Seventh-day Adventist Missions - WIRED Unplugged

Praise God!

2011-03-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Time alone with God each morning was such a blessing in this setting!

Lindsey loading up on local fruit...mmmmm!

Bethel SDA School

The River

Erica praising God in the morning sunrise sun!

The Team

We are so happy to be home but we miss Belize, the people, the service and hard work, the sunrises, the friendship, the sweet fellowship in worship as family and of course, the sea.

Home and Ready to Share!

2011-03-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

God blessed us with safety in travel, hard work, service, new experiences and new friendships.
We are so grateful for all your prayers and support. Here are some more pictures that you might enjoy.

Mic sharing masking tape with the preschoolers.

Preschoolers touching the sticky side of tape....

Geddy and Chantelle Singing special music at the Highschool called Providence in San Antonio

Alan presenting an inspirational message at the highschool.

San Antonio SDA Church

Headed to Rio Blanco

Thatching!

Thatch collected from the jungle.

Finished product!

Dee Dee sharing her love for Jesus in song!

First Sabbath celebration!

Fruit...

Back Home Safe and Sound.

2011-03-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

We arrived home at 2:30 AM this morning! Praise God for His hand of safety! We look forward to sharing all our stories!

The Work Site

2011-03-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today is our final workday...we have finished the painting of the school and thatched the church building. The past few days were a whirlwind of activity.

Family Worship

Each day we get up around 5:00 to 6:00 AM. We gather for family worship and then have our personal time with God for about 30 min. After that it's breakfast and a hurried loading of the bus to get to the school by 8:00 AM. On Monday and Friday we had our AY meeting which is where all the kids come together for worship and games.

Worship At School

At the school, our kids divide into 7 teams and present a Bible lesson to each class including the preschoolers. So much fun...The Belizian children learned the new songs that we taught them and we enjoyed hearing them throughout the day as we painted and worked on the school. Their voices rang clear through the missing doors that we painted. Every so often we would hear them recite spelling words or solutions to their math problems and then they would sing songs again. It was awesome!

The kids worked hard through the morning in the intense heat. Painting, taping the walls, doors and door jams. Others worked on rolling the paint on the walls on both buildings.

Dr. Gearing and Sydney painting the door Jams.

Karl Thalman cleaning the doors for paint.

Michael Abts and Sydney Larsen setting up doors
on old desks to be painted.

Tessa Wolverton and Jeanette Esquer painting yet another door.

Alijah White, Dee Dee Desnoo and Tessa Wolverton getting that first coat on.

Good Morning! A few random pics...

2011-03-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! The internet seems to be a little faster this morning

so I am trying to get up as many pics up as possible. Enjoy :)

Tessa and Jeanette with some of the kids - Alan getting in on the fun too :)

Dee Dee with a few of her new friends

W.I.R.E.D. (Walking in Righteousness Every Day) in Belize!

A typical Indianville Dwelling
This is the village where we went to invite the people to the meetings at the school.

Dee Dee and Chantelle inviting people to the meetings.

Our Bus Driver

A Day of Sunshine

2011-03-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a wash....literally. It poured rain most of the morning so we could not work on the thatch roof or paint the outside of the school. We got a good start on Friday but Sunday we hung out at the house for the day. We planned our meetings and got that all done but everyone was getting a bit stir crazy in close quarters.

Today was very different....we rushed our breakfast and raced to the school for Week of Prayer meetings. The kids at the school were rearing to go and we began the week with great success. We divided our kids up into 7 groups with every one of our kids in leadership positions....they did great! The Belizian kids loved it. After one hour in the classrooms with each age group our kids made the change into work clothes and began to paint again...in the heat of the day they pushed through pulling weeds from the wall evading biting ants painted doors and walls all day long! At 4:00 we raced home, as fast as the bus could carry us for a quick shower/ocean swim for some, dinner and back to the school for the evening meeting. Geddy Pratt did the sermon. His topic, If God is so good, why is the World so bad. He did a wonderful job, the Lord blessed and everyone seems to really enjoy the meetings so far. Alijah White led out in the kids programing with good success. We had 30 guests which is wonderful. We are getting to know some new people and they are very eager to continue learning about God and His love for them. Praise God!

After the meeting we came home for worship and bedtime....night all....

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Our first Day at the School :)

2011-03-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day Friday! We went to the school and presented a AY (Adventist Youth) program. It was so much fun! All 150 kids at the school came out of their tiny classrooms with their chairs on their heads and lined up in a group so that we could share with them. Lindsey and her group from Andrews University were here ahead of us by two days. They started the programing and we came in a long side and continued it. Geddy and Drew presented the music at the beginning with the team of singers....Sydney, Dee Dee, Alijah, Sherry, Michael, Erica. After word we listened to a puppet show with Dee Dee as the arms for Anneli from Andrews, and Alijah as the arms. They shared how we need to use our eyes to see how God shows his love for us!

