July 8, 2009

I need to take more pictures! However, I'm sure no one really cares to see a picture of me sitting at a computer transcribing a workshop (as I have been doing most of the last day and a half). Or a picture of Dale sitting in a chair going through materials Carla wants him to evaluate, but that's what we've been doing.

This morning we went to Romalda's sister Felipa's funeral. It was all in Spanish at an Adventist church in the Patchakan village. After the service, we followed (walked behind in the hot sun) a pick-up truck that is carrying the body, the several blocks to the cemetary. There was a large crowd (over 100) because Felipa has a large family. We never cease to be amazed at the reality of death here in Belize. We stood and watched them entomb the body in cement. Felipa's mother, her 12 siblings, six children, and many grandchildren look on (singing hymns) - Grandchildren who have just had their last look at their grandmother' face as the cover is removed from the casket for one last look at the body, the lid nailed back on, the coffin placed in a hole and cement shoveled on top until it is completely covered. Life lessons taught to the very young.

On the way back from the funeral we were able to give Ismael a ride to town to the gas station. He had run out of gas on the road to town.

While I was getting a salad prepared for lunch, these children came to my door, peeking in, asking if I had any cookies. I gave them each a banana, and they said "Oh, healthy food." They plopped themselves on my porch and began to take off the peels. I told them to make sure the peels got to the garbage, and they answered, "Oh yes, miss, we will." Of course, when I went out the door later, there were banana peels there on the porch.

Here they are sitting on Carla's railing, finishing their bananas. I only remember the name of the one on the right - her name is Erica. The other two have difficult names to remember, it's not that I am getting forgetful.