When 12 intrepid students from Methodist Ladies鈥� College (MLC) in Melbourne, Australia, stepped out of a St Jude鈥檚 bus and into our schoolyard on September 1, they brought more with them than just their luggage.
They brought compassion, laughter, songs and hope.
It was a long awaited trip for the young travellers, each of whom made their mark on our school community.
Alice, currently in Year 10 at Methodist Ladies鈥� College, expressed her excitement at being selected to participate in the College鈥檚 immersion to Tanzania.
鈥淚t was amazing to find out we were selected to come to St Jude鈥檚. We saw the effect it had on students who鈥檇 come before us and we could only imagine just how special it would be.鈥�
鈥淲hen you come to St Jude鈥檚, you realise exactly where your money is going and can see how it changes the students鈥� lives. You also receive much more than you could possibly give, there is so much joy here.鈥�
During their two-and-a-half week stay, MLC鈥檚 staff and students enjoyed learning about Tanzanian culture, tasting local delicacies, spending time with students and experiencing a safari!
鈥淕oing on safari was a great way to break up the visit and to see some of the amazing landscapes within Tanzania, but certainly spending time at St Jude鈥檚 was the highlight.鈥� Group leader and MLC staff member, Lauren, shared.
鈥淔or most of us, the home visit was a true highlight. When you see the students on the playground in their neat school uniforms, it鈥檚 easy to forget where they come from. So, having the chance to go to their home and experience how welcoming their families are was very special for us,鈥� Year 10 students, Georgia and Mimi, said.
鈥淎lthough the youngest children are so cute and it鈥檚 beneficial to have a connection with them for 12 years or more if you sign on for sponsorship, we think it鈥檚 equally beneficial to sponsor a scholarship for students in Form 1 or Form 5, because they have shown their resilience for 10 years at underfunded government schools.鈥�
鈥淭hey are students around our age group, so we can develop a peer-to-peer bond with them,鈥� the students added.
St Jude鈥檚 students certainly benefited from meeting MLC鈥檚 bright leaders. The visiting students helped to serve hundreds of meals at Sisia Primary Campus, and on the final day of their visit, performed an excellent repertoire of Australian songs at the primary school assembly!
Beyond their singing and dancing talents, MLC brought thousands more reasons to smile.
Incredibly, the students raised thousands of dollars before visiting St Jude鈥檚.
The MLC students knew they were in for the journey of a lifetime before they鈥檇 even landed on Tanzanian soil, yet Alice鈥檚 final words convey the ripple effect a visit to St Jude鈥檚 can have.
鈥淲e are so happy to have had this experience. It really makes me consider coming back to Africa and volunteering in the future, and ways I can make a difference for St Jude鈥檚 in years to come.鈥�
Would you like to see St Jude鈥檚 in action? Find out how to make a visit!
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