Maria remembers the day well. Although the specific details of it aren’t clear, the minutia isn’t important. What matters is the event that a then nine or ten year old girl saw, a harrowing occasion that struck fear into everyone within her immediate circle.

Living on Timor in the early years of her life, Maria bore witness to Indonesian troops invading the island in the 1970s. At this time, a child was forced to grow up fast, experiencing a rapid transition to adolescence marked by significant changes.

With war came the need to escape danger and the family’s forced migration to the other side of the world and back, while cruel, helped to build a resolute character.

Continue reading “Steve Gago to channel Timorese ‘strength’ in WBC title showdown” →