We heard from the Belizian kids as they shared their special songs. Each class got up to share.
Rob from Andrews shared the message....it was so much fun! Our kids mingling with them was such a joy to see. They played soccer together, Dee Dee and Alijah sat in class with the Standard 6 grade enjoying their English class.

We began painting the outside of the school buildings...all three in the afternoon. Lunch came to us from Alan and we were so glad to see him! The sun came out but not until we prayed for the rain to stay away! Another prayer answered. We had a full day of work without the rain to spoil it.

I will be posting pictures as I can...enjoy and thanks again for your thoughtful prayers for safety and for the Holy Spirit to use us as we serve here in Belize :)

The beginning...

2011-03-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

We travelled for a very long time - we left the church in Sonora at 1:00 am and made our flight at 6:30 am. We travelled on two planes and after landing in Belize City, we travelled by bus for 6 hours to Punta Gorda. We arrived to our destination and unpacked the bus and went to bed for some much needed rest.

Our orange shirts stand out and helped us keep track of each other.

Fun times traveling!

Thank you for your prayers!

We start our work at the school tomorrow.

Belize 2011

2011-03-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

Omar (front) and his buddy, last year in the Mayan village of Columbia

We will be leaving Sonora Tuesday at 12:00 midnight. Please pray for our safe travels and for the Holy Spirit to guide our actions, words and mission. Watch for current pictures and news of our travels and mission.

Blessings

2010-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why anyone would bother to spend time with perfect strangers, befriend them and share life with them?

This picture speaks volumes.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen."

At Home Away From Home

2010-03-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random pictures of our home away from home. We prepared for VBS, had family worship and just hung out here when the days were over or just beginning. We are thankful for the accommodations and the love and care of Mr and Mrs Sho.

Beautiful Feet That Bring Good News!

Sabbath Rest :)

2010-03-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Our first Sabbath in Punta Gorda was spent with the Punta Gorda Congregation. We had a very nice time and listened to a fabulous sermon by a lay preacher who just happened to be Maribell's brother from Guatemala. We invited them to lunch with us and had a very nice visit. The afternoon was spent in the village of Columbia at the wedding.

Punta Gorda, Belize, SDA Church

Wednesday - The Long Day...

2010-03-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

We had to finish the painting completely today. And really push to get the outhouse complete. The kids jumped in and got a ton done with the help of Nicole and Jim Gearing. We did it! It looks so nice and clean and is a bright spot for the village. We hope and pray that this little church will be a blessing to the village of Columbia and surrounding villages as well.

Before

After :)

Sydney presented the VBS message to the kids and did a fabulous job! We enjoyed playing jump rope, electricity and a kick ball game after the VBS program each night. We bonded with so many of the kids and rebuilt relationships made from years past! What a blessing.

Thursday - Excursion and a Day Off!

2010-03-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Yippee! We got a day off and so we headed out to our favorite little island in the Keys. We had worship once we got there and felt the presence of God as we discussed the wonder of his second bible, Nature!

We saw a nurse shark, jelly fish, octopus, star fish, a sea cucumber, sea anemone, sea urchins, lots of fish of many shapes and sizes and lots and lots and lots of hermit crabs. Many of us got a little too much sun...ouch....and of course we all enjoyed the change in scenery and some time to enjoy God's beautiful creation. Heather got pinched by a "not so friendly" hermit crab that drew blood from her finger tip. Others made mazes for them as they scurried around our feet in the white sand. We fed them coconut and watermelon rinds which they seem to love. My favorite memory of our excursion was watching an Osprey fly by, two feet off the water, with a good sized wriggling fish in it's grasp. None of us wanted to leave our little "hot" spot...but the sun was going down so we headed home....ahhhhh, a wonderful relaxing day!

Our little Island Get Away

The Sho girls joined us! Alice ( Apple ), and Patricia.

Crabby Crab

A Gecko with a roach meal

FUN IN THE SUN!

Day Three of the series!

2010-03-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

We finished painting the outside of the church today! It was an especially hot day and all of us are very tired but happy to see the accomplishment. Three coats and it looks fabulous.

The outhouse is about to be built. The hole is 5 1/2 feet deep and the posts are in place!

Heather Palmer presented the story of Jesus life and the purpose for His coming. She did a wonderful job. Very engaging for 80 kids!

The prophecy meetings are going well and we had several new folks come this evening. We are praying for God to touch the hearts of these people. Brian is doing a wonderful job and many are blessed and learning new biblical truths.

Everyone is well and doing great. We have had a few late nights and tomorrow morning we are to get up early and finish up our task of painting the inside of the church. Everyone is looking forward to a day off....God bless and thank you for your prayers!

Matt Gearing, Sydney Larsen, Heather Palmer, and Alijah White

Nice Job!

Heather Palmer

This little boy received a Beanie Baby for his correct answer. His smile was priceless!

Then he gave it to the little girl next to him. So precious.

Brian Simmons preaching in the newly painted church.

Nice white interior walls!

