Into the Heart | Mr Brendan Ganley
As we come into the final three weeks of term, we often see and hear about the festive season, the celebration of Christmas, and the upcoming holidays where we connect with friends and family. After another very busy year filled with so many events and milestones, we have the chance to take a moment and reflect.
It is easy to get caught up in what is coming next and what we desire at Christmas. However, sometimes looking at what we need rather than want is more important. We can begin to forget the amazing things we already have or overlook those close to us. In a world increasingly focused on what comes next, emphasising how we can upgrade ourselves, it is easy to forget the present and the opportunities already in our hands. We lose sight of the moments we have now and the gifts already provided to us.
At the end of Term 3, I was fortunate enough to embark on a staff immersion hosted by the Edmund Rice Foundation Australia (ERFA). The Into the Heart immersion invited staff from EREA schools to travel across Nairobi, Kenya, and Uganda and visit the schools and educational programs ERFA supports. This experience was truly inspiring and humbling. Students and families throughout Kenya and Uganda are given hope through education, and school is a place for them to feel safe and connected. This is the true vision of Edmund Rice, and the band of Brothers sent to Australia all those years ago.
Our hearts have not just started with this immersion, but they have undoubtedly grown and widened thanks to the endless possibilities and connections this opportunity has offered. The local communities have demonstrated great resilience, hospitality and energy that we, as educators, can build upon and bring home to our classrooms. In our roles, we are called to open our hearts to others and encourage them to do the same. It is imperative that we continue the work we have started here at Terrace, with initiatives such as Walk for Edmund, to create further connections within our College community.
Throughout the immersion experience, witnessing the hardship and listening to the stories of survival from local families was so humbling. As teachers within the EREA network, we could only begin to understand the feelings and emotions of the individuals we encountered and what the future may look like for them. Each day was a new adventure, and each moment was one to savour with the families we visited.
Over several decades, both EREA and ERFA have maintained strong connections to schools and communities in areas such as Nairobi, Kenya, and Uganda and have provided strong support to students and their families. From all that we saw, it is evident that the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice remains the cornerstone of all projects and initiatives. What stood out to me was the care and concern displayed to the disadvantaged and poor – the staff’s ability to form meaningful connections with people, no matter their background or circumstances, was significant. These interactions, which embody the core values of EREA, are a testament to those who have contributed to the life of these schools and their ongoing projects.
Our friends in Kenya and Uganda display great contentment and happiness with what they have, despite it being much less than what we have here in Australia. This comparison is an important reminder to embrace gratitude and appreciate our blessings this holiday season.
We look forward to connecting with our brothers and sisters from Nairobi in 2025, when our Years 5 and 6 students will open their hearts and participate in the annual Walk for Edmund.