Movement News:

Movimento Estudante Cristao Timor Leste

2009 March

SCM TL organized the Ecumenical Leadership
Training on Ecumenism and Dialogue

Participants of the Ecumenical Leadership
Training planted trees at the Secondary High
School in Baucau as part of the training program.

SCM Timor Leste organized the 3rd Ecumenical Leadership Training on 19-22 March 2009 at IPTL Betania Church in Vila Nova, Baucau District. 43 people participated in the said training, representing SCM, YMCA, the Frontiers, Catholic youth, Nazarene’s youth center, IPTL and Assembly of God’s church youth from Baucau and Buruma village.

The theme was Ecumenism and Dialogue and the general objective of the training were:

• to provide space for Timorese young people to learn and strengthen their Christian Spirituality through praying, worship and study the Bible together;
• to enable young Timorese to learn and understand about ecumenism: the concept, history and the challenges of ecumenical movement in the context of Timor Leste and at the global level;
• to enable young Timorese to learn and practice about inter-religious dialogue, the ecumenical leadership particularly within the context of Timor leste;
• to enable young Timorese to learn about the issue of integrity of creation and to practice on how to take care of environmental issue through the activity of forestation;

Some highlights of the activity were:

Celebrating the Universal Day of Prayer for Student in conjunction with the opening worship of the ecumenical leadership training which led by Rev. Agustinos de Alves; The liturgy of UDPS became a significant introduction to the theme of dialogue that most participants found it very important issue that needed to be dealt with by young Timorese as they are living in a plural society;

Workshop inputs given by some resource persons
on specific issues such as:

• Ecumenism presented by Rev. Gerson Haan (IPTL synod);
• Transformative Leadership presented by Sra. Dinorah Granadeiro (Director of NGO forum of Timor Leste);
• Interreligious Dialogue presented by Rev. Agustinos de Vaconcelos (Protestant perspective) and Pe Alipio Pinto Gusmao (Catholic perspective);
• Understanding the ecological justice presented by Sra. Aurelia Rodrigues (Haburas NGO focus on environmental issues);

Most participants found these inputs were enriching and for some these topics were quite new so they were more enthusiastic to learn about them;

Exposure to learn about how to
take care of the nature through action

On 21 March 2009, all participants of the training visited the Secondary High School in Baucau District to plant fifty small trees (locally called Jati Putih) around the compound of the school. Participant worked together to plant these trees as an expression to remind to take care of our environment. This event also helped the school students to bring awareness about the issues of environment

Celebration of World Water Day in 22 March in conjunction with the Sunday service with local congregation in IPTL Betani Church.

The liturgy focused on the issue of water has brought positive feedback from participants. The water issue is found very relevant with the people living in certain area of Baucau’s District where people have to buy water 10 USD/1000 L for daily use.

2008 May

SCM Timor Leste Forms 2 Local Units

The new local unit of SCM Timor-Leste was formed in Baucau’s district in May, 24th 2008 through its first local conference held in Betani/Bethany IPTL (Igreja Protestante iha Timor - Leste) church attended by 36 people from students, youth representing different local churches, senior friends and some church leaders. During the gathering, participants had been given opportunity to share their ideas and expectations on joining the MEC-TL. Most of the participants just heard for the first time about SCM and the ecumenical movement but they expressed their enthusiasm to learn more about SCM and the ecumenical movement. Before the first gathering of Baucau’s local unit there was a working group preparation who had organized the bible study’s group among students and church youth. Another expectations from participants to join MEC-TL were that they want to learn about leadership and improve their capacity in terms of the skill of English speaking and computer practice as many of the students are studying in the university hence they thought that improving their language skill and computer skill would be very helpful to them.

The new leaders of Baucau’s local unit appointed through its first gathering were four people, two men and two women (Mr. Lorenco da Rosa, chairperson Mr. Abrao Pinto, Vice chairperson, Ms. Agustinho Belon, Secretary, Ms. Isabel de Fatima treasurer The number of members were 36 people from junior high school students, college students and young adult church youth background.

In addition, in May, 21-23, 2008 some members of MEC-TL were actively involved in the committee of Timor-Leste Inter religious forum who organized the national conference under the theme “Sofrimento no Perdaun” (Suffering and Forgiveness). The SCM TL members who are also the member of the church have been trying to realize their commitment to work on peace and justice issue within their national context of struggle.

In July 2004 MEC-TL was established in Dili by 71 university student, church youths and senior friends and became an associated member of the World Student Christian Federation through the 33rd of the WSCF General Assembly held in Chiang Mai, Thailand and it was participated by Mr. Antonio B.S da Silva, Chairperson.

MEC-TL progressively witnessed in its history in national, regional and global level through the joint efforts and advises from regional officers and blessed and committed person who was Ms. Nian Nayoan, Indonesian; she has transferred her skills and knowledge to future leadership of SCM-TL since 2006­2008 as well and will be continue to do the intensive movement building in 2009 under the continuation support of Front Interim Mission.

2004 July

First National Congress

The first national congress of SCM Timor Leste took place on 16-17 July 2004. The national congress finalise three important areas of SCM TL. They are:

1. Formal recognition of SCM TL members
   (10 senior friends with 71 student members),
2. the constitution of SCM TL and
3. strategy planning of the period of 2004-2006.

At present, SCM TL has started networking with other youth and social movements in Timor Leste such as the East Timor Student Solidarity Council and the National Council of Churches. Two SCM TL members also participated in the NCC Youth national congress in October 2004.

WSCF AP and Frontier Internships in Mission are currently supporting a WSCF intern in Dili to assist SCM Timor Leste.