A sincere thank you to guest speaker, Benno, assisted by Melanie from Baptist Care, for their presentation on Tumbelin Farm. Their initiative is inspiring and thought-provoking. “Tumbelin,” a Ngarrindjeri word meaning “Awaken and Live,” speaks to the heart of the program’s purpose. The farm represents more than rehabilitation alone. Addressing substance dependency is only one part of the journey. Important also is restoring a sense of value, dignity, and purpose in those who may feel they have lost it. However difficult the path may be, there is something deeply important in recognising the inherent worth in ourselves — and in one another. With that recognition comes agency: strength drawn not only from within, but also from community. Yet with that freedom comes responsibility — to apply discipline, to learn from experience and from those who have come before us, and to consider what we, in turn, contribute and leave behind. Coming to terms to terms with this understanding, leads to the aptly named “Awaken and Live” — Tumbelin.
Submitted by Dr Andrew Bradley President
