Mother and Father visit Downlands

Rosabelle and Matthew met today with Fr John Rector of Downlands and Gillian Smith the Studies Deputy. They want this program to work, and it cost $30.000 to come down for the visit -but as any parent would say: a child's happiness is priceless.

Selina is going so well, it becomes important for parents and home to work closely together, because since Captain Cook arrived, no 'traditional aboriginal' kid has ever made it through school to university - and Captain Cook and every captain that came after him thought such was impossible.

Ellenora and Caitlyn left home yesterday at 4.30pm, arrived in Darwin at 5.30pm, waited in airport lounge for the 1.10am flight, arrived in Brisbane at 5.30am, for the the 2.5 hour drive to Toowoomba.

It is more difficult for an Tiwi kid to get to school, and then to face Toowoomba cold and a very different culture.

Rosabelle is the one who keeps the program going and every time the kids travel she flies over to Darwin because she does not want young girls to be alone waiting in the lounge at Darwin Airport - it all costs her $400.

Rosabelle and Matthew look after their own daughter and they look after the other kids too - this is normal in an aboriginal community, for the strong look after their own and many others too.

One of the kids told me that she did not want to go home for term holidays, because it was too hard leaving home after the holidays.

Homesickness is a dreadful ache.

Downlands is doing a great job, a true Sacred Heart school! It is in the persisting and enduring accompaniment, continuing despite disappointment, that has made this program work - and is'nt this the definition of Love!

We have our problems. Two kids missed the flight today. When we enquired, we found that they did not want to come down without money.

The parents and the relatives are talking with them. We can't waste $600 in fares like that. But neither can we push 'tough love', because StVdeP tradition does not judge, StVdeP is a shut up and serve organization. It is difficult to be wise!

We are leaving it to Rosabelle and Matthew to sort out what should be done here! They went home tonight and will chat with others in the community.

When we commenced this program, we decided to target one tribal group, the Tiwi people and to persist despite whatever for ten years. Wasted fares is a despite whatever! It drives us mad to waste good fares!!!

But when we commenced this, we figured that if we could get a 'Bush Aborigines' through school to Higher Education, they would breaking the Glass Ceiling, and then point the way so other tribal groups can follow.

It is the conclusion of every Missionary, that the native aborigines possess above-average skills in just about everything. But being Nomads, they are just so different. When European met Aborigines, it was like a Elephant screeching and a Whale squirting - expression was powerful, but there was no communication!

I sometimes think we are locked into the Marxist scenario: Aborigines are in trouble because we have done them wrong. So it a question of Justice, that we redress past wrongs!

I don't think this scenario is right. For years people have failed trying to help Aborigines. Often, you hear They are Hopeless, when a particular strategy fails. More than likely a flawed strategy.

StVdeP Society founder had the focus on Love. Justice does not fix problems. Love fixes problems.

And what is love, well St Paul (Corinthians) said Love is: patient, kind. it rejoices in goodness, it bears, it believes, it hopes, it endures, and when all else fails, it continues

So we are going to press on, but we are failing less, and we are making progress! We don't expect First Round Knock Outs. We are going to persist.

We are going to need $30,000 this year to keep this program going. Since the 'Great Recession', St Vincent de Paul back-up resources are eroded. We are going to ask people to help! If you can help, go to the Vinnies appeal page and pull down the Tiwi Education Project menu. http://vinnies.org.a/appeals-processor-national

Duchesne, UQ Law

Matthew and Rosabelle met the Principal of Duchesne, saw how the girls lived and knew it was the ideal place for Selina beyond her time at Downlands.

The next stop was to meet Dr Billings of UQ Law. Dr Peter showed Selina around and explained how Law as taught and outlined the assistance Selina would be given as she gained stride at UQ. Peter concentrates on Immigration Law and explained the importance of Aboriginal Land Rights and the need for expert involvement when negotiating mining leases.

Throughout the day Matthew and Rosabelle was guided by David Manning who had taught the first Tiwi kids who came south to Monivae in 1970 and who has be an important energiser and fund raiser for this program since it's inception.

Our purposes have been achieved:

1. For Selina's Parents to appreciate the possibilities being offered to Selina.

2. For the Various places to meet Mum and Dad and appreciate their support as Selina attempts this enormous step forward for her people.

If you Can you help fund the project: https://vinnies.org.au/appeals-processor-national

Parents supporting their Daughter

Selina's parents Rosabelle and Matthew Wonnameri flew down from Darwin today, to talk withMcCullough Robertson Lawyers, so they understood the opportunity available for their daughter.

