Being my first trip to East Timor I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I heard about it from other people of course and read through the reflections from previous trips but I had only met the rest of the team a couple of times and I wasn’t sure that I had any useful skills to offer. So, I was apprehensive.

It helped that I was on the same flight as Joanne and Ian. At least they knew where they were going. It also helped that Joanne’s enthusiasm was contagious! On the short flight from Darwin to Dili I started to get to know more about East Timor at a personal level because I sat next to a lady who was heading back there to work. She had been born in East Timor and was one of the refugees who left in 1975 as a child. It was a privilege to hear her story.

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My first glimpses of East Timor from the plane as we landed took me by surprise – rugged mountains rising steeply from the ocean. At one level, I knew I would see the tropical vegetation and feel the tropical air but actually experiencing it suddenly made it real. Once we were in the airport, filling in forms and trying to follow instructions in another language my anxiety increased. Fortunately, I didn’t have any problems getting through Customs and I was greeted by the friendly faces of Jenny, David and Sarah. I decided it was time to relax and go with the flow, an approach that I continued to follow and which allowed me to enjoy everything from that point onwards. Riding in the back of the ute was fun and I was fascinated by the sights and sounds and smells. The traffic at first looked chaotic but the more I observed, the more I was impressed by how efficient the (lack of) road rules were. There was no sign of aggression or road rage or even danger – all the things that are too common on Australian roads. I was warmly welcomed at the YWAM base, given comfortable lodgings and enjoyed a very tasty dinner with the YWAM staff and students. That’s when I started to appreciate that a lack of common spoken language was no barrier to communication.

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The plan was for David, Ian and I to drive to Bahareduk and back the next day (a six-hour round trip) to drop off Sarah, Atina and Pamella at the village, and to work out what supplies we needed to buy back in Dili. Again, I rode in the back of the ute and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was the best way to experience the beautiful views and the lovely warm climate. It was also a challenge to experience the bumps and the dust but that was part of the fun. Sarah pointed out some places of interest on the way to the village and I started my first Tetun lessons: loro matan (sun), anin (wind), tidin (bumpy), rai rahun (dust).

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I was impressed by the YWAM base in Bahareduk. Much better equipped and comfortable than I expected – thanks to the previous teams that had worked on it.There were also vegetable gardens thriving and apparently continuing to be expanded. Some of the locals – mainly children – came to say hello and were all friendly and smiling. Again, I felt a genuine sense of welcome.The next day in Dili was an experience in shopping amongst the curiously random hardware shops. David and Ian knew how to negotiate and search for the items we needed. I had the luxury of observing and being amused by it all. I also got the chance to visit the Resistance Museum – very informative, very confronting and very helpful to put things into perspective.I also had the chance to help make bricks for one of the local houses.I also had the chance to help make bricks for one of the local houses.All my interaction with the locals was a privilege and I especially enjoyed spending time with the kids during times of relaxation. They were so open and enthusiastic and simply lots of fun!On reflection, my first trip to East Timor far exceeded my expectations. As much as I enjoyed being useful and offering my time to help the people in any way I could, I felt that I was the one who gained more from the experience. I felt blessed. If I had to choose a highlight I would have to admit it was the kids. It was sad to say goodbye to them when we left the village. I’m looking forward to returning next year.