IN June-July, a new group of students from eight Jesuit schools and Jesuit partnership schools across four states came together and travel to Timor Leste for a two-week immersion.
The group comprised of 16 students. Two were selected from each of the eight schools, together with the staff Jesuit Father Tom Renshaw, Shane O’Brien, Jo Mead and me.
Two months before to the Timor Leste immersion everyone met at St Ignatius College, Riverview, for a formation weekend.
Here the students were given the opportunity to begin learning about the history and culture of a country so close to Australia, prepare for the immersion and get to know each other.
From this weekend it was clear that the Year 11 and 12 students were enthusiastic and energetic about the upcoming journey.
On June 21 everyone met in Darwin before a morning departure to the capital city of Timor Leste, Dili.
We were laden with bags of various donations that each of us had gathered from our respective school communities.
Thank goodness when we arrived in Dili, the customs officials understood that we had secondhand goods for donating, not selling.
After two days in Dili, settling into Timor life, seeing significant sights such as the Resistance Museum and Dare War Memorial and trying to avoid the unexpected rain, we all headed to the Jesuit Mission in the stunning mountain community of Railaco for four days.
We were greeted by the amazing and inspiring Sr Rita, who welcomed us and organised, together with Fathers Bong and Phuong, our program for the following days.
Due to the rain and possibility of landslide, we had to make some changes.
Fr Bong organised with the local chief for us to experience coffee-picking with local farmers.
We learnt that the pickers earn 30 cents a kilogram.
While we weren’t being paid, after four hours’ work our group of 20 would have earned about $1.15 each for the morning.
Mrs Mead said “the smiles on the children’s faces just hit you and light up your day”.
We departed Railaco, leaving a little of our hearts behind with our new friends, and headed back to Dili for a couple of days.
This enabled us to reflect on all that we had experienced and to re-energise before heading to the new Jesuit school, College of St Ignatius of Loyola, Kasait, for four days.
Julie Doan, from Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay, said it was refreshing to see so many children who were willing to go to school every day and learn as much as they could.
“But then it is heartbreaking to hear that many of them are unable to access the education that we are privileged to have in Australia,” she said.
With dedicated teachers, staff and administration, the College of St Ignatius of Loyola is helping to bridge that gap.
We spent some time that afternoon exploring Kasait with the local acolytes and scouts, before collapsing exhaustedly into our “comfy beds” on the classroom floors.
Our final day at Kasait was a wonderful celebration.
It began with Mass, celebrated by Fathers Quyen, Tom, Ura and Albert.
Next there were polished performances, speeches, national dancing and singing in a wonderful celebration of sharing Timorese and Australian culture.
Teachers and students said goodbye to our new friends and made our way back to Dili for a farewell dinner.
Back in Australia, we spent a day to debrief and to start to get used to being away from Timor Leste.
The 2013 Timor Leste schools and partnership schools immersion enabled students from Australia to come together sharing common faith and Ignatian spirituality.
The students have truly demonstrated the Ignatian ideal of being “men and women for others”.
Katelyn McAdams, from Loyola College, Watsonia, said the tour had “left me with many memories I’ll remember forever”.
