Refugees and church groups go bush

A group of Sudanese, Ethiopian, Iraqi and Afghanistan refugees, and people from Melbourne church organisations, social justice groups and community support agencies recently went bush to talk about the plight of people seeking asylum in Australia and the struggle for many when they arrive here.

Called Journey on the Wind it was organised by the NCCA and a number of agencies from Victorian churches.

Thousands of people in northwest Victoria participated in the Journey, which involved visits in schools, dinners and story-telling evenings, shopping centre information displays, advocacy workshops and participation in church services.

Coordinator, Caz Coleman, said the Journey brought to life the experiences of people arriving in Australia and the reality of their lives in a new country. It was also a way of advocating for a more just and compassionate reception for asylum seekers who come to Australia.

Sister Stancea Vichie, project worker with the Asylum Seeker Project of the Uniting Church’s Hotham Mission, said "Australians from rural areas, along with people from urban areas, often join together in different initiatives to support those who come to Australia seeking protection. Journey on the Wind was an opportunity for all - refugees, asylum seekers, and people from rural and urban areas - to learn from one another and to discover more deeply, our common humanity."

Journey on the Wind offered participants opportunity for wide-ranging reflection in preparation for Refugee Sunday on 31 August.