Judy Blackman’s Story: Her Return Visit to East Timor

Did you read Judy Blackman’s original story on WomensNook? She was so excited to be planning her return visit to East Timor, a country she fell in love with four years ago. Since that initial visit with her husband Judy has been yearning to go back ‘home’ and help in some way.

Recently Judy did return, this time with her grandson Tim. He wanted to personally present some money, raised by fellow students at Mudgee High School, to their sister school in Fatuberliu, East Timor.

Judy has written a wonderful report of her trip. There is quite a lot to tell so over the next week her story will unfold.

Well, as you will have read thus far, I had high expectations for my second visit to East Timor.  Let me tell you, those expectations were exceeded one hundred fold!  We had an ABSOLUTELY MARVELLOUS experience.

Flying into Dili we had a clear view of the incredible mountains and the beautiful bay that surround the town. Clearly visible too was the new, very tall statue of Pope John Paul 11 now gracing the opposite point to where a 27m statue of ‘Christo Rae’ (Jesus) stands watch over the capital.

I was quite teary as I put my feet down at the airport because again, I had that overwhelming sense of ‘coming home’.

Following breakfast at my friend Ruth’s home, my grandson Tim and I were off up the streets of Dili to explore on foot.  We walked around the shops and CBD then down to the waterfront. Being a Friday, it was ‘clean up day’ in Dili so office workers and others were out picking up rubbish and burning it, giving a rather smoky haze to the city.

The traffic has increased a lot since I was there four years ago and horns were honking constantly as the traffic moved to what seemed ‘Rafferty’s Rules’ – cars, carts, motor-bikes, push bikes, pedestrians and the ever present UN Pajeros.

We passed some beautiful new buildings like the President’s Palace – a gift from the Chinese Government – and many others that have been restored. However there is still evidence of burnt out buildings destroyed by the Indonesians in 1999. Right beside or opposite beautiful new buildings there are very humble homes or shops and open drains – such contrasts.

However, one constant we noted immediately was the smiles of the people.  As soon as we said ‘Bondia’ (Hello) faces lit up and there was a ‘Bondia’ returned.

On the waterfront people were threading their catch of fish onto string which was then attached to a pole and strung across their shoulders – small fish and large.  Others carried bundles of oranges hung from a shoulder pole and carts offering drinks, fruit and sweets rattled by, while all around children wandered.  Dili harbour is very beautiful and there are huge trees with twisted trunks gracing the beach that we admired as we looked out on the fishing boats in the harbour.

It wasn’t long before we received a text message from Br. Nico, the Fransican brother in charge of the school at Fatuberliu.  He had come up to Dili to meet us. Finally I was able to greet the man I had been in touch with by email and phone, sometimes finding communication a little hard because of his broken English.  I need not have worried – there was an immediate rapport and the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

Br. Nico took us to the Franciscan headquarters in Dili where we received a formal ‘Welcome to Timor Leste’ from Fr. Vincente who is in charge. He is from Portugal and quite elderly and though his English was hard for us to understand, we had a lovely conversation over very sweet cups of tea. We had beautiful scarves placed around our shoulders.

After that we walked up the steps to ‘Christo Rae’ with Br Nico and viewed the city, the ocean and surrounds.  Quite magic - and this was Day One.  It just got better and better!

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