The rainbow never sets

arrived, they wanted a ride too, of course. Eli was kind enough to take each one in turn with him on the pony and give them a quick trott around the apple orchard. It was great to see Eli again, and we had to meet the whole congregation for a photo, before we were allowed to take our leave again.

From Kapan we drove back via SoE through Niki-Niki to Kefamenanu, where we had to repair a puncture in a tyre. The WISMA had good food, but accommodation was not so nice. In the afternoon of the following day we arrived at Atambua, where we stayed at LOSMEN SELAMAT. This had good food and good accommodation. We all enjoyed our stay there. Atambua was close to the Portuguese Timor border. The population there is predominantly catholic. We saw their cathedral, a most imposing building. We also visited another former student from Tarus. He complained that he was too far away from Kupang and GMIT didn't support him enough. He felt he was in an outpost. It was here that we celebrated Alison's 40th birthday with some Christmas cake, which the PWMU (Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union) were sending to all missionaries, and which had arrived just before Easter. It was a rare treat. We also experienced our second earthquake in Timor. I was just in the bathroom, when I felt the tremor and saw the water in the container splashing over the rim. But again no damage was sustained, due to their bebak style of buildings. This traditional building style seems to be more resistant to earthquakes than our European homes.

We also visited a most impressive agricultural school run by the Catholic church. Then we returned via Kefamenanu, with a stopover night, and then straight back to Kupang with a brief visit to another of our former students. The last stretch was very tiring. It took us over 12 hours driving, but our tiredness was overcome with a lot of singing. Throughout the journey our children did not fight each other, as they usually did when they got bored. Zarus would start a song with his guitar, and everybody joined in. We had learnt many of the Indonesian folk songs, but often it would be just the three students singing, and we would be listening to their harmony. It had been a very successful trip, most relaxing, and enjoyed by all.

*

Our car was sometimes used by other members of the church for their personal needs, like Chris BanoEt, or someone from the Synod office. One night I was rudely awakened by a loud knock at our back door. Octo Tunliu, a minister in a Kupang suburb, to whom I had given English lessons, stood there very excitedly.

"Please come immediately, my wife is having a baby. I have to take her to the hospital."

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