Christmas spirit in East Timor

BAUCAU, East Timor: At least 200 residents of Baucau, 130 kilometers east of Dili, received free medical services organized by the local military command.

Commander Lt. Col. Richard Hutajulu told Antara here on Tuesday that the aid was a spontaneous gesture from his officers.

Officers also visited orphanages and helped to clean churches and mosques, he said.

The activity, held in conjunction with Christmas, was coordinated by the commander's wife, Sondang Hutajulu, a medical doctor. "If people are healthy they can rejoice in welcoming the celebrations," she said.

Also in conjunction with Christmas, Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo visited inmates at Becora prison, political detainees, and patients at Bidau general hospital in Dili.