot growing up, so for a long time I didn’t understand what white privilege was. In recent years my circle of close friends has grown, particularly including people of colour and more specifically Aboriginal people. I am hearing stories of their lives, the overt racism and assumptions that are made of them and even hardest to come to terms with is when I make those assumptions as well. I have grown to realise how privileged I am. To be born where I was, to the family I have, growing up in the community I did and to have the coloured skin I do, made differences I will never fully understand. This might sound like a strange way to start this conversation about talking with your family about Aboriginal issues but I have learnt that it is critical in entering into these conversations to start by realising who you are and where you come from. Being part of the dominant culture I often feel like I don’t have a culture, or that there is such variety in white Australian culture, that you can’t generalise. But culture is the beliefs and practices of a community and everyone has at least some. TIME FOR THE TRUTH
The next stage has been about learning the truth. What is a more wholistic history of Australia, not just what I was taught at school. If you don’t know where to start Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe, is a helpful resource. There is a full adult version and a kids version (Young Dark Emu) for older primary school children. Talk to your kids or grandkids about what they have learnt in school. There is so much more Aboriginal history and culture taught in schools today. Another idea is to research the community on whose land you live, what is their history? Is there an Aboriginal land council? What information does the local library and council have? I have also researched the community on whose land I was born and where I work as well. It has helped me to connect even deeper into who I am as an Australian. It would be great to do it with your kids as they explore who they are.
As you explore these stories you will soon discover some terrible parts of our history, some things happening out of blind naïve attempts to help, some were cruel people driven by power, greed and the need to control. You will learn of massacres, genocide, stolen and denied identities, abuse and torture. Of Aboriginal people being herded together in missions, stolen from their families and controlled by police with curfews and violence. Disappointingly some of the stories are not even that old. Generational trauma is a real thing. All of this history plays a significant role in where we are now and without understanding this we will not be able to move forward as a nation.
KAREN MITCHELL-LAMBERT
AN IMPORTANT PART THAT HAS BEGUN THE JOURNEY TOWARDS HEALING HAS BEEN THE NATIONAL APOLOGY TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA, MADE BY KEVIN RUDD IN 2008. SORRY SORRY IS A BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN’S BOOK HELPING CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND WHY SORRY DAY IS IMPORTANT. IT IS A GREAT START TO THE CONVERSATION.
Interestingly the more you explore you will also learn amazing stories of resilience, faithfulness, hope, courage, and generous spirits. I still marvel at the amount of Aboriginal people who went to war for the country that didn’t even recognise them as people at the time. NOT JUST ABORIGINAL HISTORY BUT AUSTRALIAN HISTORY
These stories are not just Aboriginal history but Australian history and as Christians we need to acknowledge our part. The Uniting Church revisited the Preamble to our Constitution in 2009 which recognises the place of Aboriginal people in Australia and the part the church has played in the colonisation of Aboriginal people. This resource would be a great place to talk through with children in Church or at home about the Church’s relationship with our First People.
KAREN MITCHELL-LAMBERT
TEAM LEADER OF PULSE
Kids
KIDS CAMP OUT (KCO) SAW 150 PEOPLE FROM TWELVE CONGREGATIONS AND COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER FOR A WEEKEND OF LEARNING, PLAYING AND CONNECTING. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR LEADERS/SUPPORTERS HAVE COME FROM ALL OVER THE SYNOD! FROM UP THE COAST, THE RIVERINA, TO OUR BLESSED FRIENDS FROM CANBERRA REGION PRESBYTERY AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER SYDNEY.
KCO is an annual camp for students in years 3-6. The camp gives opportunities for young leaders and families to participate in a truly inter-generational community. Not only for Primary School students but also a time for families and junior high schoolers to gain leadership training and be helpers. The weekend is peppered with games, worship celebrations and opportunities for church groups to develop friendships and discipleship.
For 2022, we took time to learn more about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. We invited children to explore who Jesus is! We unpacked a little of his story, beginning with the traditional Christmas narrative, moving on to explore some of Jesus’ teachings, stories he shared and miracles leading up to and concluding with the Easter story. The overall aim over the course of the KCO22, the children can answer Jesus’ question, ‘Who do you say I am?’ (Luke 9:20) for themselves.
