For the Elders

For forty years I’ve worked alongside half a dozen or more Aboriginal elders and appreciated their courage and compassion. Most of them have been men and women of strong Christian faith who didn’t just talk about reconciliation, but practised it. This YouTube clip was  produced for this NAIDOC week which has the theme 'For our Elders'. It is my tribute to elders of the past who were also men and women who followed Jesus along paths marked by suffering, stood for justice and gave a voice to their people. They shone because of their faith.  In this picture I'm standing  with my friend Phil Sullivan   near the rock paintings at Mt Gundabooka National Park where he was serving as a National Parks Ranger. Phil is a respected elder of the Ngemba people and unafraid of articulating his Christian convictions.