Yirara

The band. Very talented. Most play multiple instruments.






Adam, Alex and Michael









Clinton and Nico

Nicholas and Shamus









Sammy and Martin


Life at Yirara continues for me and I am beginning to feel very comfortable in my decision to come, but uncomfortable in the challenges I face every day. This is exactly what I need, rather than what I want. I have loved getting to know the kids and I am constantly working at ways to connect to the fellas. I am beginning to be taught some words in language and still have enough of the fellas stroking my hair on my arms, hold my hand, wear my hat or sunglasses, swear at me, bump me as I work past to see if they can hurt me, challenge me to arm wrestles, want me to kick the footy to them in packs for “speccy” practice, be a commentator and make a footy siren noise to indicate the end of the footy game and then commentate them coming into to shoot at the goal to win the game and summaries on Monday describing every kick, mark or hand pass I made on the weekend’s game to feel like I am slowly being accepted. (A slight side issue. Apparently my fondness for the handball can be seen as me being “scared” according to some of the fellas. “Why don’t you kick it Mister...You scared.” Might need more time out here playing footy to work that one out....Sorry to my family, I might not retire this year.)
(Me with Vernon...an angry young boy at the start of the term. A good little mate by the end...A Lions supporter!!)


The 4 week holiday I have just had has sold me as well. Plenty of time to explore this great country and get back home for awhile. I recommend not banking on your third child to be born on its due date!! I have forgotten most of the bad times and now am looking forward to the new term. I am now Health and PE coordinator and have had another 4 lessons taken from my timetable, so I will have more opportunities to try and make an impact out here and work with the Footy Academy at the school to mentor the fellas a bit more. I should be able to go on some footy trips as well. I have had some initial talks on trying to organise a trip to Brisbane and bring a team over to explore the Great South East and play some good footy as well.



I am looking forward to my family (and adopted family) coming out here and people visiting just so I can show people what things are like, rather than trying to explain it.





My faith is strengthening as a result. Yirara is not necessarily on the frontlines, but it is pretty close. These can often be the kids who have nowhere else to go to feel safe and accepted. We feed and clothe them and allow them the chance to get some sort of literacy and numeracy to be able to survive in our world that we have created and expect just to slot in and have the same worldview as we do. We also give them God. It is not necessarily the style of “church” that I have come to accept or would like to promote and maybe some of the staff perhaps may not be too concerned with the things of God, but there is definitely a ministry here, whether you like it or not. The older I get, the more I teach, the more I feel I must really frustrate God the same way the kids I teach, or my own kids treat me sometimes. And yet, I come back trying to understand forgiveness, reconciliation, grace and my faith. And then I look at these unloved kids in my care, and they have taught me more about these things than many of the churches I have been a part of. They might not know it, but these kids can bring you closer to God. You either have to pray that you don’t kill them, or ask Him to help you move on just as quickly as they seem to do when an incident is dealt with. I have loved reading Philip Yancey and I do read him more than I read the Bible at times. I have just finishing a second read of “Soul Survivor- How my faith survived the church” and “Prayer- Does it make any difference?” and both books sum up where I am at. My faith is surviving the church and my I do feel at times I can sense God more without having to pray it into existence- I hope that people see this in me.

Adventures in Alice while you are waiting for your third child to be born

It is amazing what you can find to do with your time when you are waiting for a baby to be born. Alice comes alive in May, June and July. I am now becoming more like my father and often complain about tourists taking the best parking spots and getting in the way of me going about my day to day business like going to the post box, getting a coffee (I have become addicted to Paul’s Territory’s Own Ice Coffee and the incredibly strong Farmer’s Union Double Strength Ice Coffee and visiting Gloria Jeans (mainly to try and win a free coffee from their question board) and expecting Belinda to come home with a coffee from somewhere when she goes out), and walking around to see if I know anybody and can seem like a true local in front of the tourists.

