Sunday, August 20, 2017

Day 2 cont & Day 3 Belize Mission Team

Day 2 Continued

Once arriving back in Belize City, we waited at the airport for Alexander to pick us up and take us back to his place where he let us borrow their family vehicle for the rest of our trip.

We still had one package that we had brought in as cargo on the plane that we needed to deliver to a local pastor. We had attempted to deliver it on Wednesday night and visit their church for services, but after realizing we had past the "yellow" bus stop many miles away, that there are multiple Puma Gas stations, and mile marker 8 was no where in sight... we knew it was best to get back to Hopewell.

But this time we found the yellow bus stop and Pastor Pleas Myers (pronounced Play-us) He and his daughter, Rain, met us on the side of the road to exchange the package and we had the privilege of hearing his heart for the people of his church. Pastor Pleas, originally from Belize, but has lived in NY for quite some time, is new to the church. As a single dad, living in the church, and trying to make ends meet, he shared how even he as a Pastor struggles just like the people of his church. Church in this area is know for being legalistic and skeptic of the different Pastors coming in and out of the church. Pastor Pleas just wants them to know the real God who doesn't care what they wear to church but how they bring their hearts.

It was a sweet, short time of fellowship & prayer with Pastor Pleas, and we hope to continue to keep up with him & baby Rain in future trips to come.

We came back to Hopewell a tad bit later than we expected but to a delicious meal made by the 3 most kindest interns ever! Chicken, salad & some delicious chocolate cupcakes. They've really spoiled us around here, that's for sure.

We sat and fellowship with Marc & Dail again. And then it was to bed.

Day 3 - August 18, 2017

Morning started around 7am at Hopewell with cinnamon raisin french toast and bread fruit (which tastes like french fries). The 3 interns I've mentioned in previous posts are the best.

We packed up and headed out to Belmopan to meet up with the Fritzler's. We hadn't even made it down the road a few miles when we ran into a police check point. Mike had to show his license, passport and explain why we were here. Luckily Marc was behind us in his van and told the officers we were with him. Couldn't take off though before snapping a picture with them.

The night before when we had picked up the borrowed vehicle from Alexander, we were talking with Lisa, one of the staff members for Belize Camping Experience, who was planning to head over to Belmopan for 2 weeks on break. So we offered to pick her up so she could ride with us instead of the bus.

We took a little detour on the way to Belmopan to stop and visit a Pastor in More Tomorrow that Brian had met before on a previous trip. After some of Anna's "oh so accurate" directions and what seemed an hour down the road, we finally looped around back to the road we were supposed to be on and found the house. Pastor was not there, but his wife and two boys were, Harrison & Thomas.

We made it to Belmopan and met up with Jadine & Craig Fritzler who prepared lunch for us at their home. Craig & Jadine have been living in Belize for quite some time and are well established in their area.  They've also been missionaries for a really long time with some amazing (and scary) stories about serving as missionaries in Africa. Their daughter lives just on the other side of the road with her husband who is from Belize and she teaches dance. Craig has been teaching Bible School (not VBS, but actual Bible classes for many years) and is currently doing this through extension (taking the classes to the students due to limited transportation for most locals).

Jadine started a Pregnancy Center about 3 years ago and works with local women through counseling and educating. The women earn baby dollars as they take classes, watch videos and participate in their baby's progress to being born healthy. More ways to partner with Hope for Life will be made available soon. (For those of you familiar with Choices Family Resource Centers in Hardee County, this ministry is very similar.)

After meeting with the Fritzler's we decided to check out the local market. Then it was time to find a sweet treat. We stopped at Antonini's for some ice cream (thanks to Anna's GREAT directions this time)!!! Jadine recommended a cute little store down the road for some shopping, called the Art Box Arts & Crafts Centre. Be sure to check out our Purpose With A Purpose store in December for some new items!!!

Then we called for directions to our next stop which included going through 3 villages (that were unmarked, like pretty much every road and village in Belize). But our landmarks included going over 7 speed bumps and then we'd be there. (It was pretty important that we got the directions right, because we ran out of minutes on our local phone and didn't have time to stop).

It was at this meet up where we learned that if you are driving down the road and want to take a left but there is traffic behind and there is traffic oncoming, you should pull to the right, allow the traffic behind you to pass and then turn left. You should NOT stop in the road with your left blinker on, because the Semi behind is NOT going to be stopping and waiting for you. It was a close one, but now we know (thanks to Mike & Mr. Semi Driver).

This is where we met Pastor James Jones. He's a new Pastor and eager to learn more about the Bible now that he's no longer working for the US Embassy and starting his own company.

We met James' family, Gina, their 3 girls, and another girl on the way, due Dec 18th. James took us to meet up with some other missionary's Lee & Leslie who are recently retired, new to the Missions field & Belize. They shared with us of their different outreach opportunities with a community that needs so much!

Then it was off to church for a church dinner. We had the opportunity to share a Harvest Presentation with the church members and then ate dinner with them. They even had made a cake for us with our names on it.

This church (with 8 others) were founded by Pastor Lee, originally from Korea who came to Belize with her brother a long time ago. She has since retired and mentors Pastor James. She shared with us how she had a vision of a place and once she got to Belize she began the process of building Prayer Mountain. It is here where God's beauty meets with every flower in the garden, every bird in the sky and every person who listens with their hearts open wide. Words can not describe the beauty and pictures can not capture the moment of what takes place in your soul at Prayer Mountain where God's creation is magnified and no one can doubt the hand of God!

What was so amazing is that this beauty was unseen when we arrived because it was pitch black. But when we woke up in the morning, to the sound of birds singing his praises, you knew you were walking with God. And that Ms. Lee (a women that used every single resource she had to create this place) had been walking with God for many years.

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