Christmas at Yirara

It's hard to believe but yes, it's almost Christmas and at Yirara it comes early as the students leave for home tomorrow (5th December). Tonight was the big final dinner when the boys and girls plus staff join together in the dining room - quite a crowd!! That was followed by a concert which was excellent and quite hilarious. One of the funniest items was a short movie made by staff and students where the teacers played the parts of students and vice versa. It was really funny seeing some of the naughtiest students trying to keep staff in line!!! Warwick and most of the boys boarding staff did a funny skit where they played the part of the boys on a bus 'cruise' around town - the students loved it, especially the boys!! Hope you all have a happy and relaxed Christmas - we'll be back in 2009!

Back in 'Alice'

Some of the boys enjoying a flooded road near the dorm

Near Heavitree Gap

Enjoying a watery view instead of a sandy one

Well, I have been back in Alice Springs for 2 weeks and at last we have seen the mighty Todd River flow!! This is something we have been dying to see but have missed on our previous visits here. It is quite a spectacle when it happens but it doesn't last for long! The rain really only started in earnest last Friday afternoon and by this morning it was all but dried up except for some very large puddles. It did rain through Thursday night I think but the main deluge was during a storm which started about 4.30 pm last Friday. A road here at the school near the boys' dorm flooded and did the boys make the most of that - they had a ball!! We set off after the rain had stopped to see what we could see in town and by then all the low-lying causeways had water over them but by 10 pm the river was a raging torrent! We watched a brave-hearted young fellow set off to ride his bicycle across one of the widest of these only to struggle to pull his bike back to safety after about 20 metres. We tried to tell him!!

Saturday morning we went in again - you have to make the most of these occurrences as they don't happen all that often, especially when you aren't a local. It is about 2 years since it flowed last. There were lots of people doing the same as us of course - there was quite a party atmosphere really. I have walked along the dry Todd so many times thinking how good it would be to see the water flowing down and now it has happened!!

My first week back was very liesurely, but this past week has seen me back into some work. I am currently doing 2 days at 'Old Timers' and getting a bit of orientation in the girls' dorm here at the college. Yesterday I joined the girls and Houseparents on a trip out to Glen Helen Gorge, a beautiful spot 130 ks west of here. It's a bit far to go really but the girls don't seem to mind. After dinner we all enjoyed 2 games of Bingo and then it was off to the dorms for showers and relaxing activities. In the dorm I was in they just watched a movie.

There have been two other major things in the past 2 weeks. One was a big Confirmation Service here at Yirara, when 10 girls and 2 boys were confirmed and lots of family came from far and wide. Many camped here in the grounds and the school fed about 400 people afterwards. The other event was for me a wonderful bonus, when Asante Sana regrouped to sing at an outdoor dinner which was part of the Desert Knowledge Symposiusm which has been on this past week. It was a beautiful balmy night and the audience of about 200 were very receptive!!

That's about it from me for now until next time...............

A Very Overdue Update!

Warwick and the Tracker boys in the Dorm The towering cliffs of Ruby Gorge - East Macdonnell Ranges

A small group from Asante Sana who sang at launch of NT Young Achiever's Award

I'm sure that those of you who had been reading our Blog would have given up a long time ago. I am sorry for the long silence from Alice Springs but I am about to rectify the situation. My main problem is the age of the computer which I have to use and the fact that we are on the school system and there are often internet access problems, especially on weekends. Then, of course, there is the age of the operator!!

Another factor is that life really became quite busy for me and I was either struggling to find the time to do it or if I had the time, the internet would be down. Anyway, enough of that and on to some more interesting stuff. My time has continued to be divided between working at the nursing home, doing some tutoring at the college (this means helping with reading during homework in the evening), choir practices and performances, helping Warwick in the Dorm and volunteering at 'Adelaide House'. The Asante Sana choir has been the highlight of the term for me and our final concert in Trephina Gorge the day before we returned home for the holidays was just amazing!! Also on the program was a beautiful String Quartet, a Bass Baritone, a school group and an Aboriginal Women's Choir. It was an incredible sight to see a full concert Harp being carried down the gorge. Warwick was able to use one of Yirara's coaches to help transport choir members and friends on the day. As part of the Alice Spring's Desert Festival, the choir also sang at a special Choir Event the weekend before. There were about 10 choirs who took part under the banner 'Many Roads, One Voice' and we each sang 2 or 3 items separately and then joined together to sing special arrangements of 'My Island Home' and 'Don't Worry, Be Happy'. Rachel Hoare from the Blue Mts came up to conduct the combined items and she was fantastic!! Apparently there were about 200 voices so you can imagine the sound we made. The other experience that will remain with me for a long time is going with a small group from the choir, into the jail and singing for half an hour or so to the fellas there.

I was able to enjoy the fun of the 'Henley-on-Todd' event this year which was a great day of silliness and mayhem. Having said that, it was extremely well organised and provided a lot of hilarious fun for many, especially those taking part in the events I think. Warwick, unfortunately had to work.

