The Korean Church has been doing various mission works in many areas. However, it seems that there is neither profound study nor systematic materials for professional mission. This study is an attempt to a basic study for medical mission in East Timor. This project-style study is a practical one through not only literature analysis but also field research. East Timor is a newly born country. The government of East Timor has made education, health and agriculture as the most priority works in the National Development Plan. These three areas are surely urgent and important for the national development. At present, medical facilities are falling behind and national health indicator is very low in East Timor. Both fertility rate and infant mortality is high. Not only infant mortality but maternal mortality rate is also high. Moreover, the people of East Timor are not free from various diseases. However, a regular prevention of epidemics can reduce attack rate of disease. Medical mission should begin with grasping of the urgent need and importance in the field. It is not only provide medicine and cure a disease, but also takes a disease prevention program and health education. Prevention is better than cure. It plays a role to protect people from a disease beforehand. In order to prepare for medical mission, it is necessary to make stages, set goals, examine processes of operation goals, analyze results and evaluate them. Among the six stages, the first stage is to organize a short-term mission team. It is consisted of 5 to 10 people and the members stay at least two weeks to a month. The team visits a fixed place once or twice a year. This is because the members of the team may have a close relationship with the natives and get the information of their health. This may help grasp their health condition and provide appropriate health care. The second stage is to send one or two medical volunteers to a local clinic or hospital as long-term medical missionaries. The third stage is preparation period for founding a local clinic. In order to found a clinic, carefully examine the necessity of founding a medical institution and a suitable location where is no medical benefit. The fourth stage is a period of founding a local clinic. One nurse and one midwife serve the clinic. The fifth stage is a stable period of operating the clinic. In this period, the clinic provides medical service of good quality and preventive education. The sixth stage is a self-supporting stage of operating the clinic. It is time to change its members as the natives by stages, and transfer its operation to them. Medical mission is a future-oriented work in the respect of the promoting national health. It carries out on the level of Christian mission, so that may share God’s love with the people in East Timor. The society will be healthy through forming a healthy person in both body and mind, and living in harmony with God, neighbor and nature make.

Downy mildew (DM) caused by the fungus Peronosclerospora sorghi is one of the most serious diseases reducing maize (Zea mays L.) production in East Timor. We have conducted three trials of DM resistant (R) and non-DMR source populations in three locations; Loes, Dili and Lospalos. Materials were developed by using DMR-ESR-Y and MO5-5-RUVT-EE (TZEE-Y) (IITA) and Suwan 5 (Thailand). Three sets of random mating, incomplete diallel crosses and parent populations were planted with three replications in one meter row with RCBD. Data assessment of DM infection was rated based on 1 – 9 rating score (1 = highly tolerant and 9 = highly susceptible) from 2 and 4 weeks before flowering. In Comoro, Dili, 32 genotypes exhibited very low DM infection with coefficient of variance and mean 17.2% and 3.9, respectively. BISI-2 (Indonesian hybrid) and TH2 (Timor Hybrid 2 crossed from two DMR OPVs, Indonesian Arjuna and Suwan 5) showed outstanding commercial value (CV). Twelve cultivars of MO5 were varied in CV. At Loes Research Station, genotypes showed high variation in DM infection. Average heterotic effect of 36 F1 crosses for DM tolerance was 29.5%. Mean parent value and F1 indicated negative correlation for DM infection. The result showed that to breed high resistance is difficult. However, breeding for host tolerance with polygenic system with a threshold nature is possible.

Downy mildew (DM) caused by the Peronosclerospora maydis is considered the most damaging disease of maize (Zea mays L.) in South Asia. In East-Timor, it has been widely spread and considered as the major stress of maize production. It was observed at Loes Research Station and farmers’ field since 2004. All materials exhibited high susceptibility to DM infection at the CIMMYT trial. Only Suwan5 (Thailand), LYDMR (CIMMYT) and Arjuna (Indonesia) showed tolerance. Different trials with 900 crosses were tested at 5 locations; Lospalos, Dili, Comoro, Aileu and Loes in 2006/2007 In 2008, high DM infection was observed at Loes. Crosses of Suwan5, NAI, Arjuna and DMR-ESR-Y (IITA)with tropical and temperate germplasm showed tolerance. The International Corn Foundation (ICF)/KNU team with the Ministry of Agriculture have run breeding research three cycles yearly. By 2007, the joint team developed an open-pollinated variety (OPV) with combined tolerance to DM and drought. The Ministry named it "NAI", means "honorable" in national language. Hybrid breeding for both DM and drought are being developed.