Across Australia, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are reaching out to serve their communities through the Mormon Helping Hands program. Cairns Stake is providing a service that is not your typical disaster relief activity-but it is a program that will provide a community service that will last far into the future.
Cairns is the gateway for Torres Strait Islanders immigrating to Australia. It is rich in the history of these people as well as that of Aboriginals and other refugees, many of whose stories will be captured in print and video for the first time.
Forgotten 1920's photo reveals insight into Coastal Aboriginal people photographed by Thomas Dick
On 12th November at the Cairns Church building from 10am to 1pm volunteers from the Mormon Church, from Migrant Services, and from the Cairns Genealogical Society will be on hand to help those who desire to learn about their heritage. Volunteers will video record and capture in print personal and family histories on behalf of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Family History Library will also be open and staffed to help people access online resources.
“We have always planned to serve refugees in some way. We feel that recording their family history is an important service we can provide for them. We know our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories for the most part are not recorded on paper-even today." Said Rubina Tangimetua Kimiia Public Affairs Specialist
Mormon Helping Hands is a Church program to bring together Church members and their neighbours in community service.