July 11, 2009

Yesterday we were invited to Veronica's 43rd birthday party. Veronica, shown here with her mom, was the woman who's husband died two years ago while we were here. She is the sweetest Christian woman and very active in the church. We were told the party was at noon, so we arrived about 12:10. Most of the rest of the people started arriving about 1:00. First they served us a piece of cake, then a plate of chips with cheese dip & a glass of Cola, and then we had the choice of escabeche (onion soup) or BBQ chicken with rice and beans. Of course Dale had to have both! He also was pretty much the only man at the party. Most of the invitees were her "Feminil" group from church and their children.

Tables had been set up under a tin shelter, which is actually Veronica's kitchen. The food was delicious! The flies plentiful. Baby chickens under our feet. It rained off and on. Interesting party, but always a great time of fellowship with our Belizean friends.

Last evening we were invited out to Patchakan to Gary and Anita's house for a scrumptions dinner of porkchops, potato salad, avacado salad and fresh brownies. Gary is now the acting director of the mission team in Belize. His wife is a nurse at the clinic. They now live in a house in Patchakan which belongs to Alvaro & Elsa. We have been in the same house several times when Alvaro and Elsa lived in Patchakan - back then the house that had no running water and no bathroom. Gary and Anita have modernized it and it's really a cozy little place!

Just so you all know, eating and partying is not all we have been doing. It is hard to describe what all goes on between these times of fellowship. I still have been sitting at the computer quite a bit helping Carla with her teaching modules and Alvaro with his "project." Dale had been so busy just spending time with different men, counseling them, advising them, encouraging them. Pray that God would give him wisdom as he is helping these men work through several situations that are serious and will have long-term consequences.