The other interesting thing that I did was go on a Spiritual Desert Journey with 11 other people for a week . We travelled in 3 4x4 vehicles out beyond the east MacDonnel Ranges and south-east towards the Simpson Desert. What made it a very special time was having as our guide, an aboriginal man who was a traditional owner of the country that we were travelling through. To see it all through his eyes was remarkable. It made the week with no toilets and no showers well worth it!! I will long remember my first night in a swag, as I lay down and looked heaven-wards!!! I couldn't close my eyes for a long time.

Life at Yirara continues to be interesting and challenging. I enjoyed spending a couple of hours with Edith and the girls from her Dorm who were having a campout one night. Edith is about 24 and from Germany and absolutely loves the job of caring for the girls in her dorm. It was a beautiful starry evening and I will never forget sitting with these girls and singing song after song with them. They were all Christian songs and sometimes they would sing in language which was lovely to listen to! I really feel for these kids from remote communities as they struggle with the difficulties of living in two cultures. It's not easy for them.

We flew home on 22nd September and a few days later travelled down to Merimbula for Cameron's 5th birthday which had a Spiderman theme. Debbie and I enjoyed creating a Spiderman birthday cake for him which he loved. We were able to bring him and Noah back with us for a few days which is always a privilege. We had a wonderful time doing things with them at valley Heights. Warwick flew back to 'Alice' last Monday 6 October. I will be at home until 27 October catching up with family and friends, so until my next effort................

It's all happening in 'Alice'

Well, a few things have happened since last I wrote and that includes the opening of the Beijing Olympics. How amazing was that!! That aside there is plenty happening here in Alice Springs. One of the things that Warwick has been doing on his one day off per week is volunteering at 'Adelaide House'. This building was the first hospital in 'Alice' and was built by the Rev. John Flynn who began the work of the Australian Inland Mission and went on to be the brains behind the beginnings of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Adelaide House is now a museum and is looked after by the JohnFlynn congregation and a faithful band of volunteers. I am now helping with that as well and when we were there last Monday week we were very surprised to meet up with an old aquaintance from our days in Fiji, Rev Chris Meneilly from Melbourne. It was great to catch up with him and he was very keen to come and have a look at the college, which he did and he also gave devotions to the boys.

I started my tutoring last Thursday night and that went ok. The girls were sweet and VERY shy but the boys kept sniffing loudly and making other horrible noises and used about half a box of tissues in 10 minutes!!! I guess I'll get used to that! Warwick now has 18 boys under his wing and I can tell you it's a mad scramble at shower time!! Most of them are loveable rascals but there are always a few in any group who really try your patience. There was a BBQ breakfast a week ago as it was a long weekend here - the boarding staff were warn out by the end of the weekend. Warwick had 3 of his boys run off after the movies over that weekend. They were apprehended by the police in no time and all had their own clothes confiscated for the rest of the week. All they were allowed to wear was their school uniform so they'd stand out as having done the wrong thing!

I joined a small group of the Acapella choir that I am singing with at a launch for the Alice Springs Desert Festival last Friday. We sang 2 things and that was my first performance with the group. It went well and we also sang at the Old Timers Fete yesterday which was fun. The crowd seemed to love our music! This fete is a real institution here in 'Alice'. Thousands come and many thousands are raised - $63,000 actually!! I worked on the Babywear stall and we made $1,500. Warwick helped on the Satay Stall which the church runs and they made $1,200. Not bad!! 'Old Timers' is the Nursing Home at which I work and it is operated by Frontier Services of the Uniting Church.

It's Warwick's 65th birthday on Thursday and I'm taking him to the Australian Ballet on Thursday night. Yes, even the Australian Ballet makes it to 'Alice' - well actually it's not the main company but it's still great that the people up here can experience ballet of that standard.

That's it for now........................

Settling into 'Alice'

Well, we have been in 'Alice' for 2 weeks now and I have settled in to life and very much feel a part of the place once again! I have received a very warm welcome here at Yirara College and have already taken on a small job - that is tutoring 2 evenings per week. The students do homework from 7-8pm Monday - Thursday evenings and different teachers come in to supervise this. They also need people to do individual tutoring and that's what I'll be doing. It is a very warm and friendly community here at Yirara and everyone has certainly made me feel welcome.

The first week we had a few of the boy's boarding staff in for dinner and the night before the students started coming back (which was just over one week ago), most of the boarding staff (both boys and girls) went out for dinner and went ten pin bowling afterwards. A lot of fun!! The countries represented were Ireland, Papua Guinea, Germany and Tonga and of course Australia. Warwick now has 16 boys in his care and a lively bunch they are!! I have been into the Dorm a few times to help out with devotions and sorting out socks and jocks. Last Saturday night I actually helped out at a Round Robin Basket Ball event which was held at the large indoor sports arena in town. It took a while to settle the boys down after that!!

