Through these visits our students gain a deeper understanding of the PNG culture and the value of being in partnership. Concordia College’s St John’s Campus at Highgate, South Australia, recently hosted two primary school teachers from Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Siassi Islands. The St John’s campus partnership with approximately 40 kindergartens, elementary and primary schools […]

Through these visits our students gain a deeper understanding of the PNG culture and the value of being in partnership.

Concordia College’s St John’s Campus at Highgate, South Australia, recently hosted two primary school teachers from Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Siassi Islands.

The St John’s campus partnership with approximately 40 kindergartens, elementary and primary schools on Siassi Islands began in 2011. Since that time three teams of St John’s staff have travelled to PNG, while Siassi teachers have made threevisits to SA.

The two visiting teachers were hosted by school families who truly embraced the experience of opening their homes to people from a different culture.

Teachers Mrs Lydia Nalong and Ms Shiela Gima spent a week at St John’s school, visiting classrooms to share their story and observe teaching and learning; participate in TESOL training (teaching English to speakers of other languages), and immerse themselves in the school context. They also participated in St John’s annual Siassi Walkathon, through which the school community raises funds to support the partnership.

Through these visits our students gain a deeper understanding of the PNG culture and the value of being in partnership with the schools of Siassi. They are also able to connect with the human face of our partnership, to develop relationships and truly appreciate the oneness of God’s people across locations and cultures.

This story was also published in the August 2016 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.

If your school would like to know more about how they can connect to the mission of God through a LCA International Mission service-learning and ministry partnership, you are invited to phone Erin on (08) 8267 7300 or email erin.kerber@lca.org.au. For more information, go to www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/service-learning/

Read more stories about school partnerships and school service-learning at www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/local-partners/schools/