SOUTHERN Cross Cath-olic College students and staff recently shared high tea with the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Robyn Mudie when they were in Colombo taking part in the college’s annual immersion.
For the past three years, senior students and college staff have visited Sri Lanka during the September holidays to join the De La Salle Brothers and work with the poor and marginalised communities in Colombo.
When the high commissioner heard of the college’s work, she invited the 14 students and eight staff to share the afternoon with her to talk about the work they were undertaking.
MacKillop Campus assistant principal for religious education Alish Conley said it was an honour to be invited by the high commissioner.
“The high commissioner was very interested to hear about the work we have been doing as she has been working very hard to build the relationship between Australia and Sri Lanka,” Mrs Conley said.
Working with the De La Salle Brothers in partnership with the Lasallian Foundation, the SCCC group painted the interior of one preschool in the poorest part of Colombo.
They also carried out landscaping work, taught the preschool students about oral health and spent time with disadvantaged youth being educated by the De La Salle Brothers.
College principal Greg Myers said his immersion experience was one that would stay with him for a lifetime.
“SCCC is committed to social justice in our world – especially for those who live in poverty,” he said.
“Our visit not only provided practical assistance but it was also a sign of hope, solidarity and support for Sri Lanka’s poorest of the poor.”
Ms Mudie congratulated the group for the positive work they were doing and encouraged them to continue to further strengthen the strong people-to-people links between Australia and Sri Lanka.
