A Whakatauki, also known as an important Maori proverb, says “Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora te manuhiri.” – This means with your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive. This proverb was the theme of the Year 12 Retreat for 2018 and it set the scene for an incredibly moving and peaceful day.
Held at the Korean Catholic Church, the Year 12 Retreat gave students the opportunity to come together to create a deeper and more meaningful relationship with their peers and with God.
The activities for the day were led by the Logos Marist Youth Development Leaders who put in an immense effort to make sure that everything was organised and that the students had the best experience.
To begin the list of activities for the day Alenzo, a guest speaker from Attitude NZ, explained about the importance of following the rules and being safe on our roads. His presentation was an eye opener for many students as he spoke a little bit about his story, using humour and fun to get the message across and to encourage us to make the right choices when we are driving. His presentation was all about eliminating the different factors that can cause us to get into car accidents, get hurt or even hurt others on the roads. It was definitely a great start to the day.
As the day went on other games included an auction where students were split into groups and had exactly $10,000. They were able to bid on things that we can’t actually buy but are things that we tend to cherish and work towards. These things included sporting success, family, community, identity and more. This activity made students realise what they truly value in life and made them put aside the things that aren’t necessary for our happiness.
After a scrumptious and filling pizza lunch students got the chance to relax and meditate inside the Korean Church. For many this was one of the highlights of the day. A time when everyone got to close their eyes and lie down for a quiet moment to themselves. Something that today is very hard to get as we’re always on the go with the busy lives that we live. With some calming music on and everyone imagining their own happy place, there was nowhere else that the students wanted to be.
And if there was anything that the students took away from the day, it was that by sharing our ideas and gifts with others, we are not only learning new things about other people but we are also becoming better leaders. Just like the Maori proverb, we are giving each other the chance to succeed. This is following the example of the miracle of Jesus when he feed the five thousand.
A huge thank you to Mr Piggin, all of the teachers involved, Alenzo and the Logos Team for putting together a magnificent day.
Shontelle Matano
