Range of cultures and faiths united by church
IN THE beginning, there was only a handful of Sudanese children attending youth programs at HumeRidge Church of Christ.
It started informally, coordinator Pastor Ross Savill recalled.
“They just came along, we got to know them and hear their stories... but what we discovered is that as they found a place here, they invited others,” he said.
“And what’s just happened is that it’s expanded to kids of all sorts of backgrounds; Afghani, Pakistani, Iranian kids, have come and are very much a part of all the programs.”
HumeRidge Church of Christ, and the youth work directed by Pastor Ross Savill, reflects a wider effort by Toowoomba’s churches over the years in welcoming refugees to the Garden City.
It began with the Sudanese in the late 1990s, and has grown with each wave of new refugees - the most recent of which is the Yazidis, a Kurdish religious minority persecuted by Islamic State.
The church runs a Homework Help program on Tuesdays, Stumpys - a primary youth group for
children in Years 4-6 - on Wednesday nights, and Friday night youth groups for the older grades.
While the programs weren’t run exclusively for children of a refugee background, “they are a valued part”, Pastor Savill said.
He also said the region’s schools had offered “tremendous” support to students with refugee backgrounds.
Among those the programs have helped over the years is Monica Mach, 15, who now volunteers with Stumpys.
“It’s a great place where you get help with homework and you get to meet people at youth group and learn from people you didn’t expect to meet,” she said.
The 70-80 volunteers who help each week represent a cross-section of Toowoomba’s community, including teachers, ex-teachers, university students and more.
One is Emma Terry, 22, who has been working with Pastor Savill for the past five years.
“I think (volunteering) is important because... if I had to move to Sudan or the Middle East, Afghanistan... and learn that language and try and do school, or university, if I didn’t have any help I’d be mega-stuck,” she said.
“So I just imagine if that was me, I’d need help, and so the kids here that need help... it’s within my abilities, so why shouldn’t I do it?”
Pastor Savill said the church welcomed volunteers. Phone the office on 4635 0350.