KEY POINTS:
Elim Christian College's motto is, "A future and a hope".
It is that hope, and their strong Christian faith, that the families of seven young people killed in a canyoning accident on Tuesday cling to as they face a future without their loved ones.
Principal Murray Burton said
the families, students and the wider community must hold on to their faith, although he admitted it would be tested.
At a special assembly to tell students of the tragedy, Mr Burton began with a prayer, asking God for the strength to overcome the anger that would test his beliefs.
"We don't have words, we feel numb, and yet we must trust in You."
As he read the names of those who lost their lives, gasps and sobs came from many students who were hearing the list for the first time.
Mr Burton said their faith was the one thing they must hold on to despite the inevitable anger and grief. "If your faith means anything at all, it must mean everything now."
It was this unwavering faith that drew together the parents and students who filtered into and out of the school throughout the day.
There was much talk of community, that those involved in the tragedy were not just parents and siblings and students, but the church and wider community.
Andy Bray, father of victim Natasha Bray, said there were no recriminations, no blame, no real focus on anger, just a belief that their children had gone to "a better place".
He added it was "absolutely" a test of his belief in God, but "doubt is a part of faith".
"I can trust that we are going to get through this. Not only that, my other two kids are going to be so much stronger," Mr Bray said.
In the chapel within the Elim Church building, teenagers sat crying, hugging and praying together. Orange and green stained-glass windows cast a warm glow around the room, adding to the sense of warmth and peace.
They were encouraged to stay, to sit and talk or quietly reflect, and by evening many still had not gone home.
They continued to add tributes to the dozens that adorned the walls of the chapel.
One read, "Floyd, rest in peace, I'll see you again sometime". Another was written to Portia McPhail: "Thank you for your happiness. I will miss the sunshine on a raining day."
One student wrote to teacher Tony McClean: "We love you sooo much, you are my hero."
With the tributes were drawings by some of the school's youngest students, who chattered and laughed yesterday, excited by the television cameras and reporters and oblivious to the scale of the tragedy unfolding around them.
At times grief threatened to overwhelm some of the gathered teens as they clung to one another and sobbed.
Mr Burton told them the grieving process would be long, "but it will be good, because you believe in a God".
He said it was right for children to be angry, but they must take it "minute by minute, and day by day" with the help of their families, school and community.
"It hurts and it hurts badly and it will hurt for a long time to come but my faith will sustain me. There's a bigger perspective to this."
Neighbouring school Sancta Maria has offered counselling services to Elim students.
Principal Paul Daley said the school was giving moral support to their neighbours with staff members and the school's head boy and head girl having visited Elim yesterday.
"There would not have been a time where one school has been impacted in such a tragic way," Mr Daley said.
