SLUM SURVIVOR

Twelve young women from Saint Joseph’s Catholic College East Gosford accepted the challenge to participate in a school version of SLUM SURVIVOR. SLUM SURVIVOR challenges included building a shelter with the basic materials provided, preparing a family meal, doing the family washing and attempting to earn an income by polishing school shoes. The event aimed to educate not only the student’s involved in the challenge about aspects of life in a slum in India, but the whole student body, as they observed the students taking part in the activity.

JOSEPHITE GUEST SPEAKERS

As a school founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s we maintain our link with the Sisters in a number of ways. We think it is important is to remain informed about the Social Justice work conducted by the Sisters and to support this work in whatever way we can. This year different groups of students have had the benefit of hearing from a number of guest speakers. We heard about the Sister’s work with the poor in Peru from Amy Yates. We learned about the trafficking of women into Australia from Sister Margaret NG who works with trafficked women in Sydney. We will also hear from Adrian Thompson about Josephite community Aid in Term 4. JCA is a community of young adults in Sydney who give their time working with people who are poor or powerless, including refugees and asylum seekers and people living in boarding houses who suffer from mental illness.

JJAMM WEEK

After an inspiring JJAMM Retreat at the beginning of 2007 our college captain and vice captain enthused the Year 12 leaders to run a JJAMM week at Saint Joseph’s in June. The whole student body became more aware of their connectedness to other Josephite schools and learned more about the person of Mary MacKillop through a range of lunchtime activities and assemblies. Students decorated the school with banners and posters. They held a JJAMM day serving any food they could think of that could be served with Jam. They performed a short but informative skit about the life of Mary MacKillop. They also had a PyJJAMMa Day where students were allowed to wear their Pyjamas at school. The week was a lot of fun and created great community spirit!

SERVICE IN AN ORPHANAGE IN INDIA

The Josephite Colloquium Evening on the 11th of May was held at Saint Joseph’s Catholic College East Gosford. This evening provided a great opportunity for our four ex-students who travelled on a school service trip to India, to articulate the impact of the trip on their lives and to share their experience with others.

During two weeks at the end of November 2006, four Year 12 students from Saint Joseph’s Catholic College visited India. We went with the primary purpose of lending support to the children at Mermier Bal Ashram, Valduz Bal Ashram and Florin Bal Ashram, through the organization of games and craft activities for the children. These are homes for street children and rag pickers run by the Jan Vikas Society. The experience has been a very positive one. The children enjoyed the fun and attention of their visitors and our youth have not only enjoyed the company of the children, but have learned so much about the plight of Street Children and the wonderful work of Fr. Francis and all the staff in the children’s homes.

Our students visited a number of the day care centres in the slum areas. This allowed them the opportunity to experience the living conditions of the very poor and to appreciate the difference that the workers in the child care centres make to the lives of the people in these centres.

Whilst our students and staff went to India to offer support to the children under the care of Fr. Francis and his associates, we all agreed that we have received so much more than what we have given. The spirituality and faith of the children and the whole community was inspiring and has been instrumental in renewing our own spiritual journeys.

Our students have become keenly aware of the contrast to their own lives, especially with regard to their material possessions. They have seen that these material possessions are not necessary for a fruitful and worthwhile life.

This year we have six Year 12 students and two teachers heading over to the children’s homes in India again to continue our relationship of support with these communities in India.