During the VBS presentation, a young man sought answers to some questions, Brian had opportunity to share biblical truth one on one. There were others opportunities as well. Many friendships have been established opening lines of communication and opportunities to share. God is so good!

Random Stuff....

2010-03-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

Every morning we get up, eat breakfast and have worship...then we send the kids out for their TAG time. (Time Alone with God) Then we gather our things, load the van and head out to the village. It takes about 30-40 min to drive to Columbia. We then begin the work of painting, digging and building the outhouse. We do take time to have a bit of fun too! Painting each other and playing in the faucet water.

Many of the kids from the village come out to "help" One little boy named Omar is our group favorite. He has brought many moments of laughter to us!

We change our clothes at around 5pm and get ready for VBS which is followed by Brian's Seminar. So far it is going great. Last Sabbath we attended a wedding in Columbia. Very interesting moments!

Here are a few random pics for you to enjoy!

The Happy Couple

The SDA Church in Columbia, Belize

Before paint :)

Front Entry

The Digging Begins...

The Paint Crew!

Digging Deeper...

Omar

Day Two of the Series!

2010-03-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

We worked all day on the church in Columbia. It was a great day. Matt and Brian dug the hole 5 1/2 feet deep going about 4" per hour or so as it got much harder to dig through the shale they encountered. The girls Alan and I, along with Nicole and Jim got the first coat on the inside and outside of the church! A bit on ourselves as well. Alan and Jim have been traveling to and from the various villages and getting materials for the outhouse and church.

Matt Gearing presented the message yesterday for Vacation Bible School and did a wonderful Job. He spoke on the fall of Satan and the entrance of sin into our world. The Mayan kids were especially attentive through out the presentation. They sang beautifully and we all enjoyed games afterward. God is really working on hearts. We have had several conversation with folks who are showing a real interest in a relationship with Jesus! Thank you so much for your continued prayer.

First day of the series!

2010-03-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

God is so good! Heather did a great job presenting the VBS program this evening. She presented how Jesus created our world and the kids were eager to answer the questions that she posed to them with hands in the air. What a blessing to see how the Lord answered prayer this evening as we had no electricity before the meeting held in the village of Columbia, but it came on just when we needed it. It went out again during the adult portion of the meeting but in answer to prayer, we were blessed with it's return.

God is working in both the lives of the children and the adults. One young man visited with Alan and told him that he is thinking about becoming a member in the SDA church and wants to come to the states to learn to bible work like Graciano Balon did at Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism. Alan and he spent the day digging a hole for an outhouse and sharing truths together.

A young boy named Marlin told us that He loves Jesus and he told me that he reads his bible and loves to know what it says. He is eager to learn and wants us to know that he wants to do the right thing.

We are focusing on the miracles that God is doing here in Belize. There are so many stories to share already. Thank you for your continues prayers.

Our first Day

2010-03-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

The morning has come and all our cherubs are still snoozing. The common grackles are out in force trying to wake them, but to no avail. Travel really takes it out of you! It is an overcast day with no sunshine in sight. Maybe a good thing today! We will be preparing for VBS today while Alan, Jim and Brian check out the work site. Today is the day we relax a bit and acclimate. Preparing for the physical labor, VBS and the Prophecy Seminar as well as getting the invitations printed for the Mayan Village are our tasks for the day. Please keep us all in your prayers today :)

Belize 2010

2010-03-18T21:16:00.003-07:00

We made it safely to Punta Gorda and will be posting pictures and videos when possible.
The internet connection is very slow and often not available. Very intermittent. Please keep us in your prayers.

READY ~ SET ~ SERVE

2009-12-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

We are sending kids out to serve in our community! The hours that they accumulate in service will be monetarily sponsored by friends and family who are willing to invest in their spiritual growth and desire to serve in Belize. If you or someone you know would like to sponsor a child...

Please contact Brian Simmons or Sherry Pratt. office@sonoraadventist.com

Spring 2010 Belize Trip

2009-10-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

WIRED in Belize 2010! We are embarking on another trip to Punta Gorda, Belize. Our goals will be to present VBS and to do evangelism in the Mayan Villages. If you are interested in supporting this mission, please call the Sonora Seventh-day Adventist church office. Your prayers and monetary support are much appreciated. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide as we give opportunity for our young people to experience the gift of sharing their faith with others.

WIRED 2008

2008-10-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

We are taking names for those wanting to go to Belize this year. The cost per person is $1200. Please contact Sherry or Alan and let them know you are interested in going. the project is to be announced. We will be doing VBS and possibly run a health program as well. It's gonna be cool!

Baptisms

2008-04-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

The most important part of mission trips is how the Holy Spirit touches hearts and changes lives. We saw first hand how young and old alike made decisions to follow Jesus. Erika Thalman and Dicia Cuneo were baptized in the river in the Mayan village of San Antonio. Juliana Mathews was used in a mighty way by the Holy Spirit as she led a young person to make a decision for Jesus. All were blessed as these young people made the most important decision of their lives. Praise God!

