2. Make us Strong as we face the challenge of Change

Since the day of Capt. Cook, people have been quick with solutions to the aboriginal problem, but nothing has seemed to work.

Invariably you hear alcohol is the main problem, but is always better to attack the cause rather than the effect of malaise, and Alcohol is not the first but the last nail in the coffin of the dejected!

We need to heed the advice of Scripture: Proverbs 31:4 "Kings you should not drink least you neglect the rights of the afflicted. But give strong drink to the poor, let him drink and remember his trouble no more."

Education is important so aboriginal people may confidently negotiate with the bureaucracies and understand how community money is spent.

It was Noel Puntulura's belief that the education should be alongside other Australian-kids-who-are-white! This is why Noel asked if his kids could come to Downlands.

We thought it important that an adult came down from the Tiwi Islands to see what Downlands is offering. Noel sent his daughter Eusebia so she could 1. to support the girls and, 2. understand what is on offer.
Eusebia does the Payroll on Melville Island and she is making a good fist at her life. There are photos of her at work, in her home and her kitchen.

Different climate, different history!

When Eusebia was growing up the family was living in a tin shed. Tiwi people are making remarkable progress adapting to European ways. Eusebia is putting it together and her visit gave great confidence to the two girls.

St Francis of Assisi with all his holiness would hardly qualified as a first year apprentice in Aboriginal Simplicity. Aborigines are the most spiritually sophisticated culture: they have no history of enslavement, and it is unthinkable to conquer and take over another's land!

Philosopher Max Charlesworth said aborigines were misjudged as stone-aged primitive because their interior life was so sophisticated spiritually that they had no need to display the haughty external trappings white people recognised as intrinsic to religion. They have been held back developmentally because they are not acquisitive and have insufficient greed!

It cost $570 to bring Eusebia down to support the girls and understand the adjustment difficulties they face!

We had to spend this money to sustain the girls. The visit achieved its purposes!!

If you are free to help us with this project go to https://www.vinnies.org.au/show_appeal.cfm?table=appeals&parentid=0&id=43