My life as a pilgrim

By Candace Champion

Posted Mar 13, 2016 in Faith

Following in the footsteps of people who follow Jesus Christ is a form of pilgrimage. I follow my Creator’s footsteps. I follow my mother’s, father’s, grandparents’, older siblings’, ancestors’ and Creator’s footprints. My home is in heaven. Earth and my physical being are temporary homes.

The Kaurna Spirituality Pilgrimage

The Kaurna Spirituality Pilgrimage, held on Saturday 12 September in 2015 at Marion-Warradale Uniting Church, was, for me, a unique and profound experience. I was fortunate to be part of such an important journey of truth-telling, spirit-seeking and justice-hunting.

The willingness to share, listen and learn from all participants was encouraging and sincere. The “walking on country” together has become a much sought out commodity in covenanting, reconciliation and justice circles.

The telling of history and stories from Kaurna perspectives at Warriparinga and Tjilbruke was beautifully carried out by Frank Wanganeen.

Rev Lyn Leane’s sharing of her story, knowledge and relationship to the Colebrook elders and site was powerful, and added to the valued experience of the 2015 Kaurna Spirituality Pilgrimage. The stories from Colebrook Home paint a sickening, sobering history of Aboriginal children whose futures were changed without permission or consent. The site is a place of great sadness for parents, caregivers, families and visitors.

During the pilgrimage, sacred and significant sites of Aboriginal people were explored quickly, but effectively. Personally, I felt many of the places and spaces spoke for themselves.

Coming into these spaces, the respect and acknowledgement shown by the pilgrims was beautiful. The sites we visited were, and continue to be, significant and sacred. It is encouraging to see and sense other pilgrims’ recognition of this. The spirit of the Creator and people was both felt and acknowledged in these significant and special places.

Taizé Pilgrimage

I was fortunate enough to be asked by brothers at the Taizé Community in France to return, speak and participate in a special week of celebration from Saturday 1 to Sunday 9 August, 2015.

Seeking, listening, learning and growing my understanding of God’s call to compassion, mercy, joy and simplicity is a suitcase I am still unpacking.

Being able to share my story, to help educate and grow the understanding and knowledge of others about First People in Australia and my own relationship with God the Creator, is a treasure of endless value.

Voices for Justice

Micah Australia is a coalition of churches and Christian organisations with a powerful voice for justice. I was given an opportunity to attend their Voices for Justice conference last year, held from Saturday 10 to Tuesday 13 October in Ngunnawal country (Canberra).

I gained valuable tools relating to processes of advocacy and lobbying, which I will be able to use in the future. I was exposed to significant issues such as climate change, tax and transparency (tax evasion, money laundering, etc.) and Australian aid.

It was great to be given the opportunity to “do justice together”. All people involved were willing and available to hear God’s call and act upon it. I believe God calls us to be available to doing God’s work by listening to stories from one another, learning and feeling the hardships of others – working together to ensure equality, unity, justice, peace and security for all of God’s creation.

I feel that Voices for Justice is God’s people listening to God, advocating for and standing in solidarity with those whose voices remain unheard or unacknowledged by unequal, unsustainable and unfair systems.

While I believe Aboriginal people have a powerful voice in areas highlighted by Micah Australia, I felt there was a lack of connection, participation and relationship between Micah Australia and Australia’s First People in facilitating the Voices for Justice conference. I look forward to seeing relationships between all Australians participating in “doing justice together” in future.

A Voices for Justice conference will be held in SA from 23-25 July, 2016. More information is available here.

This article was written for the October meeting of the Presbytery and Synod. Candace read the piece aloud as part of the report on Covenanting and the activities of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in South Australia. This version has been slightly edited for length.

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