Nicole Velkoski is a Wiradjuri woman currently living in Perth, WA. She attends Cornerstone Church. Nicole is passionate about being Aboriginal in a non-Indigenous world.

How does being a christian and desiring Reconciliation go together for you?

Christianity and Reconciliation go hand in hand, we cannot desire to walk in the footsteps of our Creator if we are not building relationships and community as well. We must recognise that we cannot have Jesus at the centre if we do not desire Reconciliation. For me, Reconciliation means a time where non-Indigenous people have a chance to reflect on why Reconciliation Week was created. We as an Aboriginal community are sitting at the cross, forgiving every day and Reconciliation is about inviting non-Indigenous people to take up the cross with us on this journey.

What do you hope for our nation?

A nation where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have voices, where when that voice is heard, it matters, where our people stop dying in custody, where families are reunited or not fractured at all. My hope is that this nation will invite Jesus into their heart. The kind of Jesus that takes up the cross and the injustices of our communities and walks alongside us in our persecution.

When have you seen the broader Australian Church at its best in embodying/living out Reconciliation? What would you like to see?

• The beginnings of progress through the invitation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers into the church and through the introduction of reflection around the 26^th January.
• The creation of Common Grace, an organisation that highlights and acknowledges the importance of the Indigenous community and our Christian leaders.
• At the Grasstree Gathering Conference, I was able to witness so many non-Indigenous Christians wanting to be a part of our community and worship. In addition, the many churches and communities that opened their doors and hearts to wanting to hear from our many delegates within their service.

You can read more of Nicole's story here on the Grasstree Gathering website.

Reflect, Pray, Think, Act

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ… Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - From Galatians 6

Friends support each other through their burdens and we are exhorted to do good at all times. Pray you stand together with your friends as they cry under the burden of injustice this Reconciliation week.

Read out loud the list of Aboriginal injustices compiled by Brooke Prentis below:

• • Invasion
  • Dispossession
  • Stolen Land
  • Stolen Wages
  • Stolen Generations
  • Lack of Treaty
  • Slavery
  • Lack of recognition of The Frontier Wars
  • Massacres
  • Genocide
  • Loss of Language
  • Lack of return of Ancestral Remains
  • Lack of protection of Sacred Sites
  • High rates of Prison incarceration
  • High rates of Juvenile Detention
  • Denied access to medical attention in custody
  • The NT Intervention
  • Paperless arrest laws
  • Forced removal from Homelands
  • Proposed nuclear waste dumps without consultation
  • Poverty
  • Racism
  • Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
  • The New Stolen Generation
  • Life expectancy gaps

Where might God be calling you to act upon injustice. Do you know about these injustices? Research and find out more.