On July 30, 1988, the national Year of Mary was closed in Maumere. The blessings of the Marian Year prompted Sr. Rosalina Kusnoharjono (Provincial of SCMM Indonesia at that time) to fly to Dili on July 31, 1988, with the aim of conducting a survey of the location and situation in preparation for the possible presence of SCMM ministry work. Upon arrival at Komoro Airport, she was taken to the PRR (Daughters of Renya Rosary) convent in Huluhun.
After meeting with Bishop Carlos F. X. Belo SDB (Bishop of the Diocese of Dili) together with Sr. Josefa PRR, Sr. Rosalina went to the place offered by the bishop, namely Ossú, in the eastern sector, which at that time was very unsafe and in dire need of God's mercy to care for the children in the orphanage and the boys' and girls' dormitories from elementary to junior high school levels. Seeing the condition of the children who needed guidance, Sr. Rosalina was moved by compassion and sent SCMM sisters to accompany the children in the orphanage who had lost their parents/relatives and the children in the St. Joseph boarding school. So, on November 11, 1989, two SCMM sisters were sent to begin this work of compassion. The two pioneers were Sr. Hermin Bu’ulölö as the leader of the Community as well as a teacher at the junior high school, and Sr. Lusia Telaumbanua as the leader of the dormitory and orphanage. With the presence of these two Sisters, the children felt safe, as if they were freed from the fear of thugs who came down from the mountains every night to the dormitory in search of food.
Growth and development
The presence of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of Mercy brought change to the predominantly Catholic community. The number of boys and girls in the dormitory increased rapidly, reaching 100. The dormitory belonged to the parish under the St. Joseph Foundation. Outside of school, the children in the dormitory gardened and raised livestock, the proceeds of which were used to pay for their school fees. They worked hard with mercy, building the children's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The sisters' sincerity and patience earned them much sympathy from the local government and from donors both domestic and foreign, especially from the SCMM Congregation. The dormitory building, which had been severely damaged by the war, was renovated and equipped with bathrooms, water pipes, clean water supply, and beds with mosquito nets.
The number of SCMM community members grew every year. The sisters established good relationships with the local community, and even in a relatively short time, they mastered the local language. On November 1, 1991, the boys' and girls' dormitories and the orphanage were officially handed over to the SCMM, which owns the Belaskasihan Foundation. Thanks to God's generosity, the presence of the SCMM sisters in Ossu has attracted young women from Timor Leste to join the SCMM Congregation.
War Brings Development
Before and after the referendum on August 30, 1999, the political turmoil was terrifying and tense. After independence was declared on September 4, 1999, clashes between those who were pro-independence and anti-independence broke out. The sound of gunfire and smoke from fires everywhere added to the tense atmosphere. Looting, arson, and murder occurred everywhere. Many innocent lives were lost and those who survived were persecuted. Innocent people were forced to flee to the forest. The tense atmosphere spread to Ossu, a somewhat isolated area. On September 14, 1999, the sisters were forced to flee and seek refuge in the wilderness, along with the children from the dormitory and orphanage, sleeping under the open sky and covered only by the wind. On September 16, 1999, with the help of the Falentil Army, we returned to Ossu safe and sound.
After independence, Timor-Leste became an independent country, with its own system of government, currency, and official language. This posed difficulties for the sisters of Timor-Leste, especially those who were undergoing formation in Indonesia. They had to obtain passports and visas if they wanted to stay in Indonesia and had to learn Indonesian. The General Council understood these difficulties. Therefore, on February 2, 2016, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Mary, Mother of Mercy in Timor Leste officially separated from the Indonesian Province with the status of an independent community under the supervision of the General Council, with Sr. Gemma Belo as the first coordinator. The General Council approved Timor-Leste as a Region on March 20, 2024, with the following Regional Team:
Regional Superior : Sr. Eugenia Pereira
Vicar : Sr. Joanita Freitas
Team Member : Sr. Serafina da Costa Pereira
Team Member : Sr. Natalia de Deus Maia
Team Member : Sr. Esmenia Sanches da Silva
The work of the sisters in Timor Leste is now growing. The Sisters already have four communities, namely: St. Lukas Community-Ossu, St. Yohanes Community-Akadiruhun, Dom Joannes Zwijsen Formation House and Community-Manleuana, and St. Gemma Community-Luca. The presence of the sisters in several places is still desired by the faithful, but the sisters need to continue to improve themselves in responding to this mission call so that our simple and compassionate service can be felt by those we serve, especially the poor and the marginalized.
