United Through Community

This week at Toolern Vale, we had the wonderful honour of hosting the amazing Watoto Children’s Choir. Their visit was truly special, as they shared stories of their personal journeys and gifted us with a beautiful performance for our students and staff. Watching and listening to them was such a joy, and our MCC students were captivated, enjoying every moment together.

Seeing all the children – MCC and Watoto children together moments later, laughing and enjoying the playground —whether it was soccer, basketball, or simply running around—was just so heartwarming. It reminded me of how, despite our differences, we share so much in common. These children, all from diverse backgrounds, were united in their pure, joyful play. The language they spoke, the colour of their skin, and their individual stories didn’t matter. What shone through was their shared happiness and connection. It was truly a beautiful thing to witness.

This time together made me reflect on our own community and how we find unity in our diversity in so many ways. Each of us comes from a different cultural background and has our own unique story. Yet, every single one of us is a valued and important member of our school community. We each bring something special that would be missed if we weren’t here. United in purpose and vision, we all have our own part to play, just like different parts of a body—each unique, yet essential for our college to be whole.

In the Bible we read – ‘Our bodies are made up of many parts. None of these parts have the same use. There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ’s. We are all different, but we depend on each other.’ What a beautiful image for us to think about as we continue to work alongside each other in partnership. Christian education is such a wonderful thing to be a part of.

kellie giannes, head of toolern vale campus