Few people know about East Timor's heartbreaking history...

A former Portuguese colony, it was invaded by Indonesia in 1975. For more than 20 years, Timorese fighters struggled to free their country from Indonesian occupation. As many as 200,000 people died in those dreadful years. That's almost one quarter of the population.

12 November 1991. One of the darkest days in recent history. Timorese youth held a memorial procession to the Santa Cruz cemetery in the capital Dili. It became a pro independence rally. Indonesian soldiers opened fire. No one really knows but some say as many as 270 young people died. Another 200 were said to have disappeared.

The massacre was filmed and photographed by journalists. That became a turning point. The world began to sit up and pay attention to the suffering of East Timor!

In 1999, the United Nations sponsored a referendum in East Timor. The people were finally given the chance to decide their own fate. Close to 80% of Timorese voted for independence. Pro-Jakarta militia groups responded with waves of violence. The Indonesian military had to leave but not before burning houses and destroying buildings in the country.

East Timor became formally independent at the stroke of midnight on 20th May 2002.

Today the land still bears the scars of two decades of destruction and you can sense a heaviness in the hearts of the people.

As East Timor's First Lady puts it -

There is so much still to be done in East Timor to restore the most basic services. Every area is a priority, the renewal of one sector depending on the recovery of another. The needs of the people are overwhelming and Xanana and I grapple with them at a very personal level each day. Most days we have little time to enjoy one another's company or that of our two boys ... Nevertheless, I believe that having young kids in our circumstances helps to keep us grounded and focused on the future.

Is there not a cause?

Is there not a future?

This is God's kairos moment for East Timor. Think about it. How often do we get a chance to impact an entire nation from its very beginning? No matter where we may already be involved in world mission, we can certainly do more. We can go the extra mile and be East Timor's Good Samaritan to give her the attention she deserves, the intensive care she so desperately needs. East Timor can be turned around! She can be a miracle beyond expectation to showcase God's greater glory -

if we pull together,
if we pull out the stops,
if we pull the right strings,
if we pray for her,
stand with her,
walk beside her,
if we dare dream,
if we dare believe!
love east timor