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The Price of Peace

ET is currently on security alert 505. I do not know exactly what the numbers stand for but I know the situation has gone worse. Jason was telling me that 15 military police rebelled and tooks some weapons out of the military citing that it was a command issued from the top. It was found out too late. It seemed that this morning, relegated soldiers and those are in the force had a shoot out. The organization which Jason is in has ordered a 'evacuation' - meaning that the organization would shut down and all of them were asked to leave the country.

On 28 April, when we descended upon Dili, the worse of the riot began. 20 May 2006 was supposed to be the nation's 4th celebration of Independence. Celebration? Far from it. What has independence brought?

Higher cost of living - ET is using USD as their nation's currency (under the Indonesian rule, they were using rupiah). A plate of fried rice cost USD4.00, Education costs between USD$5 to USD$15 per month and a taxi ride to anywhere in Dili is USD$1.00. With this, it will deter investors from investing. Comparing ET with Cambodia Vietnam, ET is expensive to put any business, imagine building the plant paying in USD, paying the labour cost in USD and paying import and export tax in USD.

Political instability. Look, after 4 years, a civil war looms.

What is the price of peace? Have they not seen enough deaths or experienced enough tragedies to learn that guns cannot bring peace? War again? Have not enough lives paved the way for independence 4 years ago.

They need a peace that surpasses understanding.
The peace that Christ brought through his death.
The peace that can change a person's eternal destiny.
The peace between man and God.
The peace that requires the laying down of a life so precious to heaven.
The peace that no man can ever understand through logical reasoning.
The peace that gives all man a second chance to live again in abundance and thanksgiving.

Lord, grant your peace to East Timor.

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