I'm doubly blessed
I am thankful for my school. I am especially grateful for my leadership Team who inspire me and for the students, staff and parents - who bring joy, purpose and encouragement. I take none of this for granted. 

It is also such a privilege for me to co-lead and be part of a team that brings education to some of the most vulnerable and marginalised kids on the plant. With this, I am mindful that if it wasn't for the skills and many things that I learn in my daily work as Principal that I would not be able to do what I do in India and to bring education to kids like Madhu...

Madhu's Story
Madhu is a daughter of a poor Hindu family. She is 7 years old and studies in class 3. Her father's name is Dhyan Singh and her mother's name is Jayavanti Devi. Madhu has two younger sisters and a younger brother.

Both of Madhu's parents work as labours. They both leave for work in the morning, after that Madhu takes care of her sisters and brother, as well as getting herself to and from school each day. Madhu is a very playful girl.

Madhu's living condition is not very good as her father drinks alcohol every day and is addicted to gambling. Madhu's father sometimes fights with her mother in his drunken state. Her mother is also addicted to gambling. When her parents fight with each other, Madhu and her siblings have to starve that night. Her father wastes his earnings in either alcohol or in gambling. He does not seem to care for his children.

Madhu has been attending one of the Project Help Jungle Village centres for the last 3 to 4 years. In the beginning she used to fight with the other students, use bad words and rarely attend. She would mostly be very rude and ignore her teacher. But now she has changed. She attends the centre regularly and whenever she is ill she informs the teacher about it. She don't use bad words anymore and now doesn't fight with anyone. She is doing well in her studies and tries her hard to learn new things. She takes part in the extra curricular programs held in the centre specially dancing. She is now friends with everyone.

Madhu's mother is very thankful to Project Help and says that the whole village community is changing because all of the children can now access a good education in their locality.

This education is changing the future of the children from one where there is no hope, to one filled with possibility and promise. Many kids like Madhu and working hard because they want a better life, than what they now have. While it’s slow and gradual, this is evidence of a community transformed by education and a sense of purpose.

Happy New Year to the Claremont College school community. Enjoy your break and I cant wait to see you soon! 

​It’s now Summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Here in Sydney the weather is perfect …the sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day. This morning, as I focus on the many things that I am grateful for, my mind is filled with a fresh sense of positivity, hope, and optimism for the day and the season ahead. I’ve decided that this summer I will make it my priority to focus on the good – my health, my body, my mind and spirit will only be better for it. This will be a season where mindfulness and gratitude will go hand in hand.

One of the greatest keys to our happiness is to be grateful. Will Arnett, a Canadian actor, said it like this…

“I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.”
​
Give away your life - you’ll find life given back

Jesus described the importance of making mindful decisions to determine positive life outcomes:

“Don’t judge people, jump on their failures, criticise their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” Luke 6:37-38

‘International Day of Disabled Persons 2022’

Yesterday, Saturday 3rd December was the ‘International Day of Disabled Persons 2022’. At Project Help India my team celebrated with cake, presents, singing and dancing. We are thankful for the 14 kids who attend classes five days a week. We are thankful for their unique gifts and beautiful personalities. These kids make our lives richer …it is indeed a privilege to help and care for them, to learn alongside them and be inspired by their courage, their determination and resilience in the face of incredible challenge and daily adversity.

I'm incredibly grateful for the many people whose kindness and generosity makes it possible for us to fund our Disability Centre. This week we used some of your funding to buy each of our students a warm jumper …it’s starting to get cold in India and these kids are growing fast – they need new clothes for Winter. The kids were delighted!

Last week I told you about our new centre close to the India-Pakistan border – Venturing Further Than Ever Before – A New Centre

I want to say a HUGE “thank you” to two Australian families who this week responded to our call, making a combined donation of $1709. Your generosity has made it possible for us to help this very poor community.

We started with 50 kids – most of whom have never been to a school before. The word has well and truly spread and this week even more new kids have shown up for the first time, and we now have 80 children most days. We anticipate that we will soon have 100+ enrolled.

Guleen’s Story
​Whilst education is a human right, the majority of children in this isolated and marginalised district are unable to attend a local school. Little 4 year-old Gurleen Kaur (pictured above) is one of these kids. Gurleen is the eldest of 4 siblings. Her mother died during the delivery of her baby sister. Gurleen’s father is an addict in a community where drugs are cheap and easily available. He would only be in his early twenties, he never comes home and he is unemployed. The kids are looked after by their ill, elderly grandparents who live in a house that is falling down. Our new teacher Sonia Rani appealed to the grandparents to allow Gurleen to attend our centre and we are pleased that she now attends school on a daily basis. As well as starting to learn new things, we see Gurleen respond to the nurture and safety that school provides – for her this is a transformative experience.

​Each one of our 80 students has a similarly sad story as Guleen. Our work powerfully impacts their lives bringing love, hope and opportunities to shine and flourish. Even in these early days, we see small but significant changes. We are excited for the many possibilities.