The Finke Desert Race is a hotly anticipated event in Alice. Over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend, I was a bit ho hum about it all initially, but my excitement was ignited by the Centralian Advocate’s front page story on the fact that Tony “Plugger” Lockett was going to ride in the race. It is a 500km round trip from Alice to Finke and back over three days. I decided to take the boys to the finish of the race on the Monday and had an absolute ball watching the desert buggies come in. We arrived to find the commentator going wild and building the anticipation. “Look on the horizon” “I think the first helicopters will come into view very soon” “Keep watch. Keep watch.” By this time, we had only been there 10 minutes; the boys were bored and had had enough. The crowd were very subdued and I did not know why we even bothered. Then…the helicopters could be heard (TV crews), the crowds in the stands stood up, all the kids bolt down to the fence, including Kurtis and Elijah, and the binoculars and cameras come out. The roar of the lead desert buggy comes in, throws dust and mud into the air and the crowds cheer. My two boys awoke from their apathetic slumber and were hooked. This was also evidenced by the tears that flowed when I said we had to go some four hours later. They ran up and down the fence line as each new buggy came in. They ran from the entry point to thefinishing line as each racer came in. They were hooked and I have to say, so was I. Plans have already been made to view the time trial, the start, and the coming in of the motorbikes next year. I have even planned to get my motorbike licence…just to feel part of the action.

The International Beanie Festival. Maybe you have never heard of it? Handmade beanies as far as the eye can see, from all around the world, all unique in their own special way. This is serious business. You have to see it to believe it. Try before you buy, but you are also supporting a large group of indigenous women who sell these around the world for an income- once you see the prices you can understand why you could live off these!!

The Alice Springs Show. Just like any other country show. After 9 days of waiting for something to come out of Belinda’s stomach (ok, womb), she had to go to the hospital to be induced. What to do with Kurtis and Elijah? Belinda has made some fantastic friends through church and play groups and people actually offered to take the boys off our hands while we went to the hospital. The show only goes for 2 days and 2 different families looked after them, and the boys experienced 2 full days at the show. We were in a bit of a rush and I thrust $60 into Kurtis’ hand and they were off. Elijah and Kurtis had about 6 goes on the dodgems, whiplash injuries and the show bags don’t get any better out here. Am I a good father who allows his sons to buy one show bag each and then tells them off once they have bought the dodgiest show bags worth fifteen to twenty dollars each? Someone encourage me please!

Missing Torres Strait Trip

I missed the trip due to Joseph’s birth. Very mixed emotions when you miss going to a place that has become somewhat of a spiritual home. By all reports it was a great trip and it is pleasing to know that I can really classify it as God’s trip and not mine. As I said to a number of people, I can die knowing the trip can go on without me. Having said that, we are planning as a family to go again next year and look forward to catching up with the Horn Island mob again and our family in the Torres Strait. We would love to have Northside do the trip again and for us to be a part of it. Looking for people to join us!!

Joseph Christopher Modlin born 5th July 2008

The trip home from Hospital. A very long 5 minutes.



































The Modlin Boys. We will cause much havoc for years to come!









See, he does sleep peacefully.










First bath.

I am not fat.

“Hey Mister, when you play football, you really fet.”
“What do you mean?”
“You fet Mister. You fet!!grrrrr”
“Are you calling me fat?”
“No Mister, really fet!!! You good player and run far.”
“Oh…you mean fit.”

The Legend Continues

I made the paper again....a pretty decent hit don't you think? We lost the game against the powerhouse club Pioneer by 4 goals. We beat community side Papunya on Sunday.....17 points down in the last quarter...we won by 9 points. I made a very handy contribution in the ruck.

West to Kintore

Kintore School. Barbed wire, but very well looked after and respected by the community.

(left: Kintore view- Women's mountain)

Kintore Trip May 5th - 7th 2008

Travelling west from Alice Springs about 6 and a half hours is a small community (they all are) of about 500 people. Yes, i would like you to use a map and find out where the place is yourself. It is near the West Australian border. It is another campus of Yirara College and has 2 legends of teachers who have been out there for a year. They are desperate for visitors and would love to see me or (and i sort of promised) groups of young people or older people visit and give them a hand anytime. Please pray for David and Carolyn Cann because they really need it. They have been working with indigenous people for 30+ years and are getting toward the end of their careers. They are inspiring people.

Many of my thoughts will be random here, but I furiously scribbled down notes when any "incidents" occurred or some major thought came through what I experienced over 3 days (2 days of travel).

