The Magazine of St Aloysius' College ⢠'Men for Others' ⢠Issue XLVII ...
The Magazine of St Aloysius' College ⢠'Men for Others' ⢠Issue XLVII ...
The Magazine of St Aloysius' College ⢠'Men for Others' ⢠Issue XLVII ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
from the senior school (cont'd)<br />
current drug addicts. With this comes its associated stigma;<br />
they’ve been labelled as junkies, derelicts and ‘no hopers’.<br />
However, shared by all <strong>of</strong> them is a sense <strong>of</strong> humanity and<br />
community. This is something that affects every volunteer<br />
and from which they can learn much.<br />
One story I will share occurred on a Thursday in February<br />
when I sat with a twenty-four year old young women called<br />
Bec. Whilst our discussion began with a debate on the<br />
advantages <strong>of</strong> six spoons <strong>of</strong> instant c<strong>of</strong>fee rather than two, it<br />
moved to how her life had led her to this point. At her young<br />
age she already had five children, the eldest <strong>of</strong> whom was<br />
nine. Three <strong>of</strong> her children had been taken away from her<br />
and put into foster care within three weeks <strong>of</strong> their births<br />
and were all now in another state. Her other two children<br />
had been killed in a car accident involving the children’s<br />
father, now in prison. Despite no home, no education, and<br />
no job, her smile never left her face as she sat holding<br />
hands with her best friend who is also homeless and also<br />
pregnant. Bec told me that she had kept her good friend<br />
clean throughout the pregnancy, that was her true job, and<br />
that they were going to raise the child together in community<br />
housing which was due to be approved in a matter <strong>of</strong><br />
weeks. Together they had done all the research and had<br />
taken all the right steps to ensure that no-one could take this<br />
child away from them. <strong>The</strong>re was no way Bec was going<br />
to let her friend go through what she had.<br />
Every single person who stops in and sees us <strong>for</strong> a<br />
bed has a story just like Bec’s. <strong>The</strong>y are all struggling and<br />
whilst happy to accept our help, they would do anything<br />
<strong>for</strong> each other within their own segregated community. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
know that the unconditional help and care <strong>of</strong> a true friend<br />
makes them luckier than any other person. It is a remarkable<br />
lesson to learn and puts into perspective the importance <strong>of</strong><br />
any material wealth. It makes you wonder whether we all<br />
must leave the com<strong>for</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> life to know what being human<br />
is really all about.<br />
This May we will be expanding the Nugacity mission<br />
to include Sunday nights. With the help <strong>of</strong> the <strong>St</strong> Aloysius’<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>St</strong> Vincent de Paul Society, we will be able to<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer a bed <strong>for</strong> the night and a friendly face to talk to <strong>for</strong><br />
Sydney’s homeless. <strong>St</strong>udents will be given the opportunity to<br />
accompany our experienced volunteers <strong>for</strong> the early shift to<br />
assist with setting up the sleeping quarters and welcoming<br />
the guest <strong>for</strong> the evening with a cup <strong>of</strong> c<strong>of</strong>fee and cheese<br />
on toast. We would also love to hear from any Old Boys<br />
or anyone else desiring to get involved with Nugacity.<br />
Volunteers are always a God send.<br />
Whilst Nugacity provides the hands-on help, all <strong>of</strong> it<br />
would be in vain without the support <strong>of</strong> the community.<br />
We are always short <strong>of</strong> bedding and mattresses as we<br />
move into winter, but it always seems that when our need is<br />
greatest that the community miraculously delivers. If readers<br />
have any old pillows, pillow cases, sheets or blankets that<br />
would otherwise end up in the bin, please think <strong>of</strong> those in<br />
need. Whilst a blanket may not seem much, it is enough to<br />
save a life on a cold winter night on Sydney’s streets. We<br />
would welcome any help you can <strong>of</strong>fer. Donations can be<br />
left at <strong>College</strong> Reception or delivered to <strong>St</strong> Canices’ Parish<br />
Office.<br />
James Harrison (SAC 2003)<br />
Under the Bridge: One night<br />
on <strong>The</strong> Philippines Immersion,<br />
December 2007<br />
Movement is not something to expect from Manila<br />
traffic. What was originally planned to be a<br />
two and a half hour trip turned into a seven hour<br />
marathon. <strong>The</strong> slums outside our window did not shock us<br />
like they used to, we had been in the Philippines <strong>for</strong> almost<br />
a month now. <strong>The</strong> eleven or so crammed in the back <strong>of</strong> the<br />
van with Mr El-Khoury did not stare out the window with the<br />
hypnotized amazement <strong>of</strong> our first days in Manila. But still<br />
some things challenged us. <strong>The</strong> first place we visited was a<br />
street corner, and people poured out <strong>of</strong> nowhere to get the<br />
food and toys. Three <strong>of</strong> us had to stand by the door to <strong>for</strong>m<br />
a human wall preventing kids sneaking in and taking more<br />
food. <strong>The</strong> desperation was disturbing. Four kids in front <strong>of</strong><br />
us broke into a fight over a pair <strong>of</strong> jeans, won in the end by<br />
a ten-year-old puffing on a filterless cigarette. <strong>The</strong> line grew<br />
out along the concrete as people realized what we were<br />
there to do. As we left, some <strong>of</strong> the children jumped on the<br />
back <strong>of</strong> the van to try and get more. <strong>The</strong>y held on as long<br />
as they could as we sat in the van, speechless.<br />
That silence was broken by the next discovery. In<br />
another lane a group <strong>of</strong> boys, much younger than us by<br />
the looks <strong>of</strong> them, were sneaking behind a blue car and,<br />
to our amazement, one boy climbed under it and began<br />
to unscrew the spare tyre attached to the bottom <strong>of</strong> the car.<br />
When the truck began to move my heart skipped a beat,<br />
as the boy rolled out and climbed to safety. Mr El-Khoury<br />
explained to us that many <strong>of</strong> the boys were addicted to<br />
rugby, a local glue that is sniffed by those in poverty to dull<br />
Year 11s on the road with Old Boy Jack O’Donaghue (SAC 2007)<br />
(above right).<br />
<strong>St</strong> Aloysius’ <strong>College</strong><br />
A Jesuit School <strong>for</strong> Boys _ Founded 1879<br />
aloysiad / page 20