Building Better Futures

The Terrace Timor Network facilitates the opportunity for Terrace Parents and Old Boys to participate in projects at CER (Comunidade Edmund Rice) in Timor Leste. Br Bill Tynan and the local community have identified a range of projects to improve education and living conditions within the CER Community. 

The Building Projects will offer an Immersion experience to:

• Experience life, its challenges and differences in a Third World country;
• Engage in social justice issues and develop an understanding of the local problems and issues;
• Build relationships and engage with local Timorese community, its culture and history;
• Work alongside local people to rebuild and develop their local community;
• Discover people, places, cultures and stories, while working to make a difference; and
• Continue to live the ethos of Terrace, as men of Faith & Learning.

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Report from the landmark building project in July2009 when Br Dan’s Crew – spent 7 days in Timor. The Crew of 13 males and 3 females comprised 7 adults, 6 young Old Boy’s (19 to 25) and 3 students .  In the week they built a Pre-School and renovated a Community Centre to provide meeting rooms and living facilities for volunteers in Samalete.  They saw the Pre-School in action on their last day, with 25 children in class!  On the next day, the renovated Community Centre was used for several meetings including the Australian Army in their Community Consultation Process. The Crew met many challenges - equipment breaking, site different size to what expected, heat, dust, wind, limited water…working by the light of 4WD’s when time was running short…but the projects were completed and done in a spirit of inclusiveness, friendship and fun.  There was an amazing combination of skill and leadership from the “older group” of men and women, and enthusiasm, passion and commitment from the “younger group”.

As well as building, several of the Crew had the opportunity to visit the local Schools, Pre-Schools, the Health Clinic, work with the Craft Group and see the Coffee crop.  Many Timorese worked with the Crew and both groups learnt so much.  The Crew learnt of Timorese culture, their story, their hopes for the future; they met their families; spent time in their homes.  The Timorese learnt about how to use the building tools and some new building techniques; they learnt about management and communication on the worksite; they learnt about life and family in Australia.

The new Preschool under construction, and Day One of the new Preschool with all the Students, Br Dan's Crew and Br Bill Tynan - they were very excited.

If you are interested in finding out more, contact Greg Coghlan on 0409 758 029 or send an email to ttn@terrace.qld.edu.au