Raj In Timor 1

11/11/2007

Dear friends,
Most of you are already aware that I will be heading to rural East Timor for Christian medical humanitarian/rural developmental mission work for 6 months. I leave today, I should return to Singapore 4/2008.

My church, Pasir Panjang Hill Brethren, has been working on an area development programme in the village of Vatunau, rural Timor from 2005. We have one missionary on the ground.
I will be joining him, I will be working with him in 4 major domains:
- Health (community health worker training, public health infrastructure, running a small clinic twice a week)
- Water/Sanitation
- Agriculture
- Education/Livelihood/Microenterprise

The reasons for my going are varied and complex, but one idea undergirds all of them: the pursuit of congruence - I want my life to be consistent with my theology.
I told Jesus in December 1998 that I would follow him.
Right now, I see his footprints lead to service among the poor in Timor.
I follow. Gladly.

I will probably be online once every month or two; I may not be contactable by phone.
I will try to email you guys periodic updates on me. If time and bandwith allow, I will put up a blog with photographs.

I am grateful, to the many of you who have talked, prayed, and walked with me through the months of preparation.

Here we go.
- raj