UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLANDST LEO’S COLLEGE

Are you prepared to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”?

Taking up the Challenge!

Since 1988, Br Rob Callen has been leading groups of volunteer students to India. The primary objective of these journeys has been to provide students with an opportunity to work with poor disabled children in Madras (Chennai) and in various hospitals and homes conducted by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Such experiences give students a keener sense of the disparity between East and West, and what the term “poorest of the poor” might really mean.

INDIA2017IMMERSION

An InvitationBr Rob Callen will lead the Centenary India Immersion in 2017. This will be St Leo’s seventh trip to India. Every resident at St Leo’s is eligible to apply for this adventure of a lifetime. It’s a practical opportunity to step out of one’s comfort zone and to lend a hand to people who live on the margins of society.

What is the India Immersion Program?The gospel calls us to love our neighbour through acts of compassion – compassion towards all people, especially those in need. This is what the St Leo’s India Immersion program offers: – the opportunity to draw near to our neighbours, specifically those who are systematically disregarded by the larger society. We cannot begin our work of justice and compassion unless we are willing to actually meet the poor face to face as brother and sister.

The St Leo’s College Centenary India Immersion provides students with opportunities for real-life, community-based learning experiences abroad. It fosters respect for the people, the history and culture of the people we encounter; and a willingness to be challenged personally by the stories, the experiences, and the relationships that are encountered while on the trip. The emphasis is on learning, consciousness-raising, and advocating for change in one’s home country that can impact poverty and injustice in the world.

Do you have to be religious?The simple answer is “No”! You don’t have to be religious. But you do need to be generous. And you do need a sense of adventure!

What will we do?In 2017 we will spend four weeks of our summer break in India. Our focus will be on service – reaching out to those in need.

We will spend some time working with disabled and disadvantaged children at MITHRA in Chennai as well as working at some homes and hospitals conducted by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. We will have the opportunity to work with fellow volunteers from around the world in Kalighat and Prem Dan – Homes for dying destitute men & women. We will offer help at Nabo Jibon – the refuge for abandoned and homeless railway children. We will visit Shishu Bivan – the home for unwanted and abandoned babies. And we will visit Titagarh – the colony for people with leprosy. These will be the formal opportunities when we work directly with the poor of India, but there will be many other times when we will be directly confronted by the poorest of the poor, especially in our day to day travels. We will encounter beggars – some genuine, some professional. Our group reflections will help us learn so much about ourselves.

It was Albert Einstein who said: “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”. And this is the challenge to all of us – to reach out to those in need.

What do we mean by “Immersion”? We talk about “Immersion” because we spend time living in

a completely different culture. With sensitivity and humility we are encouraged to embrace the people and their culture. Whether we are travelling as tourists or working as volunteers, we are asked to be open-minded and non-judgmental of things we find different, difficult and uncomfortable. We try to appreciate all that India has to offer. We embrace the challenge and avoid retreating to the comforts of social media. This is a pilgrimage with a sacred purpose.

We try to appreciate all that India has to offer. We embrace the challenge and avoid retreating to the comforts of social media. This is a pilgrimage with a sacred purpose.

Our immersion vision tries to capture this spirit. But in all of this we will not be patronising or superior, but rather we will offer a hand of friendship and approach each individual with generous and open hearts. We will learn about the rich and ancient Indian culture and the diverse peoples who make up her rich nation. We will learn much from those who live simply and manage on so little. Hopefully we will return as people with deep compassion and a determination to work for justice in our world.

When is it taking place? (for how long?) The 2017 Centenary India Immersion will extend for 4 weeks.

It will be from the end of exams until one week before Christmas – 19th November – 18th December. Previous immersions have taught us that because India is such a vast and diverse country with so much to learn, and because we require enough time for service opportunities, travel, education, rest, recreation and fun, 4 weeks in India is a minimum.

How much will it cost? Although it is difficult to give a final figure with airfares and the

Australian dollar fluctuating, we estimate the whole immersion trip will cost about $4000. This sum includes:

- International Airfares- Domestic Airfares- Accommodation- Land travel (trains, buses, transfers etc.)- Official Group Apparel - Incidentals: photos, parchments, Handbooks etc.

Costs not included:- Passports & visas- Inoculations & Medications- Living Allowance (approx. AUD$700)- Incidentals: Clothing, bags, mosquito net etc.

We will search for the best quotations before we settle on one agent for the international airfares. After many years we have found a very reliable and generous local agent in Delhi for the land content. In the past St Leo’s College has assisted each volunteer with $500 each, and the University of Queensland has been generous in giving applicants $500 each through the UQ Advantage Grants program.

Where do we go? We begin in Calcutta, (Kolkata) arriving there at midnight on

the same day we leave Brisbane. This is where we begin our volunteer service activities. After registration, the Sister in charge of volunteers will assign small groups to work at various Missionary of Charity centres alongside other young international volunteers. In Kolkata we will be accommodated with the Christian Brothers at St Mary’s in Dum Dum.

After Kolkata we will take a break and visit Varanasi, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The Immersion is an opportunity to learn about an ancient and rich culture. We learn about India’s history, about her pain, her triumphs and her struggles for Independence. We learn that India consists of many diverse cultures, languages and ethnic groups. And we will experience what it is to belong to a minority group in a country that has given birth to four of the world’s oldest and most significant religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Our final week is spent in the South of India in Chennai, where we will work with disabled (differently abled) children at M.I.T.H.R.A. Rehabilitation Centre– a home founded by the late Sr Mary Theodore (of Queensland).

At all times we keep in touch with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and make ourselves aware of all Travel Advisories.

What sort of work do we do? None of us has been trained as a nurse, doctor, carpenter or

specialists of any kind. But as young people with big hearts, lots of energy and goodwill, we just follow the example of other longer-term volunteers.

We will be challenged to give of ourselves: our time, our energy, our love and probably most demanding of all, our patience. In MITHRA we play with the children, keep them company and assist with simple tasks such as feeding and physical exercise, as well as teaching simple lessons. In Kolkata we perform simple acts of kindness for the people we serve.

Although we think we have much to offer, ironically we are the ones who receive more. We learn about ourselves: our own limitations and inadequacies. We will be surprised to learn that these people who live such simple lives are full of joy and happiness. At times we will be embarrassed by their kindness and generosity to us. That’s why these immersion trips have sometimes been called “an exchange of love”. And despite our fears and feelings of inadequacy, we will learn that sometimes, ordinary people can do extraordinary things!

Who may apply? The 2017 India Immersion is open to every student at

St Leo’s Colleges. There is a maximum of TWELVE places available, so applicants must be ready to make a firm commitment if they are selected. Successful Applicants must pay a $500 “non-refundable” deposit by 23rd May, so that bookings can proceed.

Not for everyone! We understand that such overseas immersion experiences do

not appeal to everyone. Living away from the comforts of home for 4 weeks in a strange country can be quite a challenge. There are many opportunities for students to be involved in service projects in our own city of Brisbane.

How do I apply? If you are interested in applying for the St Leo’s Colleges

India Immersion, then you need to do the following:

1. Write a personal letter of application to the India Immersion Committee.

In this Letter of Application you need to:

(a) Write a brief profile of yourself – some personal background: family, interests, faith stance, previous service work etc.

b) Tell us why you like to be considered for this trip.

Applications must be addressed to Br Rob Callen, (rob.callen@gmail.com) no later than: Monday 13th May 2017.

To avoid disappointment, consideration will be given to early applications.

For more information, please contact Br Rob Callen Email: rob.callen@gmail.com Telephone 0428 937 996

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” Gandhi