Friday June 5,2015
Loading day. We are up early,washing vans(Chris),gathering and loading. The work is over,but the fellowship continues. The McBrides insist that teams have some down time. A team that works hard all week is rewarded with a recreation day, a chance for ones soul to catch up with the body. We are all so scheduled, and regimented. It is good advice for anyone.
We travel towards the airport (1,5-2hours) to drop off Kelly. Then we head out on a 90minute river cruise for wildlife sightings. We saw manatees(snouts only), iguanas of various colors and sizes hanging perilously,mid sized crocodiles and birds that Laura can identify. Bats ,now we see bats, 3inch bats. Our guide, Mr. McGandy , showed us different trees .one was a provision tree that carries medicinal remedies , spider lilies, and pendulum bird nests. We then traveled by van to Altun Ha ,a Mayan ruin site. Tall, 54feet ,old (800-900 BC)interesting ,and really humid.we climbed and learned facts from our guide.we saw different trees here, the Allspice tree, Cupe , almond tree(leaves are good for fever?). It was an interesting day. It's good to learn some history and see some culture of the land we have come to love. Our ride back into town shows the nitty gritty downtown, some British Honduras leftovers, some government buildings, and where Queen Elizabeth visited long ago. We overnight at the Radisson,dining poolside (ahhhh) enjoying a nice view, some air conditioning, and sweet smelling soap. We leave Sat. at 10am, home by 8pm. We can't wait to share our story!
Shine Through Me
Help me speak your fragrance where I go.
Flood my soul with your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly
That my life may be only a radiance of yours.
Shine through me and be so in me that every soul
I come in contact with may feel your presence
In my soul.
Let them look up,
And see no longer me,
But only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I will begin to shine as you
Shine ,so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus,will be all from you.
None of it will be mine.
It will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise you in the way that you love
Best ,by shining on those around me.
Let me preach to you without preaching,not by
Words but by example,
By catching force,
The sympathetic influence of what I do,
The evident fullness of the love my heart bears
For you.
Amen
From In The Heart of the World by Mother Teresa
Monday, June 8, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Jesus in a PBJ
Thursday
June4,2015
I was hungry and you gave me food,I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit. Matthew 23;35-36
Today is our last work day. It's party day, but its a sad-say goodbye day. Some of our team leave early ,missing devotion,to be sure we get our projects done. Twenty well worn bikes have been repaired.some needed tubes,handlebars, and chains. Included in the free repair was a lesson in taking care of your bike. One group knocked holes in the teachers shower for ventilation, repaired a pipe that little feet had stepped on, built a bench over the pipe to prevent breaking, and made the shower operational. The old latrines were demolished, rafters in three classrooms were painted,a few home visits were completed. It was a hot day. About 6 folks stayed back for a couple of hours to make 350 peanut butter sandwiches and pack lunches for the community party.
We're having a party? Yep, all the Floozie frocks ,shirts, baby blankets, bags were distributed , along with lunches ,drinks and bananas. While a distribution plan was made, we were still a bit overwhelmed,requiring a bouncer(Don). Language was only a small barrier. The line of Mamas awaiting new clothes was long, but all got something. Their eyes lit up at such cute creations. They also picked up family photos (Kelly)made earlier. We saw several of these in the homes we had visited.
Prior to this, we gathered for an assembly. The children presented poems, a dance and a skit .all were rehearsed and wonderful! They presented each team member with a nice framed certificate.the teachers and students are so appreciative. Many a tear ,mixed with sweat were shed . We celebrated 9students who finished this school, 6 wish to further their education. They were given Bibles. We recognized the teachers with gift bags of classroom goodies.
Several former students dropped by to say Hey. It is so good to see them and learn of there success!
Some of them show off babies of their own.(wow).
We
cleaned up a weeks worth of construction remnants, a mess of banana peels , and
said goodbye to our Belize family. We are late to supper tonight, but it is
worth it. We are a tired, hungry, satisfied bunch. After supper we had worship
service, shared encouraging words about each other and communion. We packed,
vacuumed the mud from our vans,showered and hit the hay.
I was hungry and you gave me food,I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit. Matthew 23;35-36
Today is our last work day. It's party day, but its a sad-say goodbye day. Some of our team leave early ,missing devotion,to be sure we get our projects done. Twenty well worn bikes have been repaired.some needed tubes,handlebars, and chains. Included in the free repair was a lesson in taking care of your bike. One group knocked holes in the teachers shower for ventilation, repaired a pipe that little feet had stepped on, built a bench over the pipe to prevent breaking, and made the shower operational. The old latrines were demolished, rafters in three classrooms were painted,a few home visits were completed. It was a hot day. About 6 folks stayed back for a couple of hours to make 350 peanut butter sandwiches and pack lunches for the community party.