A highlight of Kids Camp Out 2022 was the intergenerational community that was built. The temporary community formed at KCO is shaped by all ages contributing to the fun! Congregations making intentional relationships to their young people and vice versa. One of the key goals of KCO is allowing all ages space to join whether in worship, building tents, small group discussions and even being together roasting marsh mellows by the bon fire. There were opportunities; to meeting new people, share meals with each other and other campers, and storytelling from leaders and children. Knowing while the groups travelled to KCO, congregations back home were praying for the young hearts and many church folk wanting to be part of the KCO story. Offering to cook breakfast, bring homemade goods made with love from older church members, as well as a few volunteered joined us as group leaders! Awesome to witness Jesus’ love and hope was very much celebrated this weekend. Noting that ministry with young people is a priority for our Church and doesn’t end only at church but becomes part of the wider church story. For several years, Congregations that gather at KCO have used the junior Leadership program as a strategic opportunity for their young leaders to prepare, engage and reflect as a team. With young leaders participating in the Saturday night leadership stream, it has become a key elements of the weekend program. With the concept of leading our campers on Sunday morning plus taking the tools and learnings back to their home congregations. We've had such a great time at Kids Camp Out 2022, all coming together in person at Wedderburn Christian Campsite. We hope you can join us next year at KCO 2023. #KCO22 #DiaryOfADisciple JOYCE TANGI
JESUS’ LOVE AND HOPE WAS VERY MUCH
CELEBRATED PULSE FIELD OFFICER
Barbara’s new beginnings From loss to love
BARBARA LOST THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, BUT FOUND COMFORT AND FRIENDSHIP IN HER NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY.
Frank Vickery Village will always hold a special place in Barbara’s heart. It’s where she spent the last few days with her late husband, Rod. And, with his memory still strong in her heart, it’s where she’s embracing her new life as part of a supportive community. MAKING A CHANGE
When Rod was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Barbara says they decided to sell their house and downsize. Then, when Rod was referred to Wesley Mission’s aged care home in Sylvania, Barbara and her family saw an opportunity to make life easier. Barbara moved into Wesley Mission’s retirement living village next door, to remain close to Rod.
“I know the biggest thing for me [in deciding on Frank Vickery Village] was that they’d send my husband to the nursing home here,” she says. “It was wonderful because I was only five minutes away from him. I'd just get up in the morning, get dressed, have breakfast and spend the whole day with him.
“And the staff were amazing. They gave him dignity and they let me be part of the journey every inch of the way. I was so grateful because I was so close to Rod and they treated me like I lived there. They didn’t shut me out and that was wonderful.” A NEW BEGINNING
Despite Rod’s passing, Barbara has welcomed her new way of life at Frank Vickery Village. “We were very fortunate that we got into over our eighties together,” she says. “I really feel blessed in that way. So, I’m just embracing my new way of life now and trying to be as happy as I can be.” Barbara says she knew she didn’t want to live in a high-rise building. So, as soon as she visited Frank Vickery Village, she felt it was where she belonged. “I chose here because it has that whole cottage atmosphere. There hasn’t been one thing that hasn’t been better than I
expected,” she says. “I like the attitude here. I’m very happy and I [plan] to live here for the rest of my life.” Barbara says she enjoys an active lifestyle and appreciate the many ways she can engage with her new community, whether it be at the village hairdresser, volunteering at the local shop to help her neighbours or nurturing her faith at bible study group. “I lean on God and he's shown himself in my life in so many ways,” she says. “I couldn't have done it without God beside me. Sometimes I have to find courage to just walk out the door, but he gives me the courage.”
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Barbara treasures the life she had shared with Rod, but she’s now excited to move forward and embrace new beginnings at Frank Vickery Village.
And with so much change in her life in such a short time, she appreciates the incredible support she’s received from her new community. “Everyone here is so kind and caring. If I’m feeling down, I just open the door and go outside into the village and there’s always somebody to talk to,” she says. “If I’m worried about anything, I’ve only got to press a button. If there’s anything you need, you only have to ask.” Barbara says Rod was his happiest when he was with his family and she’s grateful that she is in a supportive community yet still so close to her children and grandchildren.
“My family come to visit me here; one of my sons and his three children are here all the time,” she says. By trusting in God, Barbara says she’s learning to cope with loss with courage and grace. “I always like to be thankful about things – what I’ve got – and not dwell on things. I haven’t got Rod anymore, but I’ve got him in my heart,” she says. “[Rod and I] were together for 63 years and I’ve been finding it hard to live my life as a single person. But coming here has helped me tremendously. I’m finally starting to feel I’m really at home.”
Visit:
wesleymission.org.au/ seniors to discover the many ways Wesley Mission can help you live the life you want and get the care you need. They have co-located retirement villages and aged-care homes in Sylvania, Carlingford and Narrabeen.
