"TIMOR LESTE, the new name for East Timor, celebrated its first birthday recently.

I have been co-ordinating support for Timor Leste in the Salesians Missions Office for the past four years during which time I have made nine visits to what is now the world’s newest nation. I’m frequently asked how things are going now? Has everything settled down? Well, yes and no. There is certainly general peace and calm throughout the country. However, the people are very poor and many struggle just to get the basics.

The East Timorese had very little preparation for self-government. Their independence was attained after 31 months of UN stewardship, 24 years of often brutal Indonesian rule and four centuries of Portuguese colonialism.

Timor Leste is a small country with big challenges. It’s the poorest nation in Asia with a population of 800,000. More than 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 21. Life expectancy is about 50. The nation has very serious health problems including malaria, tuberculosis and dysentery. The infant mortality rate is especially high. As a new country, they need everything.

Salesian Brother Michael Lynch"

		"I would like to inform you that the parishioners of Comoro Parish number 38,000. Comoro is in the western part of Dili. Recently flooding in Dili has affected most of our parishioners. Many live near the Tasi Tolu Lake and Comoro rivers and many lost their houses. Everyday we distributed rice and noodles and cooking oils for them. Please continue pray for Timorese people. Greetings from Comoro Parish, Fr Joao M.R. Guterres, SDB"
ST PETER'S CHURCH, COMORO
DON BOSCO TRAINING CENTRE Don Bosco Training Centre, Comoro on the outskirts of Dili has short courses in carpentry, electricity and welding. It caters for about 100 students. A third of this year’s group are former guerrilla fighters, members of Falintil, most of whom have not previously attended school.
COMORO SCHOOL Comoro school is both co-educational and a regular academic high school. As a large number of students come to school on an empty stomach, efforts are being made to provide them with a midday meal.