A desert retreat experience  

Sister Beryl Amedee RSM of Rockhampton-

Being for “nothing” in the desert – but for everything!

A sense of an adventure into the unknown filled me with joy and excitement as I met my fellow pilgrims at Sydney Airport.  The pilgrimage was about to begin.  We were warmly welcomed to Alice Springs and shortly afterwards set out for one of the three heritage listed homesteads in the N.T. known as Hamilton Downs Youth Centre  After travelling over a dry, dusty, rocky road for about an hour an a half we reached our destination.  Some chose tents, others swags and still others a shared room of  eight bunks which had a corrugated iron roof, broken wire on windows with only a security door.  However accommodation soon faded into the background when we took a moment to survey the grandeur of the mountain ranges and the beauty of the environment surrounding us. 

The call to Evening Prayer summoned us to our Sacred Space in a marquee where a specially prepared Liturgy was celebrated.    Leisurely we walked from our sacred space to savour the beauty of the star lit sky and sense the quiet and peace of our surroundings.  What a sight to behold!      

Shortly afterwards we met our aboriginal chef and co-workers and what treasures they proved to be.  A call to the kitchen was always an encounter with their gracious, gentle professionalism.  There was much learnt about aboriginal spirituality and Government Intervention from our informal chats in the kitchen.

The next morning the core community gathered for the final preparation of the retreats. The time table encompassing prayer, leisure and work was set in place for our first retreat and was reviewed at the end of each retreat.

On the second day we travelled into the Alice where some welcomed our first pilgrims at the airport and all were then welcomed to the country by the Arrente Elders at the Camp Fire of the Heart, just outside Alice Springs. We then lunched around the camp fire and even watched how the kangaroo tail was cooked before tasting it.

One of the highlights was the richness of our Liturgical celebrations, morning and evening prayer and Eucharist.  With the variety of gifts of the Liturgy group the themes chosen reflected the Spirit both within and around us.  The day began and ended with Meditation.  Other highlights included a session on Aboriginal Spirituality which had been prepared by a student at Abergowrie College, the Spirituality of the the Desert Fathers and of the Benedictine Spirituality.  Under a star-studded sky we were awed by the story of the Universe through the experience of a “Cosmic Walk”, and honoured our own place in that story.

Our visiting artists’ in residence enriched our days by helping us to awaken the artist within either with pencil drawing or   wood sculpture – Working with the womb of the wood.  While all who participated did so with great enthusiasm, our American youth who were leaving a day early worked well into one night to ensure his / her work was polished in time for departure. They were so proud of their efforts.  Pencil drawing aspects of the landscape was another challenge presented us.

Daily the advantage was taken to sit or to walk alone in our environment learning to be with the sacred whether it be the sunset, the sunrise, the mountains, a rock, a tree, a piece of bark, the animals or a sound of the bird song.  “Being for “nothing in the desert – but for everything” became a reality for us. 

It was the rays of the sun which awakened us to the grandeur of the mountain ranges in shades from cream to red and from green to black on their shadow sides.  This awareness was intensified as the days passed by.  People at any given moment alerted us to the beauty around.  “See with the eye and hear with the ear of your heart” was the persistent and encouraging invitation.

There is so much more I could say if space and time permitted.  May I conclude by saying that I am deeply grateful for being given this opportunity to come to an appreciation of what “Being for nothing in the desert – but for everything.” truly means and for meeting such beautiful people.

Sr. Beryl Amedee

Go to Ann Bergman of the ACMC (NSW) Report: anniebergman@hotmail.com