Our Lady of China, Events at Nungalinya, the Woollies come out!

Dear All,

What a shame I simply forgot about taking my camera to Nighcliff last Saturday when a couple of us went to the special "Our Lady of China" Mass at the Centre opposite the Parish Church of St Paul's. Sr Mary works there in half the building with the Chinese Catholic community in Darwin and this was their annual celebratory Mass. The retired Bishop, Ted Collins was principal celebrant, assisted by the Chaplain of the Chinese (an Indian) Fr James, and two msc priests. We sat outdoors in a well-lit, fenced, grassed area with a long red banner in Chinese and English draped above the altar. The door to the kitchen was immediately behind the altar and all the latecomers arriving with food had to sneak behind the Bishop and official group in full view to put their food for supper inside! Embarrassing! But it was all very friendly and no one minded. All the singing (except one or perhaps two things) was in Chinese, and since most people there were Chinese, that was OK. It had that sing-song quality. After Mass we had a most resplendent table of food at which, within 1 metre along the edge, I had taken a plateful of goodies which was enough to fill me for the night. I didn't even look at all the other dishes - dozens of them - crowded on the table. One can only eat so much, so matter how nice. After we had the main course, some items of Chines singing started. Dessert was to follow after the items, but Sr Liz and I took departure before that. I didn't miss dessert - no room for it. I really regretted forgetting to bring the camera.

The next event I forgot the camera for was the Nungalinya Board Meeting lunch with the College Staff and Students out under the trees beside the dining room. Board members only meet a couple of times a year to give guidance to the College and oversee its operations. They come from far and wide and represent all groups involved with the College - Aboriginal people, Church leaders etc. There was a meeting of the Aboriginal members the day before to go over the Agenda so that they felt comfortable participating in the meeting and had had a chance to become familiar with everything in advance. The meeting went very well apparently, and was finished by lunchtime. The College had prepared a BBQ lunch for everyone outside and put the tables in three lines with chairs (very civilised BBQ) It was a good chance to meet the Board members and I had a long conversation with a Uniting Church Minister from Alice Springs who will help me to get to some communities they are involved in down there when I go to Alice between 28/6 and 11/7.

I forgot the camera again for the Induction of the newest Staff Member last night out at the College. It was a Uniting church Service and very well prepared for the occasion. Luckily, another staff member pointed out Helen's camera lying on the groun (it was her induction) when I lamented forgetting my camera, so I used it to take quite a good set of photos of the evening. I think I was the only Catholic there, and there was at least one Anglican, so we were called foward at the appropriate time to express our welcome to Helen. I'll add a couple of pics.

1. You can see the lovely setting in the mild weather. The glowing white lights are the reflective patches on the sleeves of an military chap with 'Marshall' emblazoned across his left chest! Helen is giving her speech of thanks after her induction in the photo. There were quite a few Indonesian people there because Helen (who is responsible for Cross-cultural Awareness courses as well as teaching some theology) is married to an Indonesian.

2. Helen is accepting congratulations here from Rev. Mawunydjil Garawirrtja, Chairperson, Northern Regional council Congress (I copied that from the program - I'm not that smart!). He gave the 'Preaching of the Word' and spoke extremely well from the heart and his own experience. He would be a highly respected elder. Behind Helen is the Moderator of the Uniting Church up here, Wendell Jones. He led the Service. Helen has a dress from Africa on.

1. Helen is receiving the Gifts to present at the Altar table from various people: the Principal of the College is handing her the Cup of wine; an Indonesian from the Indonesian church in Darwin is next; then comes an Aboriginal Yolgnu woman who did a reading in language; finally comes a Uniting Church leader. You will notice some people are chilly enough to wear a light jacket/cardingan! I wore a 'coat' - you would have seen it, a 'linen' jacket with short sleeves that someone passed on to me and when worn, makes me instantly look much better dressed!

2.& 3. Aren't these three girls lovely! they did the Dance after Communion that you can see in the third photo. The song was played on a CD and most of the people knew the music and sang along quietly while the girls did lovely, graceful and reverent movements to it. They are members of the FACS group which has just finished its course here and all the participants are returning to Milingimbi /Maningrida tomorrow.

Today we had the Presentation of Certificates to the FACS group which has completed their five weeks here. Last week they were on Work Experience. I talked to one young chap today after the ceremony and found out he and the other one with him were both aged 23. He was married with a son. He told me he had been married for 8 years. I was a bit surprised and said, "You were 15 when you got married?" "Yes", he said. Apparently Aboriginal laws are allowed in traditional communities up here and men sometimes 'work through' a few wives in their life-times. Some young men are married first to older women and then later in life to someone nearer their age. I don't pretend to have this all straight, but I quote the 23-year-old as a fact. He would not have been allowed to marry in mainline society. The other chap with him was not married. I'll give a couple of pics from today:

1. Dr Lee Levett Olson (Principal) presenting Justin with his Attainment Certificate. Justin is the 23-year-old mentioned above with the 8-year marriage and son.

2. The entire FACS group with all the staff who had been involved with them, including Helen and myself who helped with a bit of individual literacy work. I look (and am, I guess!) the size of a house beside all these slim people!!!! Sigh! This is quite a nice photo of everyone because by then - after several photos - I had fully trained them all in how to say 'monkeys' for the camera! My fame will rest on that!

I see you have all been freezing to death. I think we have had the edges of the freeze up here because the other morning was only 17 with a stiff breeze and I had to go and dig out a cardigan. The days still get warm and I am still turning the air-con on but later - perhaps lunchtime.

Sr Liz's father is poorly - he has been unwell all year, but this seems to be a final decline - so she is heading off to Melbourne on Monday. Then we will be 2. Meanwhile we hope and pray that Liz's time there will be blessed.

I must hit the hay. My Friday nights are all blog - I'll have to get into the habit of writing bits during the week instead of a Friday night onslaught. Love to everyone.

xxxx Rita