Excursions

2008-03-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

After a week of hard work we got to go to an island oasis for a break. The weather was perfect and the kids enjoyed the sea and sand for a day. Many took advantage of the warm calm sea and went snorkeling. We also tromped through the trees looking for boa's that are said to be on the island. We saw very large fish that followed us around in the water called Permit as well as a baby sea horse, a squid, starfish and a Portuguese Man-O-War...Yikes...and many other smaller fish. Several came back with sunny side up calves and backs but all enjoyed their day in the sun.

Health Ministry

2008-03-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

The people of Punta Gorda were very happy to hear about how they can reverse their diabetes and heart disease. Many expressed thier gratefulness in Charmaine Daniels presentation on health and asked if she would please come back so their friends and family could hear what they learned. The effort went for 4 half days and was very well received. Even our kids learned some things that they had not heard before. The need to educate here is great and now the doors have been opened to share the health message in a big way.

Final Days at the Job Site

2008-03-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

There are some major changes on the church that will be a blessing in the future for the congregation here in Punta Gorda. The kids worked very hard on Friday to finish the cement work and painting of the school. What a blessing to see their eagerness to finish what they started. Here are the final results of their service.

Final Days

2008-03-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

The adult Evangelism went well also. Attendance was small but the Lord truly blessed. We had 11 baptisms on Sabbath, some as a result of the meetings. What a blessing! Praise God for His goodness and love. Here are some pictures of those who preached for the evangelistic meetings. These young people are truly on fire for the Lord and are willing to stand for Him!

Josh Pratt

Elissa McMurry

Lindsey Henning

Jesse Hernandez

Lindsey Pratt

Final Days

2008-03-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

We averaged about 135 kids each day for Vacation Bible School. It was a real blessing to hear each of the kids present the truths of the bible to the Mayan children. They all did a great job. Each of them took it seriously and presented themselves wonderfully. The Lord was glorified.

Juliana Mathews

Sydney Larsen

Kayla Henning

Dicia Cuneo

Lauren Opsahl

Jade Mena

Erika Thalman and Jeanette Esquer

Update on the Church

2008-03-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

The church has been painted on the outside and looks great! Jesse Hernandez has worked the paint crew very hard and we now see the progress.

The roofing crew has gotten all the trusses up now and the zink roof will be placed soon.

The old platform has been steadily pounded to bring it to the floor level. We took the baptistery out and will move the platform back against the wall to make more room. The church members want to do their baptisms outside in the ocean or nearby river.

The pew sanding and finishing crew have just about prepped every pew and they will soon be varnishing.

Vacation Bible School is going very well. Our numbers have dwindled a bit because of another local VBS that started Monday. The numbers are much more manageable which is great but we miss having the huge crowd that we once had. Sydney Larsen presented the program for VBS on Monday, with competition from the pouring rain on the metal roof of the school The Lord answered our prayers and we were able to play outside after the slide show. Kayla Henning presented the program Tuesday and did a wonderful job in spite of power problems that interupted her presentation.

Josh Pratt presented the adult effort on Monday and Lindsey Henning presented the adult effort on Tuesday.

One of the little boys from the village cut his foot on a rock. His name is Nervin and he is 7 years old. Dr. Fred Mathews and Roy Opsahl got him fixed right up with 3 stitches on his toe.

There is an outbreak of pink eye in the village and several children are struggling with it. We will be bringing medicine to the village to get control of the outbreak. Roy and Carole Opsahl have been giving care to the kids that have weepy eyes. What a blessing to have these folks on the trip. It is a wonderful blessing to be able to meet physical needs as well as spiritual ones.

The Lord just keeps blessing each and every one of us. We are all growing and learning and sharing on this trip. The Holy Spirit is making a difference here and we are thrilled to be a part of the Lords work. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday and Sabbath

2008-03-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great day on Friday. We worked half of the day at the job site and got a portion of the church painted with primer and one coat of paint. The sanding team got several more benches sanded and prepped for lacquer. The roofing team have several trusses up already. Wow!!!

We ate lunch and headed out to the Mayan Village to hand out flyers inviting them to the VBS and the adult seminar. The kids walked the dirt roads visiting people in their huts and personally inviting them to the meetings. Then we got to visit Rio Blanco, a favorite "watering hole." We all enjoyed the water and the great lunch.

Sabbath was wonderful! We presented the Sabbath School program in the Mayan village of San Antonio. Fred Mathews, Charmaine Daniels, Jesse Hernandez, Roy Opsahl and Alan Pratt led out in a Sabbath School lesson. Jeanette Esquer shared a personal testimony for the church service as well as singing in a trio with Elisa McMurry and Sherry Pratt. Brian Simmons shared a wonderful message with interpretion by Graciano Balon. We were able to enjoy lunch and relaxation by a pond nearby.

We began our VBS in the afternoon with registration at 3:00pm The kids began to arrive at about 2:30 and by the end of the hour we had about 165 kids.

