Mission Day: Home

About this Guide

During Mission week, we would like to give staff an opportunity to embed some teaching resources and activities for use across the week in their classes. Please consider these 'conversation starters' in your classroom.

These teaching resources are based around the AFAS Immersion and include suggested activities and photographs.

These activities assist our community in understanding the 'why' of Mission Week.

How to use the Resources

During Mission Week we hope you may have 10 minutes to include a conversation connecting your class with our AFAS brothers and sisters in the Philippines. AFAS stands for the Australian Filipino Augustinian Solidarity. You can read more about AFAS here: Australian Filipino Augustinian Solidarity (AFAS).

Choose a theme for your class.

Choose a Visible Thinking Routine, below, to guide your discussion of the theme.

Download the associated resources to use in class. 

Visible Thinking Routine

Conversation Starters

Dance and Culture

Tinikling – The National Dance of the Philippines. A traditional folk dance that involves dancers skillfully stepping between and over bamboo poles that are rhythmically clapped together.

       Religion and Justice

Father Brian Gore (1944- 2025) was an Australian Catholic missionary priest and a prominent advocate for social justice in the Philippines, especially during the Marcos dictatorship.

Photo taken Himamaylan city on Negros Island, Philippines

Sport

Volleyball in the Philippines is a female-dominated sport. Philippine volleyball history began in 1910 when the Philippines was a United States territory (1898–1935).

Photo taken Vino Amore Academy (DAA), Talisay City.

Human Rights and Disability

Photo taken at the Welcome Home School for the Hearing Impaired at Bacolod City. WHFI is a home for children who are hearing-impaired and live outside the city but also serves as a centre where all the Deaf/Physically challenged can

Human Rights - Hunger

This photograph was taken at the Samaritan Centre, near the Cebu Cathedral. The Feeding Program supplies food for street kids and grandparents of street kids.

Social Enterprise

Photo Taken: Red Candle Factory: Dagkotanan | Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.

Observations recorded by 2024 VNC parent on Immersion:

· The opportunity exists to explore the candle making business as a case study

· Wood purchased from local merchants 3000 – 5500 pesos per ton used to heat the wax

· Wax recycled from the church post the lighting and returned to render down again · Paraffin wax imported from China as base, 500,000 – 600,000 pesos per shipment

· Sold back to people at the Basilica wanting to light candle

· Long term employees · Potential move of the business as part or regional redevelopment and outreach program

Sustainability - Regeneration

Photo: San Fernando Tree Planting Project

Sustainability - Food Security

Photo 1: Home vege garden using a hydroponic system

Photo 2: Feast at the Augustinian Convent

Commerce

Commerce in contrast in Cebu City, Philippines

Agriculture

Rural Life Buffalo Style

Scholars' Homes

A day in the life of a Scholar

Transportation

Getting around town in a PUV. AFAS on a jeepneyride!!! A jeepney or simply a jeep is a type of public utility vehicle (PUV) that serves as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. It is known for its crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become a widespread symbol of Philippine culture and art.