Hi Redlands for Refugees folk,

Here are some reminders of things ahead in the next few days:

HOSPITALITY DAY

Our next hospitality day is Saturday, June 28.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED …

·        R4R members Ella Tickle and Lyn Moore spoke about our group with broadcaster Phil Smith on 612ABC Radio last Saturday morning, as a lead-in to Refugee Week. Went very well. (Audio not on the ABC web site, regrettably.)

·        The Uniting Church in Victoria has produced a video reflection following the suicide of Tamil asylum seeker Leo Seemanpillai. It’s called Turn Back the Indifference.

·        The Jesuit e-magazine, Eureka Street, often has excellent analytical articles about the asylum seeker issue. The most recent is, “Why 71% of Australians want boats pushed back.” Worth a read.

·        Julian Burnside QC is one of Australia’s foremost human rights lawyers, passionate about asylum seeker and refugee rights. His web site won’t win any design awards, but the content is excellent and very current – worth visiting regularly. He is inviting Australians to write letters of encouragement and care to detainees at Nauru and Manus Island: details here.

·        It’s been around for a few months now, but the “What would you do?” video and Facebook campaign by Jewish Aid Australia is excellent, designed to put empathy into the asylum seeker ‘debate’. Your responses by text or video are invited.

·        One way to make a personal statement about your feelings on this issue is on the Sorry Asylum Seekers web site. It began in February 2014 to collect photos and notes from Australians opposed to current government policies and practices.

·        Some R4R members visit asylum seekers at the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation (BITA) Centre. Let me know if you’re interested in visiting there, and I’ll send you the required forms and put you in touch with our folk who are involved so they can help you.

·        R4R member Tracey Huges has invited people who are in Wellington Point for the Hospitality Day on June 28 to stay on for a soup night with her church fellowship from 5:30 pm, at her place in, Wellington Point. For contact details email: redlands4refugees@gmail.com.

·        Some R4R members and I are meeting Lilly Matich, the Redland City Council’s new Community Development Officer, next Friday, to see how Redlands for Refugees might interact with Council and local community organisations. Will keep you posted.

·        One way to keep across this issue is to create a Google alert for “asylum seeker” and/or “refugee”. You can choose how often, and across what range of web sources, you’d like to receive a list of sites with new references to those terms. That list will be sent to your designated email address. It’s a great way to keep across breaking news, as well as mentions on blogs and sites that you wouldn’t usually come across.

Thanks very much for your interest and involvement. Hope to see you either at our Hospitality Day on Saturday, or our next social BBQ (date to be advised).

_____________________________________

Pastor David Busch

Coordinator, Redlands for Refugees

Redlands4Refugees@gmail.com

R4R members attend World Refugee Day rally

The World Refugee Day rally and march started from King George Square on Saturday, June 21. A group of Redlands for  Refugees members attended the rally.. Here are some photos of the event.

World Refugee Day Festival 

The festival was held at Annerley Soccer Grounds,. Sunday, June 22.. There’ were a whole lot of stalls, food, activities, etc. It was a very colourful and engaging day.

A Movement of the Heart: 

Ecumenical prayer service for refugees 

The service was held at St Stephen’s Cathedral on Friday, June 20. The Cathedral was packed with people and the service was incredibly well organized and was appreciated by all.

May 15 Newsletter

Hi Redlands for Refugees folk,

We had a lively and interesting meeting last night – thanks to those who attended. Here’s a summary of key decisions and developments.

HOSPITALITY DAY POSTPONED – NOW JUNE 28

Regrettably, we’ve had to postpone our next Hospitality Day – complications in the availability of some key people meant we could not continue with Saturday, May 31. Sincere apologies to the 28 of you who had advised that you were able to help on that day. The new date is Saturday, June 28, and it will be at the lovely waterside Beth Boyd Park, at John St and Mooroondu Rd, Thorneside. This will be the first weekend of the school holidays, so we look forward to including families with children among the asylum seekers and hosts alike. I’ll start a new Host List for that day – please email me if you can come and help.

SOCIAL PICNIC

The meeting didn’t want to pass up the last weekend in May altogether, so we decided to have a social picnic for R4R people and their families and friends. This would help us get to know each other better, include people who can’t come to our meetings, and also give us a chance to check out the June 28 venue. It will be on Sunday, June 1, from 12 noon, at Beth Boyd Park. Please bring food for your lunch plus something to share. There are BBQs. Seats and/or blankets would also be good. No RSVP – just turn up if you can.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION – FILM NIGHT

We decided on a film and discussion format, perhaps with a small component of live music. This will be held on Friday, June 13, 6:30 for a 7:00 pm start. Venue is to be confirmed but we’re hoping for Mary MacKillop Catholic Church hall, 12 Hardy Rd, Birkdale (just down the road from Trinity UC). We propose to screen the film, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Rebecca Lim from Romero Centre has kindly agreed to take questions in the discussion afterwards. The event will conclude with supper. We will email you with a notice and flyer and put a piece in the Bayside Bulletin once the venue is confirmed. It would be great to have a strong turnout from R4R folk, and be encouraged to invite your friends and family. Details of the film are here: http://deepblueseafilm.com/about/ . I have ordered a copy of the DVD for R4R to keep as a resource – if you can’t make the screening, you can borrow it!

  

REFUGEE WEEK EVENTS

·        Romero is hosting a Refugee Conference and Film Festival, State Library of Qld (South Bank), on Friday, June 6, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. A second day on Saturday, June 7, will be a family day of activities and workshops showcasing cultural diversity. Contact the Romero Centre for details: 3013 0100.

·        The annual Lantern Parade for Refugees will be held at South Bank on Friday evening, June 6(which is also Queensland Day). Gather near the Wheel of Brisbane from 5:00 pm. This includes a procession along the River Walk, ending with a concert at the Courier-Mail Piazza.

·        Refugee Week this year runs from June 15-21. The national web site is here:http://www.refugeeweek.org.au/

·        A rally for refugees and asylum seekers is being held in Brisbane city on Saturday, June 21. A planning meeting tonight will continue the planning. More details to be advised.

·        An ecumenical prayer service for World Refugee Day will be held on Friday, June 20, 6:00 for 6:30 pm, at St Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral, Elizabeth St, City. (They are basing this service on what we did for our prayer vigil on April 11!)

David Busch