We're having a party? Yep, all the Floozie frocks ,shirts, baby blankets, bags were distributed , along with lunches ,drinks and bananas. While a distribution plan was made, we were still a bit overwhelmed,requiring a bouncer(Don). Language was only a small barrier. The line of Mamas awaiting new clothes was long, but all got something. Their eyes lit up at such cute creations. They also picked up family photos (Kelly)made earlier. We saw several of these in the homes we had visited.
Prior to this, we gathered for an assembly. The children presented poems, a dance and a skit .all were rehearsed and wonderful! They presented each team member with a nice framed certificate.the teachers and students are so appreciative. Many a tear ,mixed with sweat were shed . We celebrated 9students who finished this school, 6 wish to further their education. They were given Bibles. We recognized the teachers with gift bags of classroom goodies.
Several former students dropped by to say Hey. It is so good to see them and learn of there success!
Some of them show off babies of their own.(wow).
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Jesus on a two wheeler
Todays devotion after frenchtoast breakfastwas Luke 11;1 Teaching the disciples to pray (the Lords prayer)
"Give us the bread we need for today" is more about life in LosTambos than most people realize. We have distributed rice and beans (toothbrushes toothpaste) to families that literally had nothing to eat for the day. The fact that we showed up when we did was mere coincidence?
We also talked about what steals my abundant life? The team answered "stuff,grudges,over scheduling". What makes us appreciate/realize our abundant life? "clouds, visiting the mountains, the sea, quiet time, the face of a child" Do you know that gratitude CANNOT coexist with negativity?
Today was bike day-almost as exciting as gift bag day! With the help of a genoerous congregation, we were able to purchase locally 20 bicycles to give to the kids who need them the most. big bikes, little bikes, pink,green,blue,red and my favorite purple bikes. Six bikes were brought into the bike clinic for repairs today and many will come tomorrow. Its a hard life in Los Tambos and a bike can ease the way, but a bike takes a toll. They all took a victory lap around the field, Jack helped a young, non English speaking ,non bicycle riding student learn to ride a bike. Ask him how it turned out.
The he men took a sledgehammer to the shower part of the bathroom (have I mentioned how appreciative this writer is of this restroom?) to help with ventilation. The bike clinic worked hard and the home visit team saw horses,cows,geese,goat, katamunda (idk), rooster,chickens,goats, variety of lizards, too skinny dogs, kittens, birds and a many mamas at home with babies. We had some students act as interpreters to inquire about the health and needs of the family. We prayed for these needs and hugged many,many necks. There are many strong,wonderful hugs awaiting you in Los Tambos! pediculocide treatment continued (I told you yesterday to look it up), an art project started, all while exams are being given.
We hurried back to Unitedville to prepare for a graduation celebration. The three HS graduates and the 2 vocational school grads and families were inviited to a reception -cake, ice cream(not easy), lemonade and a video presentation (yeah Tom!) with photos taken from our many trips. They were given a gift bag with a personal photo album (Tere), crossnecklace,a Bible and other things. The families were so proud,also the team members-again hugs and tears (Bessi) flowed. The elemntary teachers for LosTambos came to celebrate with them. Afterwards, the team and the teachers went to dinnerat a local restaurant,eating under the stars. It was great to share a meal with the teachers that work so hard every day.
Tomorrow is our last work day-it will be a busy one. Much is left to tie up and then host a community party after school. These are the sweetest kids with the brightest smiles and biggest eyes-one look and you are hooked (everyone).
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Jesus in a Ziploc bag
June 2, 2015
Come to me, all who struggling hard and carrying heavy loads,and i will give you rest... Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11;28 "Here take my burdens and I will take yours", says Jesus
We began our day with devotion about yokes and sharing the load. Lyn has dug deep and made us think through our lessons.
Today was gift bag day-what an exciting day!
and it was well organized too! Kelly photographed each class and then they were gifted with their bags. They opened and read the letters, and were asked to write a thank you. They loved the pictures, stuck the stickers,chewed the gum, sharpened the pencils,sported the sunglasses,doffed the hats and loved every minute! so did the team! Thanksto all that participated- you would love to see the faces!
