TLDP Team 4’s Maubara Extravaganza

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Usually we plan for our Teams to include one or two experienced Australian volunteers who are on hand to guide any new team member on the twists and turns that visiting Timor Leste will invariably provide. However issues out of our control meant that we would be sending Dr Kristina, our newest volunteer, to Timor Leste with no mentor. It is a testament to the systems we have in place and the abilities of our Timorese colleagues that we could contemplate this. Dr Kristina, a very capable dentist in Darwin was good enough to accept the challenge and so with a flurry of briefing notes and a mountain of supplies she set off for Dili.

It wouldn’t be a proper trip without aircraft delays due to emergency evacuations and the confiscation of dental supplies by officious customs officers due to “missing paperwork”. Met by Ana Tilman (our longtime dental colleague), Dr Kristina was taken to the customs office in town to remedy the paperwork, but no, you will have to come back tomorrow to retrieve the impounded stock. Visiting the Rotary office to say hello to Mario and Judite, picking up the petty cash and then our Toyota troop carrier was on its way to Maubara to deliver Ana T and Dr Kristina in the early evening. The Maubara accomodation induction is fairly simple and Kristina was soon well versed in the fine arts of throwing water over herself and dealing with mosquito nets.

The next morning saw the Maubara clinic humming along with the usual mix of treatments including impacted teeth, silver fluoride restorations and scale and cleans. After lunch it was back to Dili to retrieve the errant stock from customs, pick up a SIM card to communicate with the world and then the hour long return journey to Maubara. The road is generally good, however there are well known potholes and other impediments that necessitate some local knowledge. Our Troopy driver, Abico is all over it.

The ubiquitous Tum-tums, an infestation of electric powered 3 wheeled taxi’s need special care as they seemingly randomly deliver school kids and shoppers along the highway for a 25 cent fare.

Back at Maubara, wanting to get an early start in the morning, the Troopy was packed with stock and equipment for tomorrow’s out reach visit to a local school.

The water tower at the Maubara clinic which also hosts the clothes line affords a lovely view of the sunrise for the early risers. One of whom wasn’t Abico, our driver who slept in such that we did not make the school until mid morning. After setting up our equipment, with our first patient in the chair, only to have the local power fail. No problems, we have a backup generator, however that refused to proceed so the spare was sent for. Finally getting the clinic in gear to find that most children go home from school at midday. All was not lost with random children and community making a busy afternoon. Welcome to Timor Leste!.

Back to Maubara in time for Dr Kristina to get to the beach and have a swim, watched on in awe by our two Ana’s. Something about crocodiles.

The rest of the week was spent treating all the children from the school we were set up in. For most of these kids it is their first dental experience, however peering through the windows of our classroom clinic gives them an idea of what is to come.

There were also many new experiences for Dr Kristina , both dental and cultural, our local team enjoying her company while looking after her. Here, try this tamarind from the garden, this chilli won’t be hot and the word “doben” will surely come in handy.

Finally the week draws to a close, the equipment is packed back into the clinic to await the next team, the Ana’s do a stocktake of consumables to update our inventory and then it’s time for dinner and a well deserved sleep.

Back to Dili the next morning with time for Dr Kristina to see the museum, art gallery and Christo Rei before flying back to Darwin.

A whirlwind week for her, she left after making new friends, enjoying new experiences and helping provide much needed treatment for the people of Timor Leste.