21 March 2004 

Dear Parents and Friends,

Easter, and with it the end of the first school term, is fast approaching. So we hurry to send you our greetings and best wishes for the holy season.

WANDALGU DOWNSIZED

In keeping with the decision the Regional Leadership Team of the Pallottines made in November last year, Wandalgu Hostel opened its doors at the beginning of 2004 only to High School students and excluded Primary children. This has changed the size of our operation dramatically. Beside this, an unplanned reduction occurred. At present, we have only 9 students. There have been 7 more, but they failed to settle down and left after a very short period. Things are not going well at all. The small group of students finds it hard to develop the kind of dynamic that came so natural to a big group of lively Primary kids and a well-run Primary school. We have not given up, though. Some programs that are in the pipeline should lift up our spirits and we also hope that for next term and beyond more parents will send their sons and daughters to us. If no change occurs, it is very doubtful whether we can continue operating this Hostel next year. We need your prayers urgently.

A NEW TEAM

Of last year’s team of House Parents only one person remains on duty, namely (Pop) Alan Egan. Like last year, he is caring for the Senior High Boys. The Junior High Boys have another former Wandalgu student looking after them, Reg Carnamah, from Yalgoo. Reginald was in the first group of boys who started the two-year Ag School course at the Tardun Government Agricultural School in1968 and has great empathy with young people living away from home. He’s doing a sterling job with these young boys from far away.

On the girls’ side, two ladies from very different backgrounds have been sharing the work. In charge of the Senior High Girls is Lumari McGuiness, from Denmark, WA. Christine Schuette, a volunteer from Germany, is House Parent of the Junior High Girls. However, since there are only so few girls, they all live in the Senior house and Lumarie is in charge of all of them. Christine helps whenever help is needed, like on Lumari’s days off and in homework times. She also takes her place for longer periods, like at present, when Lumari has to undergo some procedure in hospital. Both ladies have had a few very stressful weeks to live through. It is unnerving to have students in the group, who just won’t settle down. Thanks for your perseverance, Lumari and Christine!

Driving the big school bus to Morawa District High School every day requires a high degree of skill, alertness and dedication that places this job high on the urgency scale. Fortunately, an old friend heard of our need and came to our rescue. Ken Rowlinson, who had driven our bus in 2002 und also earned our admiration for his maintenance and painting skills, joined our forces again for the first school term. We are grateful for such generosity. We don’t know who will take over from him next term. Ken’s wife, Lorrie has also helped us a great deal with her quiet, industrious work as a very obliging support person. We will miss both of them a lot, when they have to move on. A great search is on for replacement. If you can help, please let us know!

There has been a change in our administration. Kyung and Kang Lee, the Korean couple that administered Wandalgu in 2003, came back only for the first few weeks of 2004, until a new Administrator would be found. When Maria Rohr, called out of her retirement in Northern New South Wales, agreed to take on this daunting job, the time of changeover had come. Kyung and Kang left Wandalgu on Thursday morning, 4 March., accompanied by our thanks and best wishes. At present, they’re travelling the North, then they will visit the USA and finally settle in Sydney. We’re very grateful to Kyung and Kang for steering the Hostel through this difficult year, 2003, and attending with such sensitivity to the needs of all. May the Lord bless them with happiness.

A SLOW RECOVERY

More than a year has passed since the stroke hit me, and I’m far from fully recovered even now. I can walk only with great difficulty and my left hand is still not functioning. My mind, too, has not regained its old agility. But after my return from Nazareth House in Geraldton on 7 February I’ve been trying to do a little bit of work for the community, knowing that God wants me to do only what I can do. The community around me is very supportive and helps me along when I come to my boundaries. Someone is also always willing to make a trip for me when I need to travel to physiotherapy in Morawa or hydrotherapy in Geraldton. I thank all for their patience and understanding. For the period of the holidays, when neither staff nor students will be here, I intend to go back to Nazareth House for a respite period. I ask all my friends to keep praying for me that my faith remains strong and that my recovery continues.

THE MUSIC GOES ON

The boys’ band "Wandalgu Rock" had considerable success in 2003. To play in the Star Search competition in the splendid Burswood Theatre before a huge audience and come second was a great achievement for the young band and an unforgettable experience for all. Unfortunately, the band collapsed shortly afterwards when some musicians misbehaved and had to be dismissed from the Hostel. But the music goes on. Out of the small group of students who came to Wandalgu for the school year 2004, two new bands have formed, a Boys’ Band and a Girls’ Band. Their skills can’t match those of last year’s musicians, but they’re learning and playing together. David Stinson is very pleased with the effort they make and tutors them with great devotion every Thursday after school. Even in these few weeks since the beginning of the year, the progress has been quite remarkable. We place great hope in them. Some events are coming up where they can show off their skills.

On behalf of Wandalgu Arts, Colleen Drage intends to celebrate last year’s achievement. She has secured the necessary funds to take all the members of the original band to Perth in the Easter holidays to have a professional CD made of the band performing their original songs. We hope all goes well and that the musicians continue practicing their art and entertaining the community wherever they live now. Music brings a new dimension into our lives and Wandalgu is well advised to promote this creative and life-enriching activity.

