MAKING A DIFFERENCE ON THE FLY RIVER, PNG

Cathy Corbett rsm, a Sister of Mercy from the North Sydney congregation, has just commenced her second year working with Refugees in along the Fly River on the PNG/West Papua border.

Her position is as a pastoral Sister on the parish team of St Gerard's Kiunga. Her responsibilities are varied and include working with refugees and the women's group together with preparing Sunday and other special Liturgies.

In June this year, Cathy was involved in a five day Parish Regional Meeting that evaluated activities of the past year and planned activities for the Diocese for the coming 12 months. A Parish HIV/AIDS support group has now been put in place to work with the Diocesan HIV/AIDS co-ordinator. Cathy is also involved with youth.

Like many of us, part of Cathy's frustration in this world of technology-yes, even in PNG, - is dealing with computers, printers, photocopiers in relation to power cuts which apparently happen on a regular basis.

Cathy's work with Refugee women often involves advocacy with them and on their behalf. One example of this is when she, together with some of the women, had discussions with the Headmistress of the Vocational Training Centre around initiating a Sewing Machine maintenance course for the women in the villages and border camp. As a result of this Cathy and one of her women went on three patrols together with a Teacher and two students from the Vocational Training Centre to run a Sewing Machine maintenance course. 243 women and 91 men part took in the workshop where 133 sewing machines were maintained.

In the town another workshop was held at which 21 women attended. This was a great accomplishment and of course the women were thrilled with the workshop.

Cathy is also involved with various meetings with the local women, where she listens to their needs and concerns and participates in moving some of this forward. These are in the area of pastoral, spiritual and physical areas of their lives. Cathy has been working closely with the Refugee Women's co-ordinator and has travelled with her to the three corners of the Diocese to encourage women to participate in their respective Women's centres. Cathy in her role as advocate for women, also co-facilitated the "Help Peace Increase" workshop. Through these workshops women learned their rights in relation to domestic violence and strategies to combat domestic violence.

Cathy makes regular border patrols with the Parish team to 8 border camps and 7 local villages. Cathy is on these patrols from between 12 and 8 days straight at a time. The purpose of the patrols is to take the sacraments to the people, spend time with them and take any news or materials that the women have requested.

Mercy Works Inc is indeed very happy to be partnering with Cathy in her work in Kiunga.

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