TEN Year 11 students from Trinity College, Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, gave up the first two weeks of their Christmas holidays last month to work with and for disabled and poor people in Cambodia.
The group included both school captains-elect for 2007, Adam Burns and Tania Wesche, along with two teachers, Jodie Kleinschmidt and David Crowley.
The Trinity students decided that they wanted to give what they could as well as to receive the experience, and so, before they left, they raised funds to be able to make a contribution as well.
A total of $3000 was raised from selling chocolates, a teacher talent quest concert, donations from staff and students, staff raffles, and student non-uniform day.
The students also brought many gifts such as small toys to give to children in Cambodia.
However, the main focus of the Trinity immersion experience to Cambodia was to experience life at Lavalla School, the Marist Brothers’ school in Phnom Penh.
From Phnom Penh the group travelled by bus to Siem Reap.
At Siem Reap, the Trinity students gave a local priest US$600 which was used to purchase supplies of food, clothing and mosquito nets for 50 families.
All the Trinity students who took part in the experience were very moved by the friendliness of the Cambodian people, said teacher David Crowley.
