For students Winda Ezeria Nababan and Joachim Ariando Sirait, travelling to Australia in May was a long way from home. Together with teachers Vika Sinaga and Hunter Manurung from SMA YP HKBP 1 Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra, Indonesia, they spent ten days at Unity College, Murray Bridge, as part of the schools’ ongoing partnership. The […]

For students Winda Ezeria Nababan and Joachim Ariando Sirait, travelling to Australia in May was a long way from home. Together with teachers Vika Sinaga and Hunter Manurung from SMA YP HKBP 1 Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra, Indonesia, they spent ten days at Unity College, Murray Bridge, as part of the schools’ ongoing partnership.

The visit gave them the opportunity to experience Australian school life firsthand, stay with host families, practise English, and share a little of their own culture with Australian students.

Throughout their stay, the visitors participated in a range of classes and activities alongside Unity College students. They spent time in Food Technology classes, learning about food preparation and cooking in a school setting. They also visited with an agricultural class, where cattle were being trained and cared for in preparation for the rural show.

One particularly enjoyable experience was participation in Child Studies classes, where they worked with younger children in the Junior School. They helped with learning activities, played games and practised their English while interacting with students.

They also joined Woodwork classes, creating projects from timber and learning how to use tools safely. In Art classes, they explored gel plate printing techniques and produced colourful and creative designs.

The visitors discovered that Australian school life extends beyond the classroom. They were welcomed into assemblies and school events, attended Grandparents Day celebrations, and spent time getting to know students through informal conversations and shared activities. These everyday interactions provided some of the best opportunities to build friendships and understand one another’s cultures.

Another highlight was the chance to share aspects of Indonesian culture. During a school chapel, Winda and Joachim performed the traditional Tor-Tor dance from North Sumatra. Later, they taught the dance to Year 6 students at Unity College. In return, the Australians introduced their visitors to some local favourites, including the Nutbush and Macarena.

Outside the classroom, the visitors spent time with their host families. For Winda, that included attending local sporting events and visiting a farm. As a gesture of thanks at the end of her stay, she presented her host family with an ulos, a traditional Batak cloth. Joachim explored local attractions and rural South Australia. Vika and Hunter attended an AFL match, experiencing one of Australia’s most popular sports for the first time.

The group also had opportunities to explore South Australia together. Accompanied by Unity College teacher Benjamin Gallasch, they visited St Michael’s Lutheran Church in Hahndorf, explored the historic town, spent time at Brighton Beach, and enjoyed seeing parts of Adelaide.

Partnerships like this offer far more than a chance to travel overseas. They help students grow in confidence, develop language skills, gain a better understanding of another culture, and see the world through different eyes. They also remind us that Christian schools are part of something larger than their own local community.

As partnerships between Lutheran schools continue to develop, experiences like these remind us that international mission isn’t always about programmes and projects. Sometimes it’s as simple as opening your home, sharing a classroom, learning a dance, or discovering that a student from the other side of the world isn’t so different from you after all.

Partnerships like this offer more than an opportunity to travel. They help students build confidence, practise language skills, learn about another culture, and develop friendships with people they might never otherwise meet. They also give students a broader understanding of the church and the world beyond their own community.

For both schools, some of the most valuable learning happens through everyday experiences: sharing classrooms, staying with host families, exchanging ideas, and getting to know one another. Through these encounters, students learn to listen, adapt, build relationships across cultures, and reflect on how they can contribute positively to the communities around them.

Schools interested in connecting with the mission of God through an LCA International Mission service-learning and ministry partnership are invited to phone Erin on 0447 354 122 or email erin.kerber@lca.org.au. For more information, visit www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/service-learning/

Read more stories about school partnerships and school service-learning at www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/local-partners/schools/