CALL OF BAIKAL

Siberian Centre for Eurasian Projects

Our music teacher David Stinson and his wife Heidi have worked with children and young adults in a number of other countries and are aware of a peace-making movement that calls children and young people from all over the world to meet in Siberia for an International Festival For Life-Creativity in July 2004. The Siberian Centre for Social Education is organizing the 7^th Forum "Call of Baikal" to take place at Lake Baikal on 16-27 July this year. It will be a celebration of young people from all over the world for sharing their dreams for a better world and creating their own lives. The goals of the festival are

David and Heidi will be taking a leading part in the sector of this festival that is for dedicated adults from all over the world and are prepared to "take along" a group of young people for the Youth Forum itself. David first selected two students from Nagle College in Geraldton (very talented students from Northampton and Geraldton) who enthusiastically embraced this chance to share their talents and turn their lives in a new direction. Then he put the idea in front of our musicians. Three people put their hands up: Phynea Simpson, Adrian Egan and Allanah Egan. Some weeks of intensive preparation now lie ahead of us. Heidi has started approaching agencies and departments for sponsorships. We have to discuss the ins and outs with parents and teachers. We have to get the necessary passports and visas. Last not least, the three students themselves have to write their CVs and statements of intention and prepare songs and dances they will present to the Forum. A project of such magnitude has been very remote from the students’ thinking, but we’re sure that they will rise to the occasion and be very impressive representatives of the Australian nation and of Aboriginal culture. Hostel staff will generously support their efforts. All three students went for 7 years to Wandalgu Catholic Primary School, where a sense of Aboriginal identity was fostered and the development and sharing of talents was constantly practiced. This training will be a sound basis for their efforts. In our next newsletter you’ll read the reports. Good luck to you, Phynea, Adrian and Allanah. Watch out, world, here we come!

A VISITOR FROM ROME

Fr Wolfgang Weiss is well known to many Pallottine associates in Australia. Whoever visited Rome for one of the great Pallottine celebrations will have experienced his great hospitality and captivating friendliness. The Wandalgu community had the great pleasure to welcome him on 29 February to 1 March, when he interrupted his return trip from official business in New Zealand to visit his confreres in Australia. In the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the sharing of a festive meal we renewed our friendship with this outstanding Pallottine priest who has kept contact with us for many years. For me personally, it was a great delight to welcome Wolfgang as we were born and bred in the same Silesian (now Polish) town and have shared many friends and experiences in our lives. Thanks for your visit, Wolfgang!

CHILDREN’S EASTER

Easter is celebrated during the holidays this year. This means that most of our children will miss out on the most important liturgical celebration of the year. As we have done in other years when this was the case, we will have a Children’s Easter when everybody is back. On the first or second Friday of the new term we plan to commemorate the Suffering and Death of our Lord Jesus and on the first Sunday his glorious Resurrection The liturgy in the Church will be followed by a big bonfire on the sports arena.

Fr Gerhard

BURNOUT COMPETITION (Alan and the Senior Boys)

We had a few problems at the start of the year but still managed to have plenty of fun.

One day we spent some hours at the Morawa Speedway to watch the Russell Ormesher Memorial Races. The funniest event was the Burnout Competition On A Concrete Pad. One car earned 10 points for blowing out both rear tyres. You couldn’t see the car for the thick black smoke from the tyres.

Another fun day was our picnic at the Murchison Bridge in the station country. The river was in flood, halfway up to the roadway. We had a lovely time swimming in the strong current and cooking our sausages on the barbie for lunch.

Every Wednesday after school we drive up to St Mary’s for a combined football training session. It is good to mix with other kids, Adrian started training with the Colts in the Morawa Football Club. He looks forward to a good season.

HIGH SCHOOL (Terrence Yanawana)

My name is Terrence Yanawana. I’m from the La Grange Bidyadanga Community. This is my first year at Wandalgu. From here I go to Morawa District High School and the subjects I like are Design and Technology and also Maths.

THE GIRLS GO CAMPING (Phynea)

After school on Friday, 27 February, we went to Dongara and put our tents up at the Sea Spray Caravan Park for the long weekend. We had a lot of fun. We went to the movies in Geraldton, had fish and chips for dinner on Friday night, swam at the beach every morning and went fishing off the jetty’. I caught two fish. This was not enough for a meal and we did not eat them. Christine and Frank were sad about it.

On our last night, Melissa, Sherona, Allanah, and I went with Frank to see this band play. They weren’t that good; so Allanah went back to Christine and the other girls, Bianca and Rose, and they knocked Frank’s tent down. We didn’t watch the band very long.

When we returned to the camp we found Frank’s tent knocked down. So he grabbed his rug and went to the beach to sleep. But he didn’t last long because we said that we would help him put his tent back up, It didn’t take us long to do it. The next day we went back to Wandalgu and told the boys all about our adventures.

MORAWA PICNIC (Melissa)

On Sunday two weeks ago we held our picnic in Morawa. First we went to one of our teachers’ place for lunch. It was a lovely meal, beautiful meat cooked on the barbecue and fruit salad with ice cream for dessert.

Then we went to the swimming pool. They had big floats with an obstacle course on the water, which we tested out. They are there every Sunday, but of us three girls I was the only one who had been on them before. It was fun. From the pool we went to the picnic shop and then we returned to Wandalgu. We enjoyed this Sunday picnic a lot.

STOP PRESS