As it is with all things, we exist solely by the grace of having so many fabulous supporters. As we march towards the end of our volunteering year, we would like to like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who support us financially and physically. Thank you to our donors – without your help, this program would not be so well equipped and we would be unable to provide our current standard of service to the Timorese people. Thank you to our Rotary Program Manager, Morph, whose service to the program is an expression of love and care. Thank you to Belinda Griffen who, as National Administrator of RAWCS, ensures that our money goes in the proper directions. A BIG thankyou to the outgoing Rotary Liaison Officer in TL, Daryl Mills – he has done so much to smooth our way and to solve problems as they arise. Thank you to his team, Judite and Mario, who have taken over the running of the office in TL – they are immensely approachable and helpful. Thank you to the team from the Donations in Kind Rotary Warehouse – Ricardo Krauskopf, David Dippie and their mates – thankyou for shipping our materials over to TL and for personally delivering our stuff after it went astray.  (Pic: Ricardo, Robyn, David, Roger and Blanche)

Thankyou to Terry Bracks from the Balibo House Trust, for sharing the Victoria Health technicians who had just set up the Balibo Dental clinic; thankyou Anthony Drago and his team for servicing some of our equipment! Thank you to Ligia Ximenes for helping with the translations for this year’s dental workshop. It made our life so much easier! A massive thank you to Keith Mentiplay for his ongoing support for the program – we would literally grind to a halt without you. Thank you for all the hard work that was put into our newest dental cart – it is a thing of beauty! Functional, easy to use and simple to maintain – just what is needed in TL!

Another BIG thank you to the team at Henry Schein Halas. Kelly Wood and Jessica Chasen help us out with donations and discounted materials and equipment wherever they can and it makes a massive difference to the sustainability of a small program like ours. Thank you also to SDI, who also helps us out with donations of consumables, which we go through like the wind! (Pic: Goulolo girls with Henry Schein Halas balloons)

Thank you to the fabulous Sr Filomena da Costa and Idalina da Silva, for making the Maubara Clinic a home away from home. Thank you to Sr Filomena da Cruz and Sr Maria Baro, for taking Wayne and Mana Eva in from the cold and thoroughly spoiling them in Letefoho. Thank you to Father Bong and his band of merry men for always showing the teams a good time. Thank you to all the Sisters and Fathers who have hosted our teams over the years. We have always fared well under your care. (Pic: Sr Maria and Sr Filomena da Cruz and some of the kindergarten kids in their care)

Last, but not least, thank you to all our volunteers and their very patient, supportive loved ones, for putting in the hard yards. The gig is not easy, but you all do it with such panache.