Now in his fourth year of volunteering onsite and through our virtual kitchen model during the pandemic, Marq is the kind of human who gives himself to his community.
COMMUNITY
Railaco – Continuing with Hope in 2021
Thankfully, the recent floods and spread of Covid in East Timor have not impacted the people of Railaco in a big way. In heavily populated areas such as the capital Dili and some other areas, Jesuit Social Services Timor-Leste has been very actively involved in distributing food, clothing and blankets to those affected.
Fr Bong reports from Railaco that plans for 2021 for the Mobile Medical Clinic and Children’s Feeding Program just continue as before.
Volunteers’ stories: Charles & Mary Bartella
Joining our Virtual Volunteer team during COVID was Egyptian-born asylum seeker Charles Bartella and his wife Mary.
The Virtual Kitchen’s feeding Sydney’s homeless during COVID
On a daily basis in all corners of Sydney, virtual kitchens are busy preparing meals for Sydney’s homeless community. Brought together by Canice’s Kitchen, an inner-city homeless refuge, this COVID safe catering operation is mobilising the masses and feeding people in the hundreds.
Welcome to E J Gerilla SJ, new parish priest of Railaco
I look on this relationship as an experience of a being part of a ‘missionary church’, a church in which we are sent. In many ways you have expressed that you are this ‘missionary church’ reaching out to a less privileged people, and especially to the Timorese. We are committed to making this relationship even more meaningful, and in return we like to share with you our prayers and those of the Timorese people.
16 weeks into COVID – Where are we now?
Can you believe it has been over 16 weeks since we rolled out our COVID response plan. A quick update on what has been happening and how you can help.
Railaco – Re-emerging from Covid-19
The first two minutes of this video will update you on how the Railaco Jesuit Mission is emerging from the Covid-19 lockdown and its ongoing needs. The remaining few minutes of the video gives you a good opportunity to ‘meet’ Fr Martin Bong SJ, a Filipino medical doctor and Jesuit priest, who has been ‘on mission’ in Railaco for nearly twenty years.
Farming and Leadership in Railaco – ‘True Grit in Spades’
Some years ago, the Jesuits were offered ten hectares of land about seven kilometres from the school. In October of 2019, taking the initiative and drawing on his family background in agriculture, Br Apu was able to organise the ‘dormers’ (as they are affectionately known) to begin work on a farm. This would provide food not only for the ‘dormers’, but for the Railaco Jesuit community, and other students in the NOSSEF canteen.
