friends, I first visited Timor-Leste in January 1975, as a masters student from Monash University. I spent two months travelling the country with Jose Ramos-Horta, Nicolau Lobato, and Mari Alkatiri. I rode Timor ponies with Mau Lear and Vicente Sahe dos Reis to visit the FRETILIN literacy programs. Following Indonesias illegal and brutal invasion of December 1975, I was unable to visit the country again for another 24 years. But my concern for the Timorese people had not waned. In early 1976, I was in New York, assisting Ramos-Horta set up his office at the United Nations to advocate internationally for Timor-Lestes self-determination. This was long before