To fly to Brisbane, it cost $130 each from Milikapiti to Darwin, then left Darwin at 6.00am today in a flight costing $250 each to keep an a 1.00pm appointment at the Law Firm. They return leaving Brisbane 9.30 on Tuesday, and arrive in Darwin after midnight, they camp over and fly back to Milikapiti later that day.

So here we have the situation where "Bush Aborigines" paid out $2000 because they are excited that they daughter, a Traditional Tiwi Aboriginal kid, has a chance of getting a Year 12 pass to enter Law at University of Queensland. They know if one aboriginal kid can get through to University, others are in the system ready to follow!

Forty Two years ago Matthew spent four years in Sydney training as Carpenter. Trade training in great, but professional training is more important. Aboriginal people must negotiate with Mining Companies and with Government so Australia's wealth is shared equally. They know, and you know, it is not aboriginal people who reap the massive profits mining that come from mining Aboriginal lands.

Matthew has been down south before, he was part of the team that negotated Tiwi beach mining, for the Rutile sent to China.

He also was down to see his son who plays AFL with Melbourne, but he and Rosabelle, their son Austin and you know, that it is much more important that Tiwi kids get to University and have the confidence to participate in the decisions so everyone in this country can share it's bounty.

Rosabelle is the star. She is the one who organises the kids for the trips down to Brisbane. And each time, she flies in to Darwin, she takes a motel so the kids are safe, she pays the taxi fares to get them to the airport, she and Matthew outlay $500 each time the kids come down for school - and they travel eight times a year!

Matthew and Rosabelle are the heart of the St Vincent de Paul Tiwi Education project. Missionaries came to the Tiwi Islands 99 years ago, and there has been a StVdeP Conference operating on and off for over 50 years. But even when the Conference was in remission, it was still 'on' because Aboriginal people are very Christian and it is in their culture to look out of and care for one another.

It was reassuring to meet with Brisbane StVdeP Diocesan President Michael Waterhouse, because without the $75,000 StVdeP invested, Selina could not be at this this point!

If you Can you help fund the project: https://vinnies.org.au/appeals-processor-national

WORK EXPERIENCE

Selina is currently doing Work Experience with McCullough Robertson Lawyers, who have offered to fund her through Law School.

Downlands expect she will pass her Year 12 in 2011, UQ Law want to offer her a place and Duchesne College at UQ want her to live in the University College.

Selina is enjoying her Work Experience. We drive her in each day, but she wants to catch the bus home, to rub shoulders as one of the 'hoi poli'.

McCullough Robertson believe as a Lawyer Selina would be invaluable in Land Rights and in Mining work. But they are a legal firm with a Good Heart!

When I asked Selina 'What would you like to do when you finish school' She said 'Maybe a Police Aid'. You can do much better than that Selina, and McCulloughs showed her how.

Her cousin Petrina does Work Experience as a Sports Educator, she wants to either be either a Phys Ed teacher, or a Sports Administrator.

Petrina has the ability and if God leads us well, she could be living at Duchesne College at UQ in 2013. Can you help fund the project: https://vinnies.org.au/appeals-processor-national indicate Qld, and pull down the Tiwi Education project option under Appeal

Long Way Home

The Tiwi Islands are between Darwin and Timor, about an English Channel distance off-shore.

Bathurst is the smaller island and Melville Island is the second biggest island off the Australian coast after Tasmania.

For 2010, all our kids come from Melville island, from Pularumpi and Milikapiti. Milikapiti is slightly bigger and would have perhaps 250 people. It is Remote Area where English is a second language

At end of Term II, the kids got on a midday flight in Brisbane and flew to Cairns where they stayed, waited for four hours.

The Darwin flight arrived at midnight and they waited at the airport for the 8.00 small plane to Nguiu, on Bathurst Island.

Next, there was a 20 min boat trip across the Apsley Straits to Melville Island and then a 90 minutes car ride to get home.

It took 24 hours to get home! Most Downlands kids are picked up and driven home, and are with the cat and dog within four hours.

This trip home cost us $520 per kid, the most expensive trip in the five years - unfortunately there was a Car Race in Darwin, so there were no cheap fares. We have paid $70,000 on this program so far. Money well spent!

It takes a lot of courage for an Aboriginal Kid to travel so far, to have such a difficult trip, to be away from home and culture, to be frozen blue, to speak another language and not quite understand what all the white fellas' say - and they all look the same anyway!

If you could help us with a dollar or two, go to: https://vinnies.org.au/appeals-processor-national indicate Qld, and pull down the Tiwi Education Project appeal category.