Testament of Delight

Why am I committing a 2nd term in East Timor?

I like to thank my church leaders for sending R & myself back to Maubisse to complete our One Life One Year missions. Looking at what happened to the team in 2009, it has not been a easy decision for the church and many other concerned friends. I thank God that all of us step out in faith, trusting God to protect & provide. And God honors us with a amazing 3-months experience that still elicits wondrous memories now.

I was burdened to return to Timor-Leste to restore relationships with the locals when the team left pre-maturely & abruptly in Nov 2009. I was unease about the lack of closure. And these weighed heavy on my mind when I stepped onto the plane on Jun 5. But God has gone before us to prepare the way, not only for the people’s hearts to be open to welcome us warmly into the community, God has opened many doors & connections like:

• Kids came knocking on the door asking for English class & attending class faithfully even when it was raining;
• It was just a casual stop to admire beautiful flowers that we got invited into the home & subsequently to the hospital to teach English;
• It was another home visit to drink coffee that we were invited by the vice-principal to teach in the primary school. And this was the very family that we were most concerned as to how they would see our re-entering the community;
• One water filter given to the UN doctor at the hospital connected us to various NGOs who worked directly with the government; and
• Standing invitation from the parents, school principal and director-general of the hospital to return to continue our work.

All these were way beyond what I had in mind or ever imagined. And amidst the busy teaching & home visitation schedules, I have built strong relationships with many new friends at the hospital, neighbourhood as well as fellow workers in Dili. I have enjoyed tremendously the time serving our Lord in Timor-Leste.

My heart was heavy in the weeks leading to our departure on Aug 31 & I sensed God telling me to stay connected with Timor-Leste. God continues to place Timor-Leste in my heart even after I have returned to Singapore. I am thankful that God has blessed me with a 3-week break to enjoy the scenic Norway & UK with good friends, sumptous food & delectable wine. But while I am enjoying my vacation, I am reminded daily of God’s power & presence in Timor-Leste.

God has not sent me to Timor-Leste for a good time but to feel His heart beat & to witness the work of His handsl. Connection with various NGOs & even government bodies (ministry of health, hospital, school) has been made & even standing invitation to go back. I sense God is asking me to go back to join Him in Timor-Leste.

I am not sure what God wants me to do in the long term, but looking at the poverty situations, I sense one of the ways to bless this nation is economic relief like job creation or helping locals with micro-businesses. Going back for another year will give me time to understand the needs better & to source for capital to fund these micro-enterrprises, if it’s God’s will. With my training & working experience, I am aware of the many challenges of turning a reasonable profit for long term sustenance, not to mention the need to balance with ministry. However, I am prompted to seek out business opportunity for a different objective, that is, the locals are trained to run it & take over as their own livelihood. Not sure when and how to bring in the Good News but I trust God will show me, as He did during the 3-month missions. 

The connection to creating  clean water awareness is now available. Though there is only one meeting with the NGOs but everyone is excited to work together for the same objective of bringing clean water to this country, hopefully in 5 years’ time. Again, God shows me the bigger plan of transforming Timor, not one village at a time but the opportunity to reach out to the whole Timor by placing the water filters in all the schools. 

In addition, there is opportunity to partner the mobile clinic that reaches out to community in the remote villages, so I could show the village chiefs and community how to use the water filters. This is another exciting testimony how God has softened the hearts of the people, including workers of different faith who have been very friendly & wanting to work with us despite knowing we are protestants. 

I like to finish this testament of delight with a verse given to me when I was sharing how I needed God’s confirmation to return to Timor for another term: