MT Maria College campus minister Desley Murphy felt a sense of connection when she returned to Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) in the Northern Territory in April.
It was the Mitchelton college’s second visit to the indigenous community, situated 80km from Alice Springs.
This visit was built on a commitment to an ongoing relationship forged in 2010.
Mrs Murphy, along with two fellow college staff members and seven students, made the seven-day Solidarity Immersion from April 9-16 to share everyday experiences with the Northern Territory community.
She said participants joined in day-to-day life at Ltyentye Apurte and shared time with that school’s 150 students.
“(Mt Maria) students and teachers were involved in a variety of activities which included playing basketball and soccer with the students, cooking and delivering Meals on Wheels to the elderly and interacting with the children in the crèche,” Mrs Murphy said.
She said other activities saw Mt Maria students working with indigenous students through on-line maths activities, participating in a drumming workshop and painting a timber cross for Good Friday.
The Queenslanders also visited the Keringke Arts Centre where they saw a range of acrylic paintings on canvas and the women’s spirituality centre where they watched women at work hand painting ceramic crosses and silk scarves, stoles and altar cloths.
“Life without technology for a week gave the students the opportunity to enjoy a simpler way of life which included walking up into the hills to watch the sunset at dusk, playing sport after dinner at night and walking home from school for lunch,” Mrs Murphy said.
She said each of the four Year 10 students and three Year 12 students were amazed at how friendly and inclusive the Ltyentye Apurte children were to them and were keen to share their experiences with the Mt Maria College community.
“They will reflect on what they loved and what they learned (about themselves) during the trip and then deliver those thoughts to the whole school through PowerPoint presentations and talks,” she said.
Mrs Murphy said Mt Maria College was keen to maintain the relationship they had established over the past two years with a third visit planned next
year.
– Robin Williams