The community of Kintore

Still quite a traditional hunter and gatherer society, it is something they do quite well...even when it comes to money and seeking out ways to gather the resources we so readily offer them. This has its good and bad points, but may be worth a discussion at another time. Another big tradition, which is often hard to combat, and I do see elements of this at school here in town is the "Shame and Blame" culture. Shame is an incredible weight and I think spiritual heaviness that is on the people and while they are lively people, great senses of humour, love their footy, love to talk with you.....they do feel shame quite easily. They don't like people who show off, are greedy, or seek to be the centre of attention. I often think Kurtis is very similar. He loves the attention, loves to be watched, but put him on the spot in front of people and he goes to jelly. Put this in "teenagers" or adults and you might have a little insight why things can often seem to stall in aboriginal society. The kids love to "dob" or blame others for their shortcomings and so payback, by way of a fist or push or tease is a way of saving face; both males and females included.

(Left: The school "oval")

We arrived in Kintore and were confronted immediately with a large number of camp dogs looking for food or attention. But also an interesting community scenario- "Sorry Camp". Basically a time of mourning and respect for someone who has died. The house where the person died is out of bounds and unfortunately, despite being a "Christian" community, the fear of death and the spirit world is very apparent. Rumour and superstition can run rampant, but we were outsiders and so were not privvy to everything that may have been circulating. A lot of people sitting in large groups, out of the way, and I guess waiting for the word when the funeral would take place.

Kintore has only in the last couple of years moved away from a very bad petrol sniffing problem and Ganja (marijuana) influx. Alcohol is banned for everyone, including whites, but other evils can surface. Also, apparently, multiple stabbings had occurred, but this was something I wasn't told much about.

Despite this, the weather was magnificent, the people and the kids were really friendly and I got many waves and hellos as I walked round the community. The Canns (teachers) had pumped up my visit quite a bit apparently and so the population of the school rose dramatically for a couple of hours (27) while I was there...It faded by about 2:00pm (12), but I felt good. At night there was not a cloud in the sky and visibility was about 30 metres roughly. Blackness all around and so I dared not venture out and was quite happy to drive the 500 metres to the Canns house for tea and back to the school to sleep at night. Flies were bad. (Side issue....My swallowed fly count is now up to 15. 8 swallowed in first term, 3 in one day. 4 while I was in Kintore. 2 during footy games I have played in).

The chance to "teach" PE out at Kintore was a great opportunity and I was extremely nervous, but again ready for the challenge. Having spent about 15 minutes planning what I was going to do, I had a shot. As always, I decided to do Basketball and Australian Rules Football, the girls like softball out here, but I was not ready to use something with bats just yet. As I wrote earlier, shame is a big thing so to get them to do something unfamiliar is hard and I have to do quite a bit of coaxing and encouragement. Had an awesome first session and this helped increase numbers in the school for the morning and kids just kept turning up to school. I then decided to take just the girls out to the basketball court for a couple of games. After removing the burnt out wreakage from the front seat of a car off the court, i discovered a large amount of graffiti on the court. i then found out it was about a particular girl in the class, (graffiti is a big cause of fights and teasing in school and communities). The teasing started, the girl being teased didn't like it, I told her to cool down and have a rest, she had a rest, I encouraged her to play again, I had a rock thrown at me. I don't think it was at me, but people said, "Well, they must care about you enough if they want to throw a rock at you after a couple of hours." (Also refer to earlier story about Tammy Wolter at Uluru and trying to have her eye poked out by wire....she is really loved!!!) Its true. Again, think of little kids at kindy or preschool who bite or hit, but put that type of thinking in a teenager.

That night I walked down to the football "oval" to watch the Kintore Hawks train. I sat on the back of a flatbed truck tray...no truck..with about 6 kids climbing over me and begging me to watch them jump off the back of the tray into each other and on top of each other, WWE style. After about 45 minutes i was invited to train, but politely declined. Yes, I am soft, but I don't train on dirt or rocks in bare feet. These fellas are tough and the skills are amazing in bare feet and dirt. Something for me to do next time.

(The football "oval")

I have just realised this is long so I will put some photos up. But can I leave you with a quote from Carolyn. Her teaching advice to me and how she keeps going day after day of this is simple. She said, "Russell, I can't teach them much, but I can teach them Jesus."

The Church