Spirituality Yarn

Tonight I participated in Indigenous Hospitality House's 'Spirituality Yarn' in Drummond Street, Melbourne (one of the community members of LivingRoom is a resident there). The Indigenous Hospitality House (IHH) is unique. According to the host tonight, the house was set up by a Bible Study group who read a report by Koori workers in city hospitals identifying a need for appropriate housing for indigenous people visiting their family in hospital. Since it was started in mid-2001, the House has had nearly 500 guests, ranging from single mums to family groups spanning three generations.

The IHH invites indigenous Christians to share their personal story of faith and spirituality, in the hope that by learning about their faith journeys, their wisdom about reconciliation and justice we might be able to deepen our understanding of our place in the story of Australia. Everyone brought a plate and we shared a meal together, then we sat down around the bondfire for a casual address by the speaker (who this time is Grant Paulson - the associate Pastor of Collins Street Baptist Church). He has also worked for the National Indigenous Training Association coordinating their Community Leadership Development program. His story really inspires me and gives me a better understanding about the hurt and emotions that indigenous Australians have gone through, and how God's people should engage in the reconciliation and healing of the past hurts.