Canberran Elizabeth Mullan is currently serving and learning in the Philippines with UnitingWorld and has just experienced the floods in Manila.

Elizabeth Mullan seems to have been born for cross-cultural mission.

Although only 25 years of age, Elizabeth has already experienced short term mission through the Uniting Church in places as diverse as the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kashmir and Langarra in the Northern Territory. She has also worked as an International Facilitator and as an Asia- Pacific Learning Community Coordinator at the Australian National University Halls of Residence in Canberra.

“I have always enjoyed cross-cultural settings and was looking for an experience which would challenge me not to become too comfortable and complacent in my life back in Australia,” she says. “The stories and experiences I share could in turn challenge friends, family and others back home.”

November 2009 finds Elizabeth five months into a year-long assignment with the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program through UnitingWorld in Manila, Philippines. The AYAD Program is an Australian Government, AusAID initiative.

She is working as a teacher, with a particular focus on music, at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines Day Care Centre at the Smokey Mountain 2 dump site.

In September, Elizabeth was caught in flash flooding, where 430mm of rain fell in Manila in just 12 hours – more than the average total rainfall for the entire month. “There was a tremendous amount of rain dumping down… within minutes the road home became impassable by vehicle!” Elizabeth explains.

“We lost water and electricity, but I can’t help but think of those who lost so much more, particularly the poorest who make their houses by the edge of waterways; people at our local markets who would have lost all their wares; others who make a living by scavenging or selling things, who already struggle each day for food and who most likely had their livelihood affected by the floods and heavy rains.”

This compassion for the community has grown as Elizabeth shares life day to day. Every morning she rises at 5.30am, takes a quick, cold bucket shower before jumping on a local vehicle, usually laden with vegetables or crates of chickens, to the dump site.

Despite having no formal teaching experience, working together with the local volunteer teacher she is quickly learning to give the two classes of 25 children creative and inspiring lessons that keep them coming back. Many of their parents make a living scavenging through the garbage and sadly, some students simply cannot afford the costs of schooling such as school uniforms, footwear and transport.

“Inside the classroom we’re not sheltered from the elements. There’s a lot of dust and smoke from fires that are burnt to extract hidden metals from the rubbish, and even rain comes through the mesh windows,” Elizabeth said. “The garbage trucks shake the ground as they drive past”.

“I guess one of the challenges for me is not to get overwhelmed by all the need. We can’t solve all the problems… we need to focus on doing what we do well.”

“Rather than simply breezing in and out on a short term visit, I have the opportunity to live and share with the community here, listen to their stories and really start to learn and experience some of their struggles and hardships, as well as their joys.”