Last month, when Rowena and I were in India we met an inspiring Christian man, Saleem Masih (pictured above), who had travelled a very long way to meet us. Saleem wanted to tell us about his work with some very poor communities in western Punjab. Saleem was compelling, as he told us about a very needy group of people who have limited access to the most basic of life’s necessities. He described his small passionate team of 5 people who work on a minimal salary ($15AUD a week) to bring help through education to 200 kids in 3 small school centres. Most of these kids do not go to school.

Further to this, Saleem told us about a small and neglected population group in the Gatti District which is an isolated and very dangerous area due to its proximity to the Indian - Pakistani border. Little has changed in this area for the past 75 years. Access to services is available only possible by crossing the river by boat (at a fee), and this does not operate during the monsoon season. Most families do not have the money to regularly cross this wide river so therefore the children do not attend a school. Therefore, the kids, like their parents, are uneducated. The area is heavily patrolled by the military, especially by drones.

A Plea for Help
The reason why Saleem had travelled so far was to ask if we would consider taking on his projects and he indicated his need to be part of a larger team to collaborate with, and to work with others who would provide mentoring and guidance for how to develop and improve his projects. He knew he’d have a better chance of convincing us if he met us face to face. His efforts were not in vain because we were definitely stirred by his determination, love and compassion for these forgotten people. It was hard for us to not immediately say “yes” but we asked for more information and clarity around the amount of support required. We now are now in a position to make an informed initial commitment.

Our Commitment for 2023
We have decided to support Saleem initially for 14 months, commencing 1st November. ‘Project Help’ has started a fourth centre at Village Hajara Gatti in the Ferozepur District (location map). The people who live here are incredibly poor and most are illiterate. The district is in a very isolated area, and is situated between the Satluj River and the Pakistani border (which is a fence).
Some facts       
- 50 children will attend our centre, 5 days a week. This is anticipated to grow to 100 students
- $100AUS start up fees to set things up
- $100AUS month (covers rent and a teacher’s salary)
- We will review our commitment in 6 months and confirm our long-term support in November 2023
- We will also work towards providing additional funding to improve the existing 3 centres, and (hopefully) provide meals for the children.

This story is a significant one and demonstrates the power of child safety education. Adnan has a cognitive disability. Ever since a toddler he has roamed the streets unsupervised - vulnerable and highly at risk. Attending our centre has minimised this somewhat, yet he continues to be vulnerable.

​The students at our Slum Disability Centre receive frequent safety lessons and we are pleased that he knew to yell for help. We will continue to reinforce a number of safety lessons in all of our centres. Our Field Worker reported…

Adnan is a student at our Project Help, Disability Centre, and has been receiving education at our Disability Centre for three years. Adnan’s cognitive disability sometimes imapcts his judgments about other people's intentions or social situations. Adnan likes to go for long walks in the market all by himself, he often goes for long strolls without informing anyone at home. He always comes back safe and sound but last week a very serious incident took place.

On 9th October when Adnan was as usual wandering in the Kotdwara Railway station, a group of men kidnapped him by luring him with money. The men asked him to come along with them on the train ride, promising him money. Adnan naively sat with them. The men along with Adnan got as far as Najibabad station some 25km away. Reaching there he asked the men for the money and didn't receive any. Perceiving that something might be wrong Adnan started crying out for help. His screaming grabbed the attention of his brother's friend. He reached out to Adnan and noticed that he was with a group of unknown men. He asked Adnan about his whereabouts and how he reached there. Adnan narrated the whole incident His brother's friend quickly informed some nearby shopkeepers and hawkers asking for help. All of them beat up the men and rescued Adnan who was later dropped back home by his brother's friend. Adnan is currently doing well and is safe with his family.

Adnam came to school the next day with a big story to tell. We thank God for his safety.

It was a privilege and humbling experience to speak yesterday at ‘A National Act of Recognition’. The event held at Kamay Botany Bay was what I hope to be the first of many truth-telling events, bringing recognition to the historic events around ‘Captain’ James Cook.
 
I acknowledge the work done by Rev Lindsay McDowell who summarises below some historic, primary source documents, around Cook. McDowell describes what was “an armed attack, entry and theft – on Country … it was the first day of our shared history.”

​McDowell’s writing;
 
Most people have a general knowledge that Lieutenant James Cook came to Kamay Botany Bay in 1770. And that is one of our big problems - we have a general knowledge. But how many of us know what really happened? How many are aware no less than four (4) illegal acts took place? We suggest those same actions launched against any beach village in the UK would’ve been found to be criminal offences, all those involved convicted under British laws in force at that time, and the leaders executed.
 
To understand what happened at Kamay on 29th April 1770, Reverend Lindsay McDowell examines below an Endeavour Journal entry from the day. A quick, casual read of it may leave us unmoved, but when we study the text in a line by line, forensic scrutiny that first day was more invasive than we think:
 
1. ‘They remained resolute so a musquet was fird over them … A Musquet loaded with small
shot was now fird at the Eldest of the two … (and) … we landed on the rock.’ - This was an armed attack and entry against the Gweagal people - on Country - a criminal offence.
 