Juliana Mathews presented the first Power Point presentation and did an outstanding job. The kids listened intently as she shared with them the week of creation and God's love for them.

Between meetings we had a little excitement as Graciano Bolon caught an iguana just below the church. Jeanette Esquer, and Sydney Larsen were bold enough to touch the thing! Yikes!

The adult meeting went very well also. Lindsey Henning was the speaker and presented Daniel 2 with Graciano Bolon interpreting. Lindsey did a beautiful job!

We are enjoying wonderful food as the kitchen crew work early morning hours and late nights to keep us fed. The fruit here is delicious. We have enjoyed watermelon, pineapple and papaya every day as well as bananas and oranges. YUM!

The events so far have been a wonderful experience for the kids. Each one of these kids are seeing first hand what it is like to share God's love in many different ways. We are already hearing kids tell us that they are changing, that they are seeing things differently than they did before. They realize a simple lifestyle is not a bad thing and recognize that the distractions of our world can keep you from what is most important, a relationship with Jesus.

Please continue to pray for changed hearts!

The Job Site

2008-03-20T21:02:00.001-07:00

We had a very productive day today. We had a worship time right after a wonderful breakfast and then sent the kids out to spend time with God on their own.

Some chose to sit out by the ocean while others went up on the balcony of the house overlooking the ocean. Many of the kids took reading and spending time with God seriously. What a blessing!

We loaded the bus up and headed to the job site. It takes about five minuets to get to the church from the house. We unloaded the bus, had a prayer together, and then began the projects needed. You will see the kids sanding the church pews, painting the outside of the church and outbuilding as well as some working on the trusses. ENJOY!

Travel Pics

2008-03-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

Back in Belize

2008-03-19T16:45:00.001-07:00

We arrived safely. The kids were troopers. We traveled from San Francisco for 5 hours Tuesday evening to Miami and hung out there for another 4 hours. Then we headed to Belize City that was a flight that only took one hour and forty min. We arrived with all our bags in Belize City and then boarded our bus for the long haul to Punta Gorda. We are all relaxing now and gearing up for tomorrow. We arrived in Punta Gorda at 4:30pm.

Thank you for your prayers, The Lord really blessed us as we traveled. Several specific times that God guided were evident to us.

We had a ticket with a wrong last name on it and the airline let it go without any problem. The original person at the counter that was to help us left and we were helped by a lady that loves working with large groups. She was very gracious and helpful allowing the exceptions mentioned above.

Our normal stopover is in Texas but the plans went a different direction months ago. We found out that flights out of Dallas were not allowed because of all the flooding that occurred there.

We had excess baggage and overweight baggage and the airline allowed it to be loaded without charge.

The taxes to be paid for the food was very minimal. Normal charges are much higher than we had to pay.

Praise the Lord for His watchcare over us!

Ride to Serve!

2008-02-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

We are planning a Bike-a-thon for March 9, 2008. Many of the kids going on the trip will be riding as many miles as possible to raise money for materials and of course to help get them to Belize. We are looking forward to seeing what God can do to multiply our means. Any one can participate and are welcome to get sponsors as we ride to serve the Lord!! Contact Alan Pratt or Brian Simmons for information on how to sponsor a rider!

Belize Mission 2008

2008-02-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

Our group has been formed and the tickets have been purchased. We will be leaving for Belize on the 18th and coming back home on the 1st. Please begin praying now for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we move forward to share the love of Jesus in Belize. There are several kids who are going by faith that their portion of the money that needs to be raised will come in. If you have a burden for souls and want to support one of the kids on this trip, please contact the Sonora Seventh-day Adventist church. We will be sharing our love for Jesus and the path to Him in a variety of ways giving every teen involved an opportunity to build their own faith as well as share the message of our soon coming Saviour. Praise the Lord for His Mercy and Love!

Mission Goals:

*Replace Church Roof
*Evangelism Programs
*Vacation Bible School
*Construction on a Christian Radio Repeater Station

Spring 2008 Belize Trip Planning

2008-01-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

We are embarking on a new trip to Belize with an eager group of kids.
We will be working on fixing the roof on the Adventist church in Punta Gorda as well presenting a health seminar in there, We will also be presenting a VBS and Evangelistic effort in one of the local Mayan villages. Pray that the Lord will bless us with an outpouring of His Holy Spirit. We will be leaving March 18 and arriving home April 1. Pictures will be posted on a regular basis while in Belize.

