A family in Western Australia is believed to hold an Indigenous Adventist record. The Brimm family has been serving the Adventist Church and involved with Mamarapha College for three generations.
The youngest, Haily Dorante, a student at Mamarapha, was recently baptised at Gosnells Church in Kelmscott by Pastor Don Fehlberg on May 7.
Ms Dorante made her decision at a Mamarapha College baptism held at Champion Lakes in 2019. Her grandmother, Robyne Brimm, conducted her baptismal Bible studies over the phone.
At the baptismal service, Mrs Brimm preached and joined Pastor Fehlberg in the water to assist with the baptism.
“Karla Bidjar Church, an Adventist Aboriginal church at Bassendean, closed for the day and joined Gosnells members for the baptismal service,” said Pastor Fehlberg.
A former Mamarapha student, Mrs Brimm has served the North New South Wales Conference at Currawah Aboriginal School and as the minister of the Brewarrina Church Plant. For the past two years, she has been working in Wiluna as a Bible worker, where she has cared for the church, ministered to the people and been called to conduct many funerals.
Ms Dorante’s mother, Chellaiah Coats Brimm has served previously at Currawah Adventist College and is currently employed at Mamarapha College as the registrar and student services coordinator.
“Her role is a very important one in helping students to get to college. She spends hours on the phone with them, sorting out study and travel arrangements,” explained Pastor Fehlberg.
Studying at Mamarapha, Ms Dorante also works as a dorm parent at Carmel Adventist College, making three generations of Church Employees in the Brimm Family. Recently Ms Dorante was appointed as a youth representative to the Australian Union Conference (AUC) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries (ATSIM) Committee for this quinquennium.
