Veterans invited back to Timor to begin healing

A beautiful collaboration between RSL Queensland, Veterans’ Care Association and Adventure Professionals Pty Ltd (all veterans and RSL members themselves) will soon see up to 200 ADF veterans travel to Timor-Leste in small groups, with a view to healing old wounds.

The Timor Awakening Experience is a 12-month program of renewal and rehabilitation that will start with an 11-day guided tour of Timor-Leste.

Deacon Gary Stone, Army veteran and founder of Veterans’ Care, said that while the immersion and concentration component of this program was 11 days in Timor-Leste, the program proper extended over 12 months of engagement, follow up, pastoral care and guidance.

“The projected outcome of the program is to significantly improve the health and wellbeing of  veterans and their families, through intentional holistic health education, a reflective experience in Timor-Leste, and follow up re-integration engagement, leading to renewed lifestyles and re-imagined opportunities for participation in the veteran and wider community,” Deacon Stone said.

“This is a pilot programme of renewal and rehabilitation for 200 Australian veterans and 80 Timorese veterans, centred around 10 immersion experiences of 11 days in Timor-Leste.

“The first deployment of 20 Aussie veterans will leave Darwin on 17 July 2016, with the second group leaving on 18 September.”

Timor Awakening Experience is a 12-month program open to all Australian veterans or ex-service personnel.

The initial 11-day immersion experience will be a unique traditional and cultural experience that will be shared with local veterans.

Conceived by veterans, run by veterans, supported by veterans and founded on the principal of veterans caring for veterans, the only cost to the selected veterans is Australia-based admin (visa, medical cert, vaccinations etc), transport to Darwin (if required) and personal spending money.

Flights from Darwin to Dili, as well as accommodation, transport, food and water in country is covered by the program.

Applications for both the July and September programs close on 1 May – so get in quick.

Visit veteranscare.com.au for details and application instructions.

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