Belize 2013

Once again we are headed to Punta Gorda, Belize. We have established many friendships with the people there and they anticipate our partnering with them to reach those who are in need in their community. It is such a blessing to be able to make a difference for the Kingdom. These lovely people  have requested that we return to help with several new projects. We have been called to help complete a church in Punta Gorda for the Spanish speaking congregation, present an evangelistic program utilizing music and preaching and a children's program for the community. We will also be bringing along a dental team to serve in the Mayan Villages. Please pray for the those who plan to serve as missionaries and for guidance and protection as we make our plans.

Leaving Punta Gorda - Going Home

We got up early in the morning to eat a quick breakfast and load the bus with all our luggage. We are headed home! God has blessed us with many rich experiences. Our kids have gained experiences that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Service for the King of Kings, sharing of the gospel message, bonds in friendship with those abroad and at home and insight into the lives of people outside our country. We are so very grateful for all the support in prayer and finances that our church family have provided. The souls that are touched and changed are not just the Mayan and Belizian people but the next generation from our very own home church. See you all when we get home.

Belize Team 2012

Our Journey Home - Lunch on the Bus

 Night time layover in Texas - Half way Home

One More Trip into the Villages

We will be leaving shortly to head out to San Antonio one more time. Jim has been our faithful bus driver keeping us safe and getting us to our destination every day! Thanks Jim!

Today we get the long bus! Everyone is very happy about that!

WE PAINTED THE OUTSIDE OF TWO SDA CHURCHES

 Crique Jute and San Andtonio.

Matt and Brendan working...

Caleb taking care of details

Serving with Love

Taping the Sign

Amariah and others painting the roadside

Karl Cleaning the wall for prep

Sydney getting the door jam

The Team!

Excursion to Snake Island

We spent the day yesterday on Snake Island. It was so relaxing! We saw so many fish and had a great day in the sun.

Gabby's Starfish

Drew getting a facial

As we worshiped last night together as a family, we reflected on our talents and the joy that comes with service for our Saviour. Many of the kids shared the trials and struggles and we all made the connection to the Joy that was set before Jesus - redeeming us, and the joy that comes in serving others even when things get hard.

Today is our final full day in Belize. We will be painting the San Antonio church with a coat of white paint. One more project to complete. We leave very early tomorrow morning to catch our plane to Houston and then on to San Francisco. Please pray for our safe travel. We have enjoyed our time here and pray that the time we spent leaves a lasting impression on those who's paths we've crossed of Jesus love and care for all of us.

Happy Sabbath

Several of the kids took a canoe ride on the river this morning while others took a hike along a well traveled trail in the jungle. We saw toucans flying over head as we enjoyed our morning swim in the river. The beautiful Belizian sunrise is amazing and the echoing voices of the Howler monkeys and tropical birds ring in our ears! God is so good! We pray that you are well and happy on this blessed Sabbath day!

We are finished with a wonderful breakfast and headed in the bus to the San Antonio Seventh-day Adventist church. Brian will be preaching the sermon. We will be meeting many of the young children from VBS there. We gave them an invitation yesterday at our last VBS meeting.

The Kids singing a choir song from MLAJA - Shut de Door

Their choir master would be so proud!

Bonding

Yihang reading the morning 

scripture and offering prayer for the church service in San Antonio

Power In the Blood in Maya

Mike leading the song service in English

Brian preaching as Brother Bolon interprets into Mayan

After church we printed out the last of the children's VBS certificates. We also took pictures of families and printed them out to those who wanted one. It took us almost two hours to finish the task. Everyone felt good about leaving a treasured family picture for the Mayan people. Most of them do not ever have an opportunity to have any photo of themselves or their family. We are all blessed to be a part of that.

Brian and Yihang got the job done in the heat of the day inside the church building. Thanks guys for your patience and diligence.

Graciano Bolon (second from left) the Bible worker that the Sonora SDA church 

sponsored to attend  Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism 

standing with several baptismal candidates. Still diligently doing God's work.

We spent the afternoon in God's amazing creation. We rode the bus to the Mayan village of Blue Creek. There we hiked along the river and through a cave that has a waterfall at the end of it. There are beautiful birds and butterflies all around and we even found the insect called a "Walking Stick"

The entrance to the swimming cave.

Alan standing at the entrance of the cave 

waiting for those who went inside.

Caleb and Zach went fishing...

Update

We have had several of our WIRED family come down with the flu. It came with us from Sonora and has been passed around to several of our dear ones. We are praising God that EVERYONE is now well. We intentionally slept in several mornings and slowed the pace down so everyone had plenty of sleep just to keep our immune systems up to par. Thankfully it is a short lived virus (only 3 days) and our wonderful nurse Chantelle has taken such good care of us! Everyone was together at breakfast yesterday!

INVITATION TO VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Sydney and Mike inviting kids who just got out of school

Alijah extending an invitation to some boys just out of school for the day

Vacation Bible School is going GREAT! 

The theme this year is Jesus Is My Friend! We have four group leaders Matt, Mike, Sydney and Alijah with co-leaders at their sides. We divide the children into smaller groups and each of our kids present the day's Bible study to their group of Mayan children. Our first day we had 86 children attending. We start off singing some songs and then break up into our groups. Then we come together again for a Mission story from Uncle Alan and end with a corporate game out side! Justin and Sherry are taking pictures of every child attending so that we can present to them a certificate at the end of the week with their very own picture on it. The children are very excited to receive their picture.

Gabby and Amariah - Jesus' Jewels

Karl guiding a VBS attendee through the scriptures

Alijah leading her group

Mike with his group studying creation

Brendan interacting with one of the teens.

Yehang enjoying leading by example

Mike sharing Jesus' creation

Matt Leading

Click on the fifth picture from the top and look closely to see Alijah, Drew and Zach F. leading their group in the foreground. In the middle group you can see Brandi and Jamie and Mike G leading their group and the furthest group back in the picture you will find Matt and Karl leading. All our kids are involved in a group. Yesterday we studied the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. Sonora did a skit with Brian narrating the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It was wonderful to hear the kids respond with answers to questions after listening to the details of Jesus life.

Jesus dying on the Cross played by Drew

Roberto receives his certificate! So many happy kids :)

Those who went to the job site worked on the backside of the original classrooms to correct a drainage problem. We moved a LOT of dirt using picks, shovels, hoes and of course the wheel barrows. The two new classroom slabs for foundations are complete! We have accomplished our service task with time to spare.

Brandi working that Wheel barrow

Jamie Hauling dirt

The whole team working hard

Matt and Brendan 'getting er done'

Almost done with the 6" slope!

Because we finished our task at the Providence SDA High School. 

We were commissioned by the principle to repair a basket ball court in a non-adventist school called the Institute of Technical Vocational Education and Training, for a large sporting assembly of SDA schools from all over Belize.  We pulled weeds out of the cracks on the basketball court and then filled the cracks with cement and re-painted the boundary lines. We accomplished that task in record time.

Weed picking

Cleaning out the cracks for fill

Paint for the Key and 3 point lines