DUNAMIS HOUSE - Blessed to be a blessing

Rev See Swee Fang, MMS Missionary in Timor-Leste and House Parent of Dunamis House, Dili.

Dunamis House (DH) is MMS’ most recent community development in Timor- Leste. Established in September 2019 in Dili, the capital city in Timor-Leste, DH is a continuation of the ministry to hostelites from Sundermeier Home (SH). This ministry started because the hostelites who came from their villages in the mountainous district of Ermera to pursue their tertiary studies and who graduated from SH, could not afford to pay for rent for housing in Dili. DH seeks to continue giving these students a Christian nurturing environment and to continue their discipleship journey as they seek further education.

Community Outreach

As all the hostelites come from families that struggle to send them money regularly, their stay at DH includes a community outreach programme that instils in hostelites the importance of hard work. While pursuing their education in local universities or vocational institutions, the hostelites receive a stipend for their efforts to give free tuition to the kids in the community. They teach students from primary one to six. This programme is a way for them to experience how they can bless, encourage, and empower the children who come for free tuition while they receive support for their stay in DH.

The free tuition for the children serves an urgent and immediate need in the community as children only get to attend school on alternate weeks because of limited classrooms and the requirement for safe-distancing. Children are frequently left playing on the streets on their own as parents struggle to place food on the table. Hence, the tuition programme gives our hostelites the opportunity to minister to the children and promote their welfare both academically and spiritually.

Hostelites giving tuition.

Impacting the next generation.

Individualised coaching.

Small group teaching.

The tuition programme gives our hostelites the opportunity to minister to the children and promote their welfare both academically and spiritually.

Transforming Villages, Empowering Lives

Another community development programme entitled “Transforming Villages and Empowering Lives” (TVEL) is in the pipeline. God willing, we will launch it in the near future. The Lord has given DH this vision for TVEL to help villages break out of poverty by empowering the people to improve farming practices and produce sales, which can create more jobs in the villages. To empower those living in the villages, there is also the need to include educating the villagers on how to strengthen their relationships, especially in marriage and family life. This is an important aspect of community development needed in the villages.

Although many young people leave their villages to come to the capital Dili in search of a livelihood, coming to the city does not guarantee securing a job even after they graduate with a degree. Most jobs, especially those for the government sectors, require networking with someone already in an existing position to make a recommendation on behalf of the applicant. Other employment opportunities are mostly those in manual labour, sales, or services sectors. The harsh reality is that the demand for jobs is greater than supply unless Timor- Leste develops further in areas such as tourism. Hence, working on the land, the greatest resource available in Timor-Leste, is a viable way for young people to be gainfully employed, improve the livelihood opportunities in their villages, and produce more food in the nation.

Our hostelites believe in this vision and about 90% have indicated that they want to join this initiative to serve their villages after they complete their education. Three of our hostelites were intended to start internships as TVEL pioneers in January 2021. However, due to the sporadic lockdowns in Dili, their training has been delayed and will start in 2022 instead. To keep the vision burning despite the delay, the hostelites have started doing research on community development, and having discussion sessions to understand more about the various types of farming practices in the villages and brainstorm possible ways to improve current practice, as all their families are involved in farming. I have also organised in-house sessions on the “empowering lives” component of TVEL to raise awareness of choices that are made as the hostelites learn more about raising children in a family.

In 2022, three interns will go for a one-year training at Loes Training Centre (in another district). Loes Training Centre is an established Christian organisation started and funded by Singapore Care Channels Training Centre. There will be theory and practical sessions on farming, and is a holistic programme that encompasses Christian discipleship, animal husbandry, and natural farming. This will form part of the equipping process in preparation for the TVEL to be launched. While the course fees are fully sponsored, participants are required to pay US$30 per head per month, for lodging and training.

Christmas celebration with the community.

Dunamis House hostelites.

Singing and worshipping the Lord together during the tuition programme.

Reaching out to the local community.

PARTNER WITH US

Pray for an individual, group, or organisation who will journey with us to start a company or social enterprise that can chart and sustain the TVEL vision. We need help to develop the TVEL programme with the graduates from the Loes Traning Centre and local universities, so that the locals can spearhead the transformation they wish to see in their villages.

Pray for continued donations and financial support for the TVEL interns and the stipend given to hostelites for giving free tuition to the children in their community.

If you would like to partner with us and offer your expertise and time, please contact MMS for more details!