Last night we were invited to dinner at the Marist Brothers house. We met Br Mark, who works with youth, Br Frank who is a psychologist and works in the school and other schools in Alice Springs and Br Red who works with families in the area. Br Red has been in the community 23 years and knows all the community. The Marist brothers have been in Santa Teresa for over 40 years.
We brought salad, a roasted vegetable dish and garlic bread and Br Mark made Pasta Bolognese and a Penne Bosciola for dinner. After a prayer and reflection including a video we ate together and got to know each other.
Sr Liz then took us to the School to watch the State of Origin on the Big Screen with the teachers. The Principal, Anne, and 8 other staff watched the NSW blues demolish the Maroons. Sr Liz was not happy. Especially when Mr Horder did a victory dance after the second try! Some of the girls were not particularly interested in the game so took the opportunity to chat and spend time together.
We got back to the accommodation about 9.30pm and the girls got ready for bed.
This morning we woke up at 7am and had cooked mushrooms, baked beans and spaghetti on toast with our cereal and got ready for our first day working in the community.
The groups going to the community centre and creche had to be there at 8.30am. Sr Liz walked us down and introduced us to Pat who runs the creche and Sonia who runs the community centre.
Alissa, Emily, Gabby and Mrs Monk went to the creche. We helped out by doing some cleaning, especially windows and tables and benches, and generally playing with the kids. We wiped A LOT of noses, drew, painted, played babies, dinosaurs and played in the yard.
Mr Horder, Olivia, Sienna and Xander went to the community centre where they prepped vegetable and made breakfast packs. They then delivered the meals to 15 members of the community who are elderly or sick.
Eden, Vanessa, Elizabeth (EV) went to the spirituality centre which is attached to the church. There they swept floors before being paired up with an artist who descried their work and shared their culture.
After some lovely toasted sandwiches for lunch we met Sr Liz for an explanation of the Murals in the Church. As they are sacred we didn't take any photos. We learned a great deal about the Arrente community and culture and why it fits so easily with the Catholic / Christian faith. Particularly the concept of ngkarte or creator spirit. Each of the Murals; ngkarte from whom everything comes which was a creation mural; ngkarte who communicates to us which shows God revealed in the animals and plants in nature: ngkarte who provides which showed the Arrente people in their traditional environment. The other murals depict the story of Christ's birth, ngkarte school - learning at the feet of the elders and the Baptism of Jesus.
Finally we attended 5pm mass before going to our accomodation for dinner. Tomorrow we swap where we work in the community before going for a Bush Tucker drive and dinner tomorrow night.
We send lots of love to our family and friends and pray for you all!
Comments