The window project (Tom ,Don,Greg,Chris)completed 6 of 8,installed and painted(Kaitlyn and Laura).The roof top vents are all installed and removing hot air beautifully. Some bikes were assed for repair(Chris and Cory)and will be done tomorrow. Our nurses, Sue and Kaitlyn did handwashing educatin yesterday and pediculocide treatment today.(look it up). A BIG thanks girls! House visits (Robin,Tere,Robin,Kobe)are more than half done. We met a few new residents, andsaw plenty of old friends, and several new babies. have you ever seen a baby sleeping in a hammock ? Sweet and serene. All were appreciative of the visits.
The afternoon looked like rain, but we were able to part the Red Sea twice again in Bible school. Moses, aka Greg McDonough kept asking Pharoah,Andy Lamb -"Let my people go" No was the reply ,and then the plagues .We had an interactive with waterflowing students -simple and interactive! Of course there was singing-thanks Mark, and refreshments-thanks Mary Beth, and a craft project. It was well received. A quick clean up andwe were headed out just before the rain. Another sstop at the ice cream place? of course,and some even had second helpings! The team worked very welltogether and have many talents- they shared the yoke today.
The showers cooled things off a bit, and it was a quiet night.
A Franciscan Benediction:
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppresion and exploitation of people
So that you may work for justice,freedom, and peace.
May God Bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain,rejection,hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
Come to me, all who struggling hard and carrying heavy loads,and i will give you rest... Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11;28 "Here take my burdens and I will take yours", says Jesus
We began our day with devotion about yokes and sharing the load. Lyn has dug deep and made us think through our lessons.
Today was gift bag day-what an exciting day!
and it was well organized too! Kelly photographed each class and then they were gifted with their bags. They opened and read the letters, and were asked to write a thank you. They loved the pictures, stuck the stickers,chewed the gum, sharpened the pencils,sported the sunglasses,doffed the hats and loved every minute! so did the team! Thanksto all that participated- you would love to see the faces!
The window project (Tom ,Don,Greg,Chris)completed 6 of 8,installed and painted(Kaitlyn and Laura).The roof top vents are all installed and removing hot air beautifully. Some bikes were assed for repair(Chris and Cory)and will be done tomorrow. Our nurses, Sue and Kaitlyn did handwashing educatin yesterday and pediculocide treatment today.(look it up). A BIG thanks girls! House visits (Robin,Tere,Robin,Kobe)are more than half done. We met a few new residents, andsaw plenty of old friends, and several new babies. have you ever seen a baby sleeping in a hammock ? Sweet and serene. All were appreciative of the visits.
The afternoon looked like rain, but we were able to part the Red Sea twice again in Bible school. Moses, aka Greg McDonough kept asking Pharoah,Andy Lamb -"Let my people go" No was the reply ,and then the plagues .We had an interactive with waterflowing students -simple and interactive! Of course there was singing-thanks Mark, and refreshments-thanks Mary Beth, and a craft project. It was well received. A quick clean up andwe were headed out just before the rain. Another sstop at the ice cream place? of course,and some even had second helpings! The team worked very welltogether and have many talents- they shared the yoke today.
The showers cooled things off a bit, and it was a quiet night.
A Franciscan Benediction:
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppresion and exploitation of people
So that you may work for justice,freedom, and peace.
May God Bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain,rejection,hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
Monday, June 1, 2015
June 1 2015
It rained overnight.
All who are thirsty ,come to the water.... Isaiah 55;1-2
We started our classwork this morning reading the passage abour the fishes and loaves,reflecting on how this plays into the thirst scripture and how it is relevant to our missionthis week. We talked about what a great picnic the folks would tell their friends . What great PR this was for Jesus! The food(fishes) is Gods grace and we can buy it with nothing.
Loaded up, we head out in the rain for ourfirst work day at losTambos-the big kids from Knoxville were so excited to see the faces of the little kids ! The little kids were plenty excited to see us too! Projects today involved building two walls, rewired some rooms for solar power to power up teacher computers, and 2 vans delivered rice,beans and household goods to several families. The roads were wet(gumbo like) and travel was slow and deliberate, It was heart warming to see our old friends,get hugs and visit in their homes. At one home ,we held a baby parrot, and another had a boxful of baby parrots. We prayed with the families and visited a bit. There was a variety of animals sharing their lives-puppies,calves, huge variety of chickens,a scarlet McCaw.
