East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste) is located in lower southeast Asia, between Indonesia
and Australia. It is a short 1-hour flight from Darwin in Australia’s north.
After 400 years of Portuguese dominance, East Timor declared independence in 1975, only to be
invaded and annexed by Indonesia. A bitter conflict ensued, spanning more than two decades. The war and associated economic impacts resulted in the death of many thousands of Timorese
citizens. Much of the country’s infrastructure was destroyed. By the time it had regained
independence, East Timor was in a critical state.
Today, East Timor provides a fruitful field for labour in educational and humanitarian lines.
Within the last decade, a new mission field has been established there, and currently two
missionary families are stationed near the capital, Dili.
Our Mission Objective
Our mission in East Timor will be to use the skills and knowledge we have developed to assist in
the development of the mission field there by meeting the needs of the local people and
assisting with the objectives set by the mission field
leadership.
Representatives from Elim Missionary College, Australian missionary volunteers, and the SDA Reform Movement South Pacific Region are working with local mission leadership to identify opportunities for our team to serve the people of East Timor.
Needs identified so far include:
- Construction of a rural
educational centre - Agricultural education
- Health education
- English language instruction
- Gospel outreach
How to join the project
To join the mission trip, indicate your interest on the application form, when you apply to attend the 2024 Mission Training Program