Finally Home

2007-04-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

We had quite an adventure in Belize. It was a wonderful blessing to be around so many who had one purpose. To serve God in love to people who need to hear the message of truth in these last days. There are so many stories to tell. Each person on the trip will have different perceptions of the same events. I want to encourage all who read this blog to ask them personally what they did and why they did it. We were able to finish the church, begin the radio tower and touch many lives in love and care for the service of God. We were all blessed as the people in the Mayan village of San Antonio began to share life with us. Ask a young person about Sarafina, and her unborn baby. Ask about the boys who said they would read their bibles for the first time...there are so many stories. After getting up at 4:30am in Belize we began our travel home. We were in the bus on our way to Belize City for about 5 hours. We were able to stop at the Belize Zoo for one hour. We saw some really neat creatures. Upon arriving to Belize City we got our luggage and moved through the line in the airport. We had just a bit of a wait and then we loaded the plane to fly to El Salvador. The layover was just long enough there to buy a much needed meal and then we loaded the plane for the last leg of the trip to San Francisco. We flew for 4.5 hours and landed on time in San Francisco. We got a phone call from Vern Jones and unfortunately, the bus had broken down in San Mateo. So-o-o we had a prayer and made some decisions. We ended up renting 6 vehicles. 4 vans and 2 pickup trucks to get us home. We left S.F. around 2:30am and finally made it home around 5:00am. We had been up for 24 hours. What a blessing to know that the Lord took such good care of us. We are all blessed to have been through these experiences and trials. We certainly all had many opportunities for character growth. I hope that this blog was a blessing and that the connection was helpful to moms and dads who had children in Belize. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It made a difference for the Kingdom!

The Cave

2007-03-29T22:59:00.000-07:00

We got to sleep in and go to town this morning. (Thursday) It was a welcome relief. At about 10:30 we loaded the bus to go to Blue Creek where there is a cave that you can swim through. It was to be a quick trip as we had to make it back to the church for VBS by 5:00. We hiked into the cave which took about 20 min. Everything was so beautiful. We saw some beautiful birds and butterflies as we hiked. We had experienced an horrific downpour earlier in the morning so things were a bit muddy but it did not detour us. Once we made it to the mouth of the cave the kids really got excited. The water was cool and very inviting. The kids piled in. Once everyone made it to the mouth of the cave, we began our swim to a waterfall which was about one mile into the cave. Everyone buddied up so we could keep track of each other and off we went with head lamps glowing. Excitement echoed as we swam. As we drew closer to the waterfall, the flow of the water became became very loud. The last of the swimmers arrived. Everyone who wanted to, swam under the waterfall. It was really cool! Then we broke out into song. Later we found that one of the members of another group in the cave was moved to tears as we sang. The Holy Spirit prompts hearts all the time. We are a witness for Jesus in everything we say and do. I am thrilled that we have an army of youth ready to represent Christ so willingly. Praise God!

After our swim, we piled into the bus and made our way to the church for the meetings. We arrived to find Kevin Carpenter and some local workers working on getting the fans installed in the church. It looked wonderful! It was Rachael Boggess's turn to present VBS. She did a wonderful job. I neglected her and did not spend the time with her in preparation and yet she did a fine job. Sydney Larsen and Kayla Henning worked efficiently to get the story up in felts as Rachael unfolded the details. We again had over 100 kids. All our Sonora kids got into helping as we sang songs and relayed the story of Jesus' birth. Outside before the meetings, Drew Macomber was able to show the kids what a skateboard is. They had never seen anything like it! Drew showed them a few of his tricks, and then let them try themselves. There was a lot of falling and twice as much laughter.

Tina DeMerritt presented the truth about baptism this evening. She was very composed and worked well with the translator. She has a special ability to project her voice and everyone could hear clearly what needed to be said and heard. Great job Tina! We are seeing a few more people each night and would love to know that you are keeping us in your prayers. Thank you so much!

Porches and Foundations

2007-03-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was all about pouring porches and foundations. Entries and foundations seem to be important. We always want to put our best foot forward and of course a firm foundation is essential. Our army of youth pounded both out today! Once again they showed eagerness to work hard and finish the job before pleasure. All the cement work was finished today. You would be so proud to see how your kids have worked together and gotten the job done in record time. No whining, no complaining, even when hungry and tired, your kids are willing to sacrifice and get the job done.

Vacation Bible School went well. Once again we had about 100 kids attend. Drew Macomber did a wonderful job presenting God's Law. The kids listened very well and knew some of the facts given by Drew during the question and answer time. Alison Deacon did a wonderful job of asking the questions and interacting with the kids as they gave their answers.

David Esquer preached on the topic of the Sabbath for the seminar. He did a fine job. He dressed so nicely and represented our Lord very well. Commitments were made that evening. A wonderful thing to see! Also I think it to be high time that I let you know about Zach. He has been faithfully video taping each and every presentation. I am so proud of him for stepping up to take that on. Great Job Zach!

Play Day!

