The Martin maternity Centre is supported by corps members and especially the Corps officer, providing nutrition, wellbeing and sexual health advice to mums and dads who have no recourse on public funds. They get no benefit and potentially are unemployed on our lowest possible cash in hand wage. The ministry that the corps has is literally a lifeline for some of these families as they present through community and neighbourhood workshops, as well as in the hospital, friendship and guidance as well as advice on related matters. A tour of the hospital is followed by a gathering at the Corps hall where a number of the families gather to testify to the life changing and affirming ministry they have received.
The children are highly entertained by the balloon animals made by Elwyn!
The Corps also has a ministry in the local school, a bilingual establishment which strives to bring education to the Quom community who have migrated south because their natural hunting and fishing area is suffering from deforestation further north.
There are three elements to the Corps ministry: a craft class that teaches basic handicrafts to the children, a Spanish as second language class for the children and a further teacher training class for Quom parents to teach children in the future. The second language gives the children of this generation an opportunity that their parents have not had.
It's worth noting that the school is open from 8am - 9pm. Catering for every school year from primary - to year five high school. The children give us an enthusiastic welcome and again appreciate Elwyn's magic - always a hit!
The final fixture of the day is a question and answer session with the divisional team and a couple of representative officers. Again the issue of number of appointments is raised - multiple roles added to general tiredness and lack of confidence in finance are major issues.
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