East Timor Attracts Another Peace Prize
From the international publication The Tablet

Two East Timorese - a priest and a laywoman - were honored with the Pax Christi Peace Award last Saturday by Cardinal Godfried Daneels, Archbishop of Mechelen- Brussels and international president of the movement. The ceremony took place at the international council meeting of Pax Christi, which this year was held in London at St. Mary's College; Strawberry Hill (July 6-12).

Fr. Domingos Soares, a parish priest from Letifoho with a reputation for the care of war orphans and for courageous protest against the illegal Indonesian occupation of East Timor and the massacre of some 200,000 of his people, said the East Timorese "live in hope and cry day and night for liberation." A small, dark figure in a white soutane, he spoke of how Indonesia was investing in construction projects and development programmes in his country for political reasons. But "the people will not sell themselves for money."

Then he presented a purple, orange and green shawl to Cardianl Daneels, who wore it with pride as a message was read out loud from the other prizewinner, Maria de Lourdes Cruz. She was unable to attend the prizegiving because of a clash of dates with a ceremony to give official recognition to the secular institute she has founded and her own perpetual vows. Her institute, Sister and Brothers in Christ, educates its members to be a source of inspiration to the people, she explained in her message, training them not only intellectually but also in hygiene, social and economic skills, cultural activities and spiritual formation. And with a special emphasis on poor women who have been allocated an inferior position because of a traditional view of the place."

Sister Lourdes and "Brothers and Sisters of Christ
(From a letter by an Australian Catholic lay worker.)

Sister Maria de Lourdes Martins is a 36 year-old East Timorese woman who founded the secular institute Maun Alin Iha Kristo ("Brothers and Sisters of Christ") a couple of years ago to help the poorest people in East Timor improve their economic situation by reviving and preserving their culture.

She carries the load of formation on her own - it will be five years before anyone will be trained to assist. Lourdes' aim is to preserve East Timorese culture; therefore outside training is not desirable. The institute has four boarding houses, three of which they have built themselves. The main house is on Lourdes' family land at Dare; others are at Betano, Aileu and Viqueque.

The Institute was officially approved by Bishop Belo -- the East Timorese Bishop and Nobel Peace Prize-winner -- early this year, and Lourdes took her perpetual vows on Feb 5. At the same time eleven of her candidates took their first vows. Once trained, candidates are sent out into the community. There is no habit. The regulations are informal.

Last August, she was looking after 35 adults (including her candidates) and 16 children in Dare; 1 adult and 17 high school children in Aileu, 5 adults and 7 children in Viqueque, I adult and 14 children in Betano -- all of whom need to be fed, clothed, educated and housed. The children, where appropriate, are sent to high school and these also need school fees and expenses paid.

[Note: Sister Lourdes has since taken on the care of 75 more children.. Max]

The schools receive no official funding and rely on the charity of others. Their only fundraising to date has been through selling excess garden produce at the local markets. They grow corn, cassava, bananas, coffee, tea and tapioca and raise chickens and pigs.

At times Lourdes has had to beg in the streets in order to feed her people.

One of the institute's goals is to preserve local languages and culture, which are being overwhelmed by Indonesian language, history and culture taught in schools and the Indonesian transmigration program.

Because the people of East Timor have had little control over their lives for many years, leadership skills are lacking. Another goal is to build leadership among the youth.

Lourdes also collects traditional music, and is an expert in traditional food and medicine.

Jenni Kanaly, May 1998

NEEDS AND PROJECTS

One-time requirements:

• A 4-wheel drive vehicle (this is the primary expensive need - PLEASE help!)
• A larger water reservoir at Dare (see "Projects" below)
• A new electrical generator
• Solar electrical system ú Drip irrigation system for gardens
• A pump to capture the water from supply below the main building

Ongoing funding for:

• Food and clothing, beds (and so on)
• Fuel (for generators now, for vehicle when they have one)
• Books and school supplies
• Supplies to maintain facilities (water pipe, lumber, wire and so on)
• Tools (for maintenance, gardening, etc.)

Projects:
I plan to return soon -- perhaps with a few others -- and stay long enough to do some work for the schools. For example, we can build a new water tank, replace the generator, build some closets and so on.. We can install solar power to supplement the generator. Drip-irrigation can help conserve water for gardens.

Photo of kitchen at orphanage run by Sister Lourdes (use Back button to return here)

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