July 10, 2009

Last evening we took Alvaro & Elsa and their three boys out for dinner. We had a great time of fellowship and Dale was able to spend a couple hours talking with Alvaro. Alvaro brought me his "project" to format and get ready for his final presentation at Covenant Seminary in August.








This morning we went on a day trip with Albert & Romalda to Old Belize. It was a three-fold excursion. We needed to go to Belize City to the airport to pick up three packages of textbooks and a sewing machine that I had sent back in June through Harvest Aviation (a missionary support which flies out of Florida to missionaries serving in the Carribean and Latin America. )
Another purpose of our trip was to get Albert and Romalda away for the day for a much needed R&R. Also it was a perfect opportunity for Dale to spend time encouraging Albert .


Old Belize is a tourist sight on the other side of Belize City. It has a museum which takes you through the history of Belize and reminded us (just a little) of the Creation Museum in Kentucky.











These two shots are depictions of how the Mayan families lived - and not that long ago. Romalda told us that this is what her home looked like when she was growing up in Patchakan in the 1960's & 70's. She said these stick beds were just like the one she slept in and the kitchen shot very similar to her mother's kitchen.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch in the restaurant there (Rice & Beans!) and then spent about 4 hours at the man-made "beach" area that is also a part of Old Belize. Two hour drive there, two hour drive back - we are exhausted! But it was a perfect day!

Also, while we were passing by, we stopped to see the Unity Presbyterian Church in Belize city. This church is located next to the city cemetary in what they call the "burial grounds" area of town. Many very poor people living in really sad conditions, but a church that is growing and changing the looks of the area in which it was planted 4 years ago. They started a school which currently offers pre school through 2nd grade.
A team (from a PCUSA church in N. Carolina) was there working on the new school building.

July 9, 2009

Last night this crazy trio went out to eat at Patty's Bistro. After our dinner we took a walk over to the bay, hoping to see a moon rise. As you can see, it was way too cloudy.

Even though the saying goes ".....Red sky at night, sailor's delight" we woke up to rain this morning. And it has been raining off and on most of the day.

I forgot to mention yesterday, that through God's providence, Dale was able to meet up with Ismael and made plans to meet with him next week to talk about school boards and such. Ismael had run out of gas on the road from Patchakan to Corozal and we were in the right spot at the right time to help him get some gas and get back on his way.

We spent several hours this morning at Cornerstone High School. Carla and I worked in the library -(Thursdays are Library Days) and we also kept working on the teacher training modules between student library patrons. Dale met with Albert. We also got a chance to catch up with Elsa Itsab. She's cutely 22 weeks pregnant.

Tonight we will be spending the evening with Alvaro & Elsa. Looking forward to that!

And tomorrow we have made plans to celebrate John Calvin's 500th birthday by taking a road trip to Belize City with Carla and Albert & Romalda and their kids. Pray that we can be a real encouragement to them as we make the 2 hour trip each way. They are in great need of a break!!

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.

July 7, 2009

As you can see, there was a full moon over the Corozal Bay last night. For some reason the moon always looks most spectacular here in Belize. Really amazing when we think our friends and family are seeing the same moon from a different vantage point.

Carla has befriended several mothers and their small children who live in a very poor part of Corozal. These mothers know that they can come to Carla if they or their children are hungry or sick. One such mother, named Sandra, lives in this small shack with her two daughters and husband. Carla had to take the husband to the hospital on Sunday morning because of a sore on his leg that was not healing. The doctor lanced it and the sore was full of worms of some sort, so the man has been in the hospital now for three days. His wife has to bring him water and food, and even toilet tissue, which Carla is happy to supply. Sandra travels on a bike with her two children in tow on the handle bars. Another reminder of how we have so much to be grateful for.

Today we spent time going over the outline for the modules we are preparing for the teacher training. There is so much work (typing & editing& making CD's) to do - I told Carla I can't stay for three months! She laughed and said it better not take that long!

In a short while we will make the 10 mile trip into Patchakan to attend the wake for Romalda's sister. Continue to pray for God's comfort for that family.

July 6, 2009

Abdiel Patt was born three years ago on the day

we arrived in Belize in 2006. We have been invited

to help celebrate his birthday every year, but this year it

was a big party! (we have usually been the only ones invited.)

Loli & Viany (his parents) are now in their OWN home that they just built and

moved into this past October, and it

was a big celebration for family and Abdiel's friends.

Dale helping Abdiel open his present.

Abdiel's cousins & friends in front of his Spiderman cake.

Abdiel & his friends with the Winnie the Pooh pinata.

Loli and Viany killed their pig on Satuday and stewed it for the festivities.

It was served recado style with rice and beans. Delicious!

We had to leave the party early because we needed to get to

church, but stopped on the way to take a plate of food to an

elder in the San Narciso church (Taco) who is crippled, and recently

fell and broke his femur and will be laid up for a few more weeks.

Today hasn't turned out at all as we had planned. But that is

how it is in Belize. Right now Dale is counseling with an friend in one of the churches who is currently under church discipline.

Please pray that Dale can be used to encourage repentence and

reconciliation in this difficult situation.

Also, Romalda Zantingh's sister died at 6 this morning of pancreatic cancer.

There will be a wake tomorrow night and a funeral on Thursday. She was 59.

We haven't seen Albert & Romalda yet because of this situation.

Pray that we can be a support to them through this time.

Sunday, July 5

Here are Alvaro & Elsa and the group they were seeing off at the airport when we came in to Belize City.

An iguana outside the River Side Grill in Belize City

Alvaro teaching Sunday School this morning.

How good to be back with the folks at the San Narciso Church!

The "Sunday Lunch Bunch" at Dorothy's.

She made us Coke Chicken over Rice,

and Mrs. Lacy made mango cobbler for desert.

front left, Karen Hill(a nurse at the clinic);

and clockwise around the table

Dalila Chan, teacher at PDS, Mrs. Lacy,

Carla Stevens, Dorothy Meyer, and Linda.

Dale is ALWAYS the token male at this regular Sunday gathering.

In a little while we will be on our way to Abdiel Pott's 4th birthday party,

and then evening worship at the San Narciso Church.

It's hot!

Belize it or not - We're Here!

Everything went very smoothly today. Got into Belize about 30 minutes late, but processed through immigration and customs very quickly.

Carla wasn't waiting at the entrance for us - but the porters all seem to know her by name and said she was looking for us. We turned around and there she was! Alvaro and Elsa and their family were also at the airport seeing a team off - so we got to chat with them a while.

After a late lunch at Carla's new favorite place to eat, the River Side Grill , and a stop at Brodies (the supermarket) we were on the road for the 90 minute trip to Corozal.

We are unpacked and ready for a good night's sleep. (If that will be possible in the heat - it's pretty warm, as we expected.) We are having trouble getting our computer to work in a speedy manner, so we'll try again tomorrow to send a picture or two.

Thanks for your prayers.