One man's trash is another's treasure

Story by Mary Domtta

While walking home from school during grade 6, ten-year-old Lobitos de Jesus Alves stumbled upon a small book in a trash bin in Dili, Timor-Leste.

“I was curious when I looked at that book,” Lobitos, known as ‘Lobs’, said. “I brought it with me.”

It was a New Testament in Indonesian language. Reading it, Lobs discovered a truth.

“‘I am the way, the truth, and the life,’” Lobs quoted. “‘No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ From that, I realised that Jesus Christ is the only way for eternity.

“I decided to follow Christ,” he added. “The most important thing is how you practice God’s words through the Bible and put it in your daily life.”

Years later in 2022, Lobs joined MAF as a Communications Officer to represent the remote communities served by MAF in Timor-Leste.

“Living in Dili, I only knew the city,” he said. “MAF gave me a real experience to witness the suffering of our people outside the city. I’ve seen that people’s lives have big transformation. MAF is clearly bringing them hope – not only healing, but also life transformation.”

Serving with the organisation has also shaped Lobs’ professional growth.

“When I started, I just had basic skills in writing,” Lobs said. “Now, I’ve learned videography, storytelling, leadership, and mentoring youth in communication and projects.”

For him, MAF is more than a workplace.

“The best thing is, MAF is just like an Ohana, which in Hawaiian means ‘family’ – nobody gets left behind or forgotten. When staff are having difficulty, the team always does small actions that give big impact, which are their prayers.”

Lobs integrates his faith into everyday actions.

“I always remind myself that wherever I go, I represent Jesus,” Lobs said.

Looking ahead, Lobs is moving on from MAF and preparing for his next chapter.

“Based on the plan, I will move to Europe,” he said. “I want to learn new things and grow at the same time, even though I know there is a challenge. But I know God is always with me and He will bless me wherever I go.

“I was dreaming to become a pilot, but I realised that I couldn’t make it. Since I joined MAF, I finally realised that this is not only a job, but it’s a fulfilled dream because even though I am not a pilot, I have a chance to work closely with MAF pilots to serve my people,” he said.

Lobs journeyed from a discarded book to a personal faith in Jesus – a faith put into action through serving with the mission. This illustrates how curiosity, courage, and service can intersect to create real-world impact.

“Faith without action is nothing,” Lobs added. “The most important thing is how you embrace the value of Christianity and put it in your daily practice.”

Lobs’s life shows that sometimes, treasure is found where we least expect it and that one person’s discovery can ripple outward, touching countless lives.