In July 2019 Living Waters CLC Group did a communal discernment using the “Deepen, Share and Reach Out” document from the CLC World Assembly. We discerned to reach out to refugees and asylum seekers in WA.
Firstly, we joined a group called WA Refugee Network. Members come from a wide variety of agencies working with refugees and any interested community members. They are an advocacy group working on two fronts: the first is working with our State Government to get concessions for refugee families for transport and health issues. The second is to visit local Federal Ministers with key messages developed by a Federal Advocacy Group on making permanent visas more available.
We also discerned to hold a picnic for some refugee families from Syria and Iraq (some members of the group had met these families at the Melkite Church.) The picnic was held at a farm owned by two of our group members. CLC WA hired a bus and transported everyone to the farm. The farm has cows and wide open spaces. The men sat around a fire and sang and danced their traditional songs and the women sang more gentle songs and hymns in their language. The children fed the cows, ran and played in the open air.
The refugees expressly wanted to meet some Australian people and later said they were extremely thankful to be invited into an Australian home. The weather was perfect and everyone joined in a spirit of friendship and sharing.
Chris Gardner, Group Guide.
