Indonesia

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I felt that much of our teaching was far too theoretical, especially when it came to teaching scripture in schools. Our year five students could do with some practical experience, and so I arranged Saturday afternoon classes in several high schools of Kupang. My students were split up into three or four groups, and after I prepared them thoroughly, sometimes equipping them with photocopies of handouts, they actually taught the lessons. I went from class to class to supervise them, and if they had any problems, I was there to help them through. Then back at Tarus, each lesson given was discussed and I encouraged my students to help each other improve their teaching methods and techniques.

As Fraternal workers, Peter and I quite frequently received invitations to preach in churches. I felt it would take me a lot of time to prepare the sermons, but quite apart from that I felt that my students needed the exposure to different churches and the opportunity to practice their sermons. So whenever I received an invitation to preach I asked the church whether they agreed to let one of my students preach. I explained that they needed the practice and that I would be there to criticise their sermons. Most churches agreed, and they were happy to have me in their congregation anyway. A number of year five students benefited from this exposure, which they otherwise would not have had.

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Since we had Peter's car, we went with our family to explore the inland of Timor over Easter. We drove to SoE, right in the centre of Indonesian Timor, fairly high up in the mountains, where the air was said to be much cooler than in Kupang. We took Filus with us as our guide. The road was atrocious. In one spot everyone had to get out and push the car through a sandy patch with deep ruts. We eventually made it to SoE, a distance of 100 km, in seven hours. We stayed at the Losmen Bahagia, a guesthouse of quite acceptable standards. We visited the two local ministers there who told us about the 'Spirit Movement' and how miracles, such as healings and turning water into wine, occurred regularly in their congregation. I felt that this would be a good place to take the senior year of Tarus for a study tour and explored this possibility.

The frustration of having to do without our sea luggage was getting Alison and me down. There was just no news about it. Eventually we heard that our things had been dropped at Darwin and it was left to us to get it across to Kupang. The only ship that would come occasionally from Darwin was one from the International Oil Company, which had an office

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