(Translated from Spanish)
I would like to thank you, niños y niñas, for that wonderful performance.
I am deeply moved being with you all today. What a wonderful partnership this community has with the Australian Sisters Joan and Patricia.
Congratulations on the advances you are making together, especially in health and education.
(Reverts to English)
Sister Joan, Sister Patricia, friends here at this wonderful community. It is a great joy for all of us in Australia to visit this great work here in this part of Lima.
It is wonderful to see happy children. It is wonderful to see good health work being done. It is wonderful to see those who benefit from the women's centres. It is wonderful to see the work of kindness and love at work.
Years ago in Australia the Sisters of Mercy taught me how to play the piano. They are very good teachers. They have a great heart of compassion. And it's wonderful to see that heart of compassion here at work in Peru.
At a time of a global financial crisis, it is easy for people to forget the poor. None of us ever should forget the poor because we are all one human family. And wherever people are poor, those of us who are not poor have a responsibility. And that responsibility we see worked out in the lives of these wonderful Mercy Sisters here in Lima in Peru.
The practical work done here to support the health of 13,000 people is a great thing to see. Our job is to try and help that work in a practical way.
For those from Australia, if you want to understand what the modern day spirit of ANZAC is, it is this. On ANZAC Day in Santiago in Chile they raised money for this centre, our Ambassador in Santiago and our Consul-General here in Lima.
But on top of that there is a further practical need in this centre. We've seen the work done in primary health care. We see the wonderful work by the dentists who still terrifies me. And all of the other good work done here with the help of this poor community.
The one thing the good sisters have told us they need is an x-ray machine. So today I confirm we provide this centre $40,000 to have an x-ray machine.
The good Sisters of Mercy always believe in three great virtues - faith, hope and charity. Their charity we have seen. It takes faith, however, to build this centre with a vacant room ready for an x-ray machine when there is no x-ray machine. And the Lord works in mysterious and wonderful ways. We're happy to provide an x-ray machine to fill that x-ray room.
It gives me also some joy to unveil this today. This basic equipment has been provided through our Development Assistance Program. These are small things to help the very big work being done by the Sisters.
I finish by saying this. Why do countries like Australia support the millennium development goals? The reason we support the millennium development goals is to support small children, young people, and poor people, in communities like this. And anyone who has doubt as to why we should do so, spend just one minute looking into the eyes of one of these little children. And have all your doubts pushed to one side.
And could I say in conclusion - viva Peru, viva Australia, viva Joan and Patricia.