Join a group of fellow young people from other countries for 4 weeks in the summer (27 July-24 August 2024) to visit East Timor (an island north of Australia).

You'll be able to get involved in ministry to children and language teaching (eg. English, Portuguese or Korean), and share devotions and worship in community with  Bible students.

Meet up with WEC's long-term teams on the ground to hear their experiences of cross-cultural mission in this small developing country. Catch the burden to pray for the people they are seeking to reach with your home church.

At the same time you will find fellowship with believers your own age from other countries, grow in your walk with God and expand your expectation to see answers to prayer.

Qualities & Gifts Sought

DIVE INTO is WEC's new short-term programmes, specially designed for Christians aged 18 to 35 to join others from other countries in the same age group and experience together what short-term mission with WEC might look like.

You will become one team sharing these cross-cultural experiences, tastes and smells, and seek to contribute to the Kingdom’s work through prayer and sharing God's word.

The programmes can range from 2 to 4 weeks. In 2024 WEC's DIVE INTOs are going to South Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan, Spain, Timor-Leste and France. More details here diveintowec.com

Age limit 18-35 years
DIVE INTO Timor-Leste dates: 27 July to 24 August 2024
Estimated cost 600 US$ Euros excluding flights
Application deadline 31 May 2024.
Our ref D24TIM

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About Timor-Leste

Timor Leste (East Timor) is one of the newest nations of the world having gained its independence in 2002.

East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor.  In 1974 civil war broke out between different parties in East Timor, and in 1975 Indonesian troops came and declared it to be the 27th province of Indonesia.

East Timor's two official languages are Portuguese and Tetum. English and Indonesian are sometimes used, and are designated as working languages.  

The culture of East Timor reflects numerous influences, including Portuguese, Roman Catholic and Indonesian, and, Timor’s indigenous cultures.

The Portuguese influence and early Catholic missionaries has resulted in more than 90% of the population being nominally Catholic, and Timor Leste becoming one of only two Asian nations with a Catholic majority. However, this is often only a veneer over traditional animistic practices. Most people live in constant fear and bondage to evil spirits, and do not know of the freedom that Jesus can bring.

[Sources: Wikipedia and WEC. Read more about Timor-Leste here].

Timor-Leste has 23 people groups, including the Bulak, Fataluku, the Hakka Chinese (observing traditional religions) and Indonesians (predominantly Muslim).

While Christianity is the largest religion at 91%, 93.8% of these are professing Roman Catholic and only 2.5% evangelical.  

[Source: Joshua Project]  

Pray for Timor-Leste

Pray with us for:
- peace and reconciliation for all the peoples after decades of bitter occupation
- the social challenges of poverty, poor health and illiteracy
- wisdom for church leaders
- the Timor peoples
- youth and children
- servants to go and make disciples
- Bible translation
- use of the JESUS film [Source: Operation World, 2010 print edition and Prayercast]  

Do use Operation World’s online resources.  

Watch Prayercast video for Timor-Leste here.  

WEC in Timor-Leste

The door is open for more workers to join us, both long- and short-term. We are looking for anyone with a heart to serve the peoples of this land.  

Currently there is a need for:
- people to be disciples and make disciples: to start churches where there are none
- a co-ordinator for Short Term workers and teams
- those able to teach English, Portuguese, computing, music and sports
- youth and children’s workers
-those gifted in film-making, literature and Bible translation, and Bible study production.

Join us - we need you! More about WEC in Asia here