2007-03-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a wonderful day. We got up very early so that we could have as much of the day at the Keys as possible. We loaded up the two open air, outboard motor powered boats and headed down the inlet to the open ocean. The sea was very calm so we had a very smooth ride. It was absolutely beautiful. There were white fluffy clouds in the sky and of course the coastline was a beautiful emerald green. We stopped at a reserve which is on an island along the way to our destination, to pay for our visit to Snake Island in the keys. Off we went again. We arrived to the island and we all piled out. Everything was perfect. White sand, palm trees full of coconuts and of course calm, warm sea water full of God's creation. Kayla gave a small worship and then after prayer everyone lathered up with sunscreen and went off in groups for snorkeling and other activities. Most of the boys stayed on the beach and played with the many Hermit crabs available. The ground literally looked at though it were moving because of the abundance of crabs available to choose from. Several of the kids adopted a hermit crab and placed it in a maze created in the sand. They had races and cheered them on as they climbed through tunnels and other obstacles in the maze. Stories began to come back from the kids as they would come back in from snorkeling about what they saw. Starfish, a sea turtle, a big jelly fish, many different fish, coral, sea anemone and many others. The water was very shallow for quite a way out. Every one had a very relaxing time. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch provided by Colleen, Nicole, and Betty. These ladies have been sacrificing tremendously as they rise early every morning to have a meal prepared for us and then haul food to the work site and of course on a trip to the ocean. They work tirelessly to make sure that our hungry crew is fed well. Two o:clock rolled around and and we had to pull ourselves away and prepare for our nightly meetings. Our visit to the island was a wonderful way to rejuvenate the souls of each missionary here.

We arrived back to the house and those who were involved in VBS quickly cleaned up and headed to the church 20 minuets away. It was Mat Gearing's turn to preach for Vacation Bible School. The topic would be "The Big Flood" He did a wonderful job of it! His audience of 110 children listened as he unfolded the sad story of the sin that abounded in Noah's day. The felts on the felt board displayed visually what Mat shared verbally. The kids seemed to really enjoy the details as they listened intently. Richard asked questions afterward and gave prizes for correct answers. It was a fun night. Mandy DuBose would be up next. Her topic was The Millennium. Our interpreter did not show up and so she had to present without him. She did a wonderful job! She projected her voice and was animated and interesting to listen to. Way to go Mandy! The day was a wonderful relaxing day. Many hearts are being prepared for Christ's soon coming by an army of youth! Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

More Preaching and Teaching

2007-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Monday was a great day. We got up a bit later than mornings before. We went up to the radio site where Hollie gave a wonderfully meaningful worship. It was a blessing to be on the top of the hill looking down on the beautiful lush greenery and up at all the white fluffy clouds in the blue sky. The girls got back on the bus and headed to San Antonio to work on getting ready for VBS and do some painting. We ended up doing very little painting and spent the time inside getting ready for the meetings. The guys stayed at the radio station site and worked very hard mixing cement and pouring. We had a late lunch and made a quick trip back to Rio Blanco. VBS was really fun today. It went a bit short so we played a game of four corners with about 65 kids. They had a great time. Afterward we entertained the Kids outside by singing songs and telling stories while the adults were inside listening to Alexa preach about the second coming of Jesus. Our kids found lots of unique ways to keep the little Mayans occupied. During the last meeting the kids that were in the church were a distraction. It was so loud, that it was difficult to hear what was being said. We decided to take the kids outside and sing songs with them. It was a good idea as it allowed the adults to hear. Willie's pen spinning came in handy as he entertained the young boys that were causing problems with noise. Way to go Willie! Your pen spinning sure came in handy! Our kids went out and prayed while Alexa preached. It helped! God is good! Please keep praying that the Mayan people attending the meetings will have open hearts.

Preach It!

2007-03-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

Sabbath morning dawned. What a beautiful "rainy" day. We were planning to go to the swimming hole in Rio Blanco after church. The sun decided to shine on us as we traveled to the church. We arrived a bit late but were able to worship with the little Mayan congregation in song. Elissa and Hollie lead out as we sang several hymns together. The church congregation treated us by singing from their Mayan hymnals. That was such a treat. Mandy and Heather pulled together a skit about the Good Samaritan for the children's story. For Sabbath School we broke up into small groups while several kids and adults shared texts of their own choosing. We were able to have discussion about God's word with members of the church as well as visitors that came in response to our invitation on Friday. (I forgot to mention that after work on Friday the kids separated into several groups and went hut to hut with an invitation to Vacation Bible School and the Prophecy Seminar.) It was nice to see so many eager faces sitting on the newly cemented floor. Brian shared a wonderful sermon and all were blessed. He did a great job for his first time with an interpreter. We got to go to Rio Blanco for lunch after all. The rain cleared so we decided to go there for lunch. Nicole, Betty and Colleen worked very hard to provide a wonderful meal for us. We hauled it down to the river where we would have a relaxing time enjoying jumping off the rock and swimming in the cool water. Just as we were about to settle in a huge dark cloud found it's way overhead. It dumped an amazing amount of water on us for about 15 min. Everyone ran for cover. Under trees, under banana leaves. Those who were already in swim suits jumped in the water and enjoyed the pelting of the rain. It was quite a sight to see. The rain abated and we were able to enjoy the rest of our time there before the meetings.

