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‘We pray for, and are committed to the journey of healing, reconciliation and restoration.’

This statement is the last line of our Acknowledgement of Country. A statement that we take as a school community as a heartfelt commitment to listening, learning and undertaking the journey towards reconciliation. We see it as part of our Christian commitment, what we are asking God for. It is part of what it means to love our neighbour and indeed as part of our role in being ‘agents of reconciliation’ (2 Cor 5:18). Let us be humble ambassadors that represent Jesus. As we seek the Kingdom of God in Education, then are we modelling the reconciliation that the Kingdom expects.

We have just celebrated National Reconciliation Week (27 May-3 June). Did you know that Reconciliation Week began in 1993 as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation, in response to the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples? It was Christians, along with other people of faith leading the way.

This year’s theme was ‘Now More Than Ever’. As part of Reconciliation Week, we looked at the key dates, the 1967 Referendum and Mabo Day as well as National Sorry Day which preceded the week in our classes. A number of our students participated in the annual Worawa Reconciliation Sports Carnival, we raised money for the Indigenous organisation, Children’s Ground, through our Wear it Yellow fundraiser, and saw what our students are learning about Indigenous culture and history showcased in our assembly.

'Now More Than Ever’ may we encourage you to make a commitment to the journey of healing, reconciliation and restoration with our First Peoples. For it to be an ongoing commitment to listen and learn, and to seek justice. To overcome the obstacles, let us not be held back by our ignorance of the past. The history of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is challenging, as it includes the dispossession and grave injustices that accompanied invasion, and of the legacy that has left.

Some questions to ponder:

• How can we move forward on our journey towards reconciliation?
• How can we be ambassadors of reconciliation?
• How can we honour God in loving our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander neighbours?
• What is our response to the difficult history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples?
• How do we stand with those who are disadvantaged and hurting?

Natalie Thomas

Secondary Teacher