I have started working at 'Old Timers' - a Nursing Home operated by Frontier Services of the Uniting Church. I have worked there on previous visits to Alice Springs and it was good to go back and meet up with staff and residents that I knew before. The Fete is coming up on 9 August and this is a BIG event here in 'Alice'. I have also joind a Belly Dancing class and an A Capella choir. The latter just comes together at this time of the year for the Alice Springs Festival coming up at the end of September. It is conducted by a very charismatic black man from South Africa and hence we do a lot of African songs which is wonderful!! I have a lot to pick up on - I just hope that I can learn it all in time! They are performing at a few things, including the fete, leading up to the festival but the main event is a concert in Trephina Gorge which sounds fantastic!!

This week we also had the pleasure of having friends from home, Peter and Helen Sharoff here for a meal and to have a look at the set up at Yirara. They enjoyed interacting with the boys and Pete handed out some Guideon New Testaments and gave the boys some devotions which was great. Until next post............

Surviving the Donohue/Plenty Highway from Boulia to 'Alice'

We made it into Alice Springs on Saturday afternoon in the middle of a dust storm. The bitumen road a few kms east of Gemtree was a welcome sight after 660 kms of gravel and bull dust! After two nights in Toowoomba with our friend Margaret (from Fiji days), and a look over Tim's new construction site there, we travelled to Boulia via Augathella and Winton. These outback Queensland towns have a character all their own. Augathella is a very small place but boasts some interesting murals and metal sculptures and a tree where some notorious brothers used to tether their horses to make a quick get-away should they get into trouble.

We only stopped in Longreach long enough to see if we could get a wheel rim for our 2nd spare but to no avail! It was looking more and more as though we would have to make do with one spare tyre.

Winton, of course is famous as the birth place of Waltzing Matilda and has a very interesting Waltzing Matilda Centre there which is well worth a visit. We went along to the old Open Air Theatre and sat in deck chairs to watch some very old and flickery cartoons and some Abott and Costello - that took us back a few years!!

On to Boulia where the town was abuzz, as the annual Camel Races were on and the town was filling up with lots of visitors - they were expecting 4,000!! Warwick took the time to have a dip in the fairly new 25m pool which is part of a very versatile and well equipped Sporting Complex. Boulia too has a vibrancy that surprises you - somehow you don't expect it in these isolated outback towns. We decided to leave early so we could take our time and go easy on the tyres. It is 460kms from Boulia to Jervois Station, our next overnight stop. In general the Donohue Highway (Boulia to the NT Border) and Plenty Highway were in better condition than when we had traversed them 3 years ago, but we still got one puncture and had to drive the last 160 kms to Jervois without a spare. We drove VERY carefully on that section and were very relieved to make it in good time, arriving at 4pm. From Augathella to Boulia there was lots of road-kill (mainly roos) but along the Donohue and Plenty Highways the only road-kill is tyres!!

We enjoyed our night at Jervois, made even more enjoyable, by the company of a delightful Irish couple who are doing the whole of the 'Outback Way' on their way back to Perth. The full moon helped too. Our friendly Station owner had swapped our tyres over by the next morning. So, we only had about 200 kms of gravel to go the next day and we did that without any further hassles. I'll keep my impressions of Yirara to my next post. Suffice to say, I already have 2 jobs - one here at Yirara and one at Old Timers, the Nursing Home that I have worked at before. Until then...... I am having trouble up-loading photos at the moment so they will have to wait. Sorry!

Fun with Tim, Cameron and Noah

Well, we made it to the Treasure Island Caravan Park on the Gold Coast after leaving only 20 minutes late last Tuesday. The trip was pretty uneventful and the boys travelled brilliantly, helped along the way by some Wiggles music and of course Bob, the Builder. Tim arrived Wednesday evening as planned and Thursday we did Dream World over. It was great but after Sea World yesterday, we reckon that it is better value and much better for little kids like ours. Cameron had a ball on about 6 rides at 'Sesame Street Beach' and just kept going back for more.

Today has been a quieter day spent mostly here at the caravan park, in the pool and playing Putt Putt golf. Late this afternoon we went up the 80 storey Q1 building and spent an hour or so enjoying the magnificent views! Tomorrow we part company with Tim and the boys and while he heads for the airport to fly the boys home to Merimbula, we leave here forToowoomba. It's been just a wonderful time with the boys - they are a joy!

Countdown!

We have 5 days to go to departure... and I still can't work out how much of my wardrobe to take! Warwick's worried and keeps telling me the wardrobe at Yirara is not very big. Debbie suggests we just need to take a portable clothes rack with us. I keep telling him, "It's for six months!!", but he just rolls his eyes or breathes heavily, or both.

We are looking forward to getting on the road, especially spending a few days on the Gold Coast with our son Tim and our two grandsons. I'm REALLY looking forward to Dream World! Warwick said he'll hold the bags (and look after 2 1/2 year old Noah) while I go on the rides.

From the Gold Coast we're going via Toowoomba, Winton, Boulia and then via the Plenty Highway to "Alice". Warwick starts work again on 21st of July.

We'll let you know how the trip goes!