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Christmas Cards for East Timor
After Church this Sunday there will be Christmas cards for sale, made by the orphaned children from Xanana Gusmao's town of Los Palos in East Timor (Timor Leste). The cards feature East Timor's tais silk which is woven in a distinctive style. (Mulberry trees, thus silk worms are indigenous to East Timor). The children are raising their own funds through various means; one way was to make these cards. The cards are $10 for a pack of 3 and the money will go directly to the children from you, to cover their living requirements for the next three months while they are waiting for a fund to be approved for their living expenses and education next year.
Those who were members of this church in Year 2000 will remember that you donated personal grooming items, clothes and fishing gear as well as money for a well, irrigation of the vegetable garden and doors for the toilet area. Many children were left newly orphaned and frightened at that time. It was just after the referendum when the East Timorese gained their independence. There was petrol bombing and slaughter in retribution by the Indonesian army as they left the island. The parents of these children from Los Palos were among the many killed when the islands population went to Dili to cast their votes.
I am still in touch with Lala who went there as an SBS journalist two months after Australia's peace keeping force entered the country. She was asked by Xanana Gusmao to help look after the children and to try to raise money from Australia. Lala remained in East Timor and became a mother to the children. She is in Malaysia with the older ones where they are now receiving tertiary education supported by the Malaysian peace keeping force. Jose Ramas Horta has received assurance from the Govt that the children's education in Malaysia will continue to be in a religious context with Christian care. He visits to check! (as you will see on the website). Timor Leste is a very strong Christian country. The children have solemnly promised to return to help rebuild their country and this is their goal.
I have been with the children and Lala several times in East Timor. They are wonderful! I was one of a group of teachers who reopened the university and taught English in Dili in 2000 at students' request to the Australian Govt. You can read the children's own website on http://www.timorlestenewgeneration.blogspot.com Praise God for the Christian care of these children. Chris Oosterloo.