The Catholic Leader - 22 April

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The Catholic Leader, April 22, 2018
News
By Emilie Ng
DISABLED children who were ne-
glected and given to the permanent
care of a group of religious brothers
in Flores, Indonesia, have received
their first visit from a doctor.
The Missionaries of the Poor in Labuan Bajo,
a small but poor fishing town in Flores, wel-
comed Dr Naomi Moss from Jindalee to their
apostolate, a home for children with severe
disabilities.
The children’s disabilities range from Down
syndrome, cerebral palsy, severe autism, and
there is also one boy who cannot walk at all.
Several other children have undiagnosed dis-
abilities because they have never been assessed
by a doctor.
Missionaries of the Poor Brisbane associate
Trevor Lambkin, who is on his fifteenth mission
trip with the Brothers, said Dr Moss heard about
the apostolate from her patient, Indooroopilly
parishioner Georges Lefevre, and offered to
provide medical assistance to the children.
Mr Lambkin said this was the first time a doc-
tor had performed an assessment on the children
since the apostolate opened in 2013.
“It’s the first doctor visit, and the first doctor
assessing the children too,” Mr Lambkin said.
“She will assist the children in the home the
Brothers have in the monastery land.
“These are the children no one else wants.”
Dr Moss left for Indonesia on April 6 joined
by her patient Mr Lefevre, and Joan Ebzery, a
physiotherapist from Indooroopilly parish who
will also provide voluntary treatment for the
children.
Mr Lambkin and his wife, Tina, left for Indo-
nesia on April 8, and spent one day in Denpasar
to buy shoes for the children in Flores.
Following the children’s diagnosis, the volun-
teer medical team hope they can one day bring
the children to Australia for further treatment.
Mrs Lambkin said many of the children were
malnourished when they came into the Brothers’
care but “by the love the Brothers give them” are
becoming healthier and stronger.
Six boys living at the apostolate received
their First Holy Communion in September last
year.
The Missionaries of the Poor, one of the
fastest-growing orders in the world, established
their mission in Flores in June 2010 and set up
the apostolate in 2013.
They welcomed their first intake of orphaned
children in 2014.
Indooroopilly parish priest Fr Neville Yun
became the first priest to visit the Flores mis-
Brisbane doctor gives first medical check-up to disabled children in Flores
GP offers gift of healthcare
sion when he visited the Brothers with parish
missionaries in April last year.
His group visited the home for disabled
children run by the Brothers and was moved by
their ministry, promising to establish a link with
the community.
Mr Lambkin said Fr Yun was “the angel”
sent for the Brothers, who profess a life of radi-
cal poverty, chastity, obedience and free service
to the poor, meaning all their apostolates are
offered for no income.
Mr Lambkin also said the Brothers in Flores
were in the process of building a new chapel
and required a monstrance for adoration and
exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Any parishes that can donate a monstrance
to the Brothers can contact Trevor Lambkin on
.
Precious life: Br Sherwin and
Dr Naomi Moss with a small
boy from the Missionaries of
the Poor apostolate looking
after disabled children. Photo:
Supplied.
Gift of life: Trevor Lambkin
has a laugh with a young boy
from the Missionaries of the
Poor apostolate in Flores. The
children, who all have various
disabilies, receive full-time
care from the Brothers.
Photo: Trevor Lambkin.
Australia’s talent pool shines
at Commonwealth Games
AUSTRALIAN athletes are letting their weary
muscles rest after a successful two weeks of
competition that put the host nation on top of the
Commonwealth Games medal tally.
The team was shy of 200 medals at the Games,
topping the tally board at 198 medals including
80 gold, 59 silver and 59 bronze.
Supporters from Queensland Catholic schools
and universities joined in celebrating the athlete’s
great achievements.
Carmel College principal Stephen Adair
commended Year 11 student and para-swimmer
Paige Leonhardt after she took out silver in the
SB9 100m breaststroke.
“She’s a wonderful kid and deserves every
success,” Mr Adair said.
“Well done Paige.”
Mr Adair said the school would make “a full
song and dance” about Ms Leonhardt’s winning
swim at the school’s assembly.
Ms Leonhardt was thrown from inside a car
when she was five, an accident that caused severe
injuries and required four years of recovery.
She has hemiplegia on her right side as well
as intacraneal hypertension, epilepsy and autism,
but started swimming as therapy when she was
12.
Fellow para-swimmer Lakeisha Patterson left
the pool with a lucky streak of two gold medals,
competing in front of her family for the first time.
Elite athletes studying at Australian Catho-
lic University through the Elite Athletes and
Performers Program also raised the bar at the
games.
Demi Hayes and Emma Tonegato’s Rugby
7s team came agonisingly close to winning the
final, taking out the silver medal on the final day
of competition.
Swimmer Clyde Lewis also took out the gold
in the men’s 400m, and bronze in the 200m
individual medley in two tight finishes.
Ellie Cole earned silver in the women’s S9 di-
vision 100m backstroke and bronze in the 100m
freestyle, chasing the tail of fellow Australian
and gold medal winner Lakeisha Patterson.
Gymnast Georgia-Rose Brown’s performance
earned her a silver medal in the women’s bal-
ance beam and a bronze in the women’s team
final.
Brandon Starc has raised the bar, winning a
gold medal in the men’s high jump, with a final
jump of 2.32m.
Rachel Lynch also earned player of the match
in Australia’s women’s hockey team after some
amazing saves as goalkeeper. Hammer thrower
Alexandra Hulley claimed silver in a strong
performance, while Kyle Cranston fought hard in
the decathlon to secure fifth place.