We had a most successful VBShere ever- the secret must be to keep it simple. Moses ,Pharoah, the Red Sea all made an appearance. We sang, crafted, snacked,and loved! Stay tuned til tomorrow for the next segment of VBS.
The village has a few new residents, some ne buildings, and the new toilet facility at the school -a big improvement-thanks from ME for all that participated!
Of course after all this work was complete, we stopped aat the newly expanded Western Dairy for a dairy treat!
Its after dinner time for readying for tomorrow. We are tired ,yet satisfied.
Tomorrow is gift bag day, I can hardly sleep.......
1
It rained overnight.
All who are thirsty ,come to the water.... Isaiah 55;1-2
We started our classwork this morning reading the passage abour the fishes and loaves,reflecting on how this plays into the thirst scripture and how it is relevant to our missionthis week. We talked about what a great picnic the folks would tell their friends . What great PR this was for Jesus! The food(fishes) is Gods grace and we can buy it with nothing.
Loaded up, we head out in the rain for ourfirst work day at losTambos-the big kids from Knoxville were so excited to see the faces of the little kids ! The little kids were plenty excited to see us too! Projects today involved building two walls, rewired some rooms for solar power to power up teacher computers, and 2 vans delivered rice,beans and household goods to several families. The roads were wet(gumbo like) and travel was slow and deliberate, It was heart warming to see our old friends,get hugs and visit in their homes. At one home ,we held a baby parrot, and another had a boxful of baby parrots. We prayed with the families and visited a bit. There was a variety of animals sharing their lives-puppies,calves, huge variety of chickens,a scarlet McCaw.
We had a most successful VBShere ever- the secret must be to keep it simple. Moses ,Pharoah, the Red Sea all made an appearance. We sang, crafted, snacked,and loved! Stay tuned til tomorrow for the next segment of VBS.
The village has a few new residents, some ne buildings, and the new toilet facility at the school -a big improvement-thanks from ME for all that participated!
Of course after all this work was complete, we stopped aat the newly expanded Western Dairy for a dairy treat!
Its after dinner time for readying for tomorrow. We are tired ,yet satisfied.
Tomorrow is gift bag day, I can hardly sleep.......
1
Holy ground
may 31 (delayed due to low tech blogger)
Our team had its first bat encounter-but it was much differentthan expected. Thank goodness for teenage boys ,their bravado amid squealing for excitement involving a bedtime bat sighting. It did involve a vacuum .Ask to see the video.
We awoke to exotic bird calls and had a quick breakfast. We worshipped inSan Ignacio at St Andrew church. It is such a peaceful respite to spend time here before our harried, scheduled week takes off. Jack was recognized as a birthday boy and tolerated congregation singing.
FCPC folks we did pass the peace --to EVERYONE.
We divided after lunch into 2 groups. Six took off to Eden school graduation where we had three sponsored students walk the pomp and circumstance shuffle. Laura was excited to meet Osmin, the student she has sponsored for several years. Two other students, Neomi and Orbin also graduated. We were proud to share this accomplishment with them. There were proud mamas, papas,grandmas, and us!
The others went to LasTambos to make family photos, assess the needs and play with the kids. And we sang Happy Birthday for the third time todnight with cake and whipped cream. Tonight we packed up 250 lbs of rice and beans in gallon bags -rady for distribtion on Monday.
It was a good day, we sweated, laughed and were humbled by being on holy ground.
Our team had its first bat encounter-but it was much differentthan expected. Thank goodness for teenage boys ,their bravado amid squealing for excitement involving a bedtime bat sighting. It did involve a vacuum .Ask to see the video.
We awoke to exotic bird calls and had a quick breakfast. We worshipped inSan Ignacio at St Andrew church. It is such a peaceful respite to spend time here before our harried, scheduled week takes off. Jack was recognized as a birthday boy and tolerated congregation singing.
FCPC folks we did pass the peace --to EVERYONE.
We divided after lunch into 2 groups. Six took off to Eden school graduation where we had three sponsored students walk the pomp and circumstance shuffle. Laura was excited to meet Osmin, the student she has sponsored for several years. Two other students, Neomi and Orbin also graduated. We were proud to share this accomplishment with them. There were proud mamas, papas,grandmas, and us!
The others went to LasTambos to make family photos, assess the needs and play with the kids. And we sang Happy Birthday for the third time todnight with cake and whipped cream. Tonight we packed up 250 lbs of rice and beans in gallon bags -rady for distribtion on Monday.
It was a good day, we sweated, laughed and were humbled by being on holy ground.
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