English Classes Pave Way to Peace in Timor-Leste

Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2009 Posted: 3:01:08PM HKT

Students at a reopened school in Dili. (Photo: AP / Vincent Thian)

The missionary effort in the youngest nation in the world is revealing much potential, according to recent reports.

Two missionaries dispatched by the Methodist Missions Society who had set up camp in Gleno, Ermera District in Timor-Leste just February this year have been invited to teach the English language to various groups, Methodist Message reported.

These included teaching two classes a week, following the curriculum of the Ministry of Education, in the Hope Kindergarten which caters to children ranging from four to seven years of age.

As a result of their presence there, the two missionaries from Living Hope Methodist Church were approached by many children in the neighbourhood to teach them the language as well. They started teaching them basic interactive English in March, conducting the classes at the mission house’s front porch.

One of them, Ms Wendy Wee, is taking a class of 24 children aged from nine to 15 every Saturday. And there is no indication that the number of students will not continue to grow, making it necessary to split the class or procure a bigger location.

The missionary initiative is also starting to impact the nation’s many villages, with village chiefs making forthcoming invitations to the missionaries to teach English.

Mr Martinho Soares Martins, the chief of Talimoro Village in Gleno, had approached them on February 24 to teach the language to his youths, opening the village community hall to allow Ms Julia Sin, the other missionary, to conduct English classes for around 20 youth twice a week.

Filling a need that is in great demand by locals, she is also holding English lessons to 22 students at the Government Ministry classroom on Tuesdays and Fridays and teaching 19 staff members from Gleno Hospital including its director twice weekly.

The Methodist monthly newsletter reported that now that the two workers had “created ripples of impact in Gleno”, more village chiefs are coming forward to invite them to teach English.

To further augment its ministry, MMS plans to rent or build a Ministry/English Learning Centre in Gleno that will enable it to conduct English courses with certification. The centre will also be a platform to launch MMS’ ministry activities and start a youth hub to expand the children’s interactive classes and conduct Bible study classes.

MMS, which is working hand in hand with the Transformation Alliance, has dedicated its missionaries primarily toward building lasting relationships and help to restore the peace in Gleno, Ermera, through the conduct of English classes, sports and youth activities.

The missions arm of The Methodist Church in Singapore is looking for new opportunities to see discipling groups formed from the various English teaching classes.

Having attained its independence in May 2002, Timor-Leste became the world’s newest democracy. To get to where it is now however the people had to go through great suffering, trauma and violence in their long struggle for freedom.

And yet in spite of having attained independence, Timor-Leste faced the crisis of political instability and popular unrest, as evidenced by the civil unrest of 2006 and the assassination attempts on both the President and Prime Minister.

From 2008 onwards, there were signs that the country was finally heading toward national peace and reconciliation, the Methodist periodical reported.

Nathanael Ng
Christian Post Reporter