In our household Timor Leste is a well known and often discussed topic of conversation. As this was my first visit, I prepared to go with no expectations but simply to live each day and event as it unfolded. You will have by now read many and varied personal stories from various team members, focussing on a variety of aspects. They are all great stories and need to be heard and reflected upon. However, I would like to share yet another story – it is the one of hopes and fears of the East Timorese. It is fair to say Australia has not been a good neighbour but that is a story for another time. Our work in Bahareduk in funding the building of ten houses and being on hand to assist the village to build houses is also only part of the story. The skills acquired by the village in house erection are too only part of the story.
 

One term to describe villages in Timor Leste would be one of subsistence agriculture – the people survive on one meal a day from what they grow and or can purchase through commercial trade with other villages. They clearly need help in areas of farm management and agriculture. Another area of need is that of health and emerging medical needs – almost on a daily basis during the course of our stay. So to me, the real story is the work we have participated in helps to build valued relationships between the village and YWAM. According to Anabel (director of YWAM in Timor Leste), this opens the door of trust, respect and above all credibility. So when Anabel goes to Chief Thomas (village chief) he is receptive to her suggestions of assistance in crop management, health and education provided through trained professionals from outside of East Timor.
 

Later this year, Anabel and her YWAM team will have opportunity to visit each Bahareduk household to share the gospel of Jesus, the hope, joy and meaning to life that it brings. She and her team can do this because of the work of teams such as WPUC and what we did and continue to do. Anabel will do this by re-telling the gospel stories – Zaccheus, the blind man, the various parables. The Timor Leste culture is one that retells the stories. In Australia we rely on the written word to record history, to educate our nation, and as the basis for exploring, sharing and growing our faith. In Timor Leste, they do not have that luxury – their culture is heavily reliant on story telling and they grasp the Christian message in childlike faith. Low reading skills combined with only a handful of Tetun translated scriptures make for a stark contrast to what we have in Australia.
 

Speaking as a parent, Jen and my desire for our children has been to ensure they have received the best opportunities available for their future in terms of education, health and spiritual development. It is the same with the Bahareduk village elders and parents, they want those exact same things for the children of the village. Their fears are for what the future will bring their children if they do not receive some form of education and help in the areas of health and with that opportunities for meaningful employment. What can life in a village offer when compared to the allure of the city life of Dili which is some 90kms away. They want for their children what they did not have for themselves. My personal fear is that their ideals will become linked to the affluent standards of first world countries such as Australia which places a heavy emphasis on wealth and affluence and not on Christian servanthood. We have seen this happen far too often in other countries over which we have had economic influence. Our continued prayers should be for those such as Anabel who are on the front line of influence together with visiting teams, that their work will have rich and vibrant Christian kingdom outcomes.