Vacation Bible School came first at 6pm We arrived and pulled all the felts that were needed for the first story. Kayla Henning was chosen to go first. She presented the story of Creation with Bolon interpreting. At 12 years old, Kayla did a fabulous job! We did not have lights set up yet so Kayla preached in the dark. Kids and adults alike rallied together and shone flashlights where they were needed. We had almost 100 kids our first night. Lindsey Henning recapped very well, then we had a question and answer time. The Mayan children seemed to really enjoy themselves and they got to hear a twelve year old girl stand up for Jesus! Kayla said "My name is Kayla and I want to tell you that I love the one and only God who I trust!" What a powerful witness from one so young!

At 7 pm we began the Prophecy Seminar. There were a few adult woman who came with their children. Elissa McMurry presented the information beautifully. She was animated and spoke clearly and conciseley. What a blessing to see our kids stand up for Jesus. She spoke for an hour on Nebuchadnezzar's dream and it's interpretation. Kids and adults were able to see and hear about the prophecy of the Bible given hundreds of years in advance. She shared how the final days of the prophecy are unfolding today. It was wonderfully done.

It's All About Team Work!

2007-03-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

We began our day early on Friday. We were able to sand and paint the inside of the church within hours. All the kids jumped in and worked very hard. Eagerness abounded. It was fun to see how everyone wanted to be a part. We were also supposed to get the floor of the church poured. That was a daunting task. We were told that it could not be done in one day but we so wanted to have it done for Sabbath. With two mixers going and the kids feeding the them by shoveling sand and bucketing it over to the mixers as quickly as they could, it looked as though they were going to get it done. Some of guys as they filled the wheelburrows were running toward the church with their loads. It was awsome to see the willingness to work so hard as they shoveled sand into buckets and moved the cement in the heat of the day. Now, get this, We finished the task of pouring the floor before lunch! Our cement guy was amazed at our kids. He really didn't think it could be done.

We Made It!

2007-03-20T00:32:00.000-07:00

It is Thursday morning. We had a wonderful breakfast of tropical fruit and pancakes. Worship was a real blessing as we decided to each spent time with God. We had an opportunity to sit on the beach or high up on the balcony as we spent quiet time with God. The kids came back with their experiences. It was a wonderful blessing to hear how God spoke to each one. We will be heading off to the work site to sand the church walls and begin the painting process. We hope to have the walls painted before tomorrow as we need to pour the floor. Thank you for your prayers. Every one is doing great!

We made it to Punta Gorda! All the kids did so well. Moms and dads too. We started off at the San Francisco airport in plenty of time to check in all our bags. The kids worked hard to get baggage moved from place to place. We flew for about 4 hours and 45 min. When we arrived in El Salvador, we were able to take a bit of a breather. Then is was back onto the plane for our last hour of air travel. Once we arrived in Belize City, the kids got a first hand taste of the climate. Very humid! Our rented bus arrived with Pete the bus driver to take us to our home away from home. Thankfully the Lord blessed us with a fairly cool breeze. With the windows down we enjoyed a nice 6 hour trip to Punta Gorda. We bumped along enjoying the opportunity to share new experiences with those who have never been as we anticipated getting to our destination. We saw so many beautiful sights! We will continue to keep in touch.

Belize Mission Trip 2007

2007-02-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

All Belize Mission Trip participants and their parents will be meeting in the Youth Center Wednesday, March 14, at 6:00pm. This will be our final meeting before we leave. Thank you so much for all your support and prayers as we anticipate our mission in Belize.

The school bus that was purchased for the Punta Gorda School in Belize is on it's way. It seems to be running well and will be a wonderful blessing to the community as the children from quite a distance now have the option to attend the Adventist School.

We are preparing for this year's Mission Trip. It has been great working on the sermons for the evangelism series. We have also been working on VBS supplies. Felts are on the way and we are planing to take them on a test run with the local daycare service.

We leave March 20 and return on April 3. God has provided everything so far. It looks like this is going to be a great trip filled with a whole bunch of Gods blessings. We will try to keep you informed as much as possible while we are gone.

Keep in touch.

Belize Pre-trip 2007

2007-02-14T23:11:00.000-08:00

Alan went to Belize to get things ready for our mission trip. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what the needs are and what our team will be working on. The house on the left of the pink building is where we will be staying.

Brother Bolon in front of the new church building. We will be plastering and painting the outside walls.

Sabbath morning service. We will be building pews and pouring a new floor.

Radio station site where we will be raising a tower on a new cement foundation if funds permit.

Brother Bolon's home in the jungle and a picture of his family.

Belize Mission Trip 2006

2006-03-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

This was last years trip. We had an awesome experience and we know that God will bless this years trip just as much. Here are some of the things we did.
We worked on building a school building. As we set brick on top of brick we could see the school start to form. Even in the rain! It was a blast.

The first school building was built in the year 2005. We got to paint it this year. It was messy but fun. It turned out great.
Vacation Bible School was super fun. The Mayan kids learned so much and they were so excited. The locals were not the only ones getting a blessing though.

This year was blessed by God. We think the Lord will bless this coming trip as well.
Keep praying please.