Many people try a sea change to improve their own lives.
The Thistlewaite family of Engadine made their own sea change to improve the lives of others.
Matt and Nat Thistlewaite sold their family home at Helensburgh and moved with their four children, aged six to 15, to a remote community in West Timor to build a not-for-profit resort to benefit local villagers.
Mr Thistlewaite, 46, is a keen surfer but during his travels through Indonesia he saw that the benefits of tourism did not always reach the local villagers.
It was not the memory of pristine surfing beaches he brought home, but the hardship and poverty of the people.
Malnutrition and infant mortality rates were high, particularly in West Timor.
Back in Helensburgh he spoke to wife Nat and his children, Noah, now nine, Grace, 10, Molly, 13, and Jayden, 20 and guided by their strong Christian commitment they decided they would return and help the people of West Timor build a better life.
They sold their home, moved to Indonesia, leased land on poverty-stricken Rote Island and got to know the locals.
“It was in our hearts to do something,” Mr Thistlewaite said. “We were following our lives’ journey.”
At first the Thistlewaites slept rough on the ground beneath a tarp and had no power or running water.
Three years on, they have power in the evenings, running water and a roof over their head.
Soon they will have a kitchen.
And they are helping to improve the lives of the villagers.
“Rote Island is now becoming popular with the more pioneering and adventurous tourist,’’ Mr Thistlewaite said.
“We decided to build a not-for-profit family retreat that would be owned by the local villagers.” he said.
Together with friends Paul and Sally McMahon they planned Mercy Huts, a program which would be owned and operated by the local villagers with 100 per cent of the profits going back to the community.
They have finished building the first hut and will soon complete the second.
Each hut will include a kitchen and western style bathroom.
“ Rote is a surfing paradise, with a great break,” Mr Thistlewaite said.
“It is just a little more remote than most are used to travelling but it is slowly opening up and will hopefully generate the revenue stream needed for the locals to live safely and with dignity, without a third party exploiting their home.”
The Thistlewaites live part of the year in Sydney where they stay with Mrs Thistlewaite’s mother, Sue at Engadine and Mr Thistlewaite works as a fireman and raises funds for their next visit to Rote Island.
They are planning to return to Rote Island at Easter for about six months.
“There’s plenty of work to be done to lift this community out of poverty,’’ Mr Thistlewaite said.
“During our time in Indonesia we have attended too many funerals, many for infants who simply do not make it through curable illnesses.”
“The lack of medical care is a concern.
“It is worrying when you have a sick children and know that you can’t just get to a hospital.”
On Rote Island, Mrs Thistlewaite home schools the children.
While it took a while for them to adapt they have progressed.
Their eldest child,Jayden is now doing a Bachelor of Arts International Studies majoring in Indonesian at the University of Western Sydney.
“I think he plans to return to Indonesia and follow up on the work we have done.
“ There is still much work to do,’’ Mr Thistlewaite said.
“ At times there has been despair and frustration at the slow progress. Funds are the main barrier.”
But after three years of dedicated fundraising, predominantly by friends Paul and Sally McMahon, and hard work on the ground, Mercy Huts will be ready for a “soft” opening mid‐2016.
“It’s been a life changing project, not just for us but hopefully for the people of Rote Island,’’ Mr Thistlewaite said.
“We got to know the people, they got to know us and now we feel like we have another family.’’
For more information on the program at Mercyhuts.com.
