Ola! I made a short trip to East Timor last July and there were some notable improvements in Dili. Street lamps, a nice park(previously the IDP camp outside of Hotel Timor), relaxing benches and nice tables along the waterfront outside of Parliament House.
With the UN staying on for a while more, there were businesses to be made and things are picking up with a soon-to-be-built multi-million resort in Tasi Tolu.
The thing about money is that it always attract some form of vice. In Timor itself, prostitution is fast becoming a problem. Girls are being brought in from China and even after raids by the police, more are coming in. I bump into a Hotel boss at the airport and he told me the best business now is girls. And he said nothing seems to be able to stop the girls from coming in as agents continue to bring them as long as there is a demand. No one is afraid even after the raids on prostitution. This is not good for the country.
I can only hope things will look brighter for the future of the children. I did a profile of the 30plus children at Hope Orphanage and some of the older children aspire to study overseas. That is not too far-fetched. I recently met two East Timorese youth on facebook - both were studying and working with WorldVision East Timor at one point when I was teaching there. They are now studying in Indonesia. That's good. I hope to see more reaching greater heights and going back to their homeland to make a difference.
Let's continue to hope. Maromak Fo Bensa