2. ‘Two more musquets with small shot were then fird at them on which the Eldest threw one more lance and then ran away as did the other.’ James Cook and the Endeavour crew terrorised inhabitants into fleeing their property. Firstly, forced to flee the beach, families then fled from their homes in the village – a criminal offence
 
3. ‘We went up to the houses, in one of which we found the children hid…’ This is a clear admission of armed trespass around very private property – a criminal offence.
 
4. ‘We thought it no improper measure to take away with us all the lances which we could findabout the houses, amounting in number to forty or fifty … all except one had four prongs …’ These were fishing spears! Lt. Cook and the Endeavour crew stole Gweagal food harvesting equipment – all they could find!!! A clear admission of armed robbery – a criminal offence.
 
There is a fifth line in the Endeavour Journal, written in Joseph Banks’ own hand that explains their underlying collective attitude toward these 4 criminal acts. This fifth line reveals the British thought they could do this to people – with no accountability:

‘We however thought it no improper measure …’ Where were their heads??? This account of day one of our joint history took place at the gateway into the country. The Truth Telling it reveals should leave every fair minded Australian deeply disturbed.

The point of that 1770 April day? It set the stage for what was to come almost two decades later. It set the trajectory for the stealing of land – and the unspeakable evil of killing the legal possessors to get it. There has never been public accountability for the 4 crimes listed above. Common sense tells us no-one living now can be blamed for actions by our forebears 252 years ago - or even 100 years ago. We who are alive now however, could choose to take ‘collective responsibility’ for stains on our nation’s past.
 
Truth Telling - the Recognition Way, will genuinely help the Australian people do that. We will place all early records under national scrutiny and publicly denounce these unacceptable wrongdoings. 

..........................
As educators we must hold the History Syllabus to account. As a primary student in the 1970s I idolised Cook. Today, me must ensure that comfortable and convenient truths do not enter the narratives and story telling of our teachers. 

I am a teacher, and a Principal. I love education and learning is my passion. I was a school student in the 1970s.

​As a small boy I recall watching the re-enactment of Cook’s arrival at Sydney harbour. We came here to celebrate this achievement in Australian history. We were told that it was a glorious most wonderful moment. I was taught as a primary student that this happened peacefully and with the consent of First Nations peoples. I was lied to, I was taught that Cook was a hero. I was lied to. How could I have been so stupid?

As a teacher a few decades later I initially continued to tell the lie. Our history curriculum both then and for many years later perpetuated this  myth. I am profoundly sorry for this. It was a Year 4 student who I was teaching at the time who put up her hand and asked? "But Mr Thomas, isn't that stealing? It's like someone comes into your house and kicks you out, and now they live there". It took the simple perspective of a child to see it for what it was. This moment for me was powerful and confronting. It was like I was clobbered, there was a sense of revelation and realisation, and in that one moment I realised that I had been lied to, and as a teacher I continued to tell the lie to the next generation.

Consent has become an important and powerful word in so many contexts. Yet it did certainly was not considered when my teacher(s) back in the Seventies and Eighties taught me about the 'glorious' Captain Cook. I am pleased to say that our current curriculum now tells the truth.  I am proud to say that I work with a generation of teachers who know and seek to tell the truth we are hearing today. But I give this warning, there is opposition by many. There are many who describe the curriculum as liberal, provocative and dangerous. 

As I listen to the stories of the First Nation people speaking today, and hear of the trauma and grief that you have experienced, that which continues to impact you today, I say...

We have heard you
We do not want to leave you to struggle for truth and justice on your own
We want to stand with you
We want to struggle with you.

I want to acknowledge after hearing stories of what has been stolen from you, I recognise that for many of you I represent the one who stole from you. I am white, I am male, I am the Principal of a church school, a religious organisation - an organisation that for generations has stolen from you, caused trauma and abuse, stolen family members. I represent fear, pain and unhealed wounds.

I have heard you, and I am truly sorry.

I live and work in Coogee/Randwick, the land of the Mura Ora Dial clan. Where I live there are 2 monuments standing that for me represent the impact of possession. In the main shopping centre of Randwick stands a monument to Cook and down the hill a concrete storm water drain flows into the ocean at the north end of Coogee Beach. To me this concrete drain pipe represents intrusion and abuse - a gross destruction of place, a place that had been cared for, loved - a source of food, a place of connection for tens of thousands of years.

James Baldwin, an African-American activist worked tirelessly for public awareness of racial and colonial oppression worth. He wrote;

History is not our past, it is our present. We carry this history with us. We are our history. If we pretend otherwise we are literally criminals.

Today, here at Kamay Botany Bay we recognise that when Cook took possession he did so without consent. He committed a crime, not a glorious deed. We continue to commit and repeat Cook’s crime, when we tell the narrative of this false history. and we perpetuate ongoing trauma, we are responsible for keeping the wound open when we continue tell the lie.

I acknowledge and renounce the many injustices. Today, we recognise the crime, the lie has been brought into the light, we pray for healing. We work with a shared commitment to tell the truth, with  a common memory and a united imagination for the future.