The eastern part of the island of Timor has been continuously occupied for the last century by Portugal, Japan and then Indonesia.

in 1999 the UN provided a referendum for the Christian people of East Timor on independence from Islamic Indonesia. Immediately following the positive vote to regain independence, Indonesian backed militia commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly took 300,000 people back to Indonesia. 70% of the country's infrastructure was destroyed.

After a month a UN peacekeeping force brought the violence to an end and set up a temporary government. The next elections take place in 2007.

Economic growth has been staggering in the last year as infrastructure has been rebuilt and oil reserves found. However 50% of the workforce is unemployed and 42% of the population are still living under the poverty line.

High unemployment is a huge problem in East Timor, though government plans to create jobs for young people have begun.

Thank God that 93% of the population are Christian. Pray that their faith would be alive and that they learn forgiveness for all the atrocities that have happened.

There are 3 ethnic groups and 20 different languages in East Timor, pray for unity and patience as their young country develops.

Many young people and children lost their homes and their parents and have been forced to make it on their own on the streets. Pray that Christian ministries and local churches can be equipped to help them and give them a new start.