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................