Feb/March

I'm drawing the line at 3 months in my titles!  I'll hurry up and try to get this posted by the end of March.

Kylie with Miracle
(Pastor's daughter on right)
 and her friend.

Our Belize trip was absolutely amazing!  We met so many nice people, the kids were warm and friendly and excited to be with us, we worked (and sweated) hard and got the entire foundation dug, rebarred and cement poured.  We held health clinics, including the local nurse in the clinics so she could do follow ups.  We ran a VBS and did Bible studies with local people as well as visited shut-ins who have a difficult (impossible) time getting to church.  It was a hot week (even by Belize standards!) and we all came home with chigger bites, but I think every one of us would do it all again!  God worked amazingly through us.

Working on the foundation for
a church expansion.

Mid way through the week we took a morning out to visit some Mayan ruins (actually, in Belize they are called "temples", not ruins).  This was a fun outing and gave us a little break from our hard work.  We even got to sample local "mints" in the form of termites straight from the tree!  And in fact, they do taste minty!   It was amazing to be walking through an actual rainforest.  Until that point I had only read about them in books.  At the end of the week we rode a water taxi out to Caye Caulker, a tourist island about 45 min. boat ride from coast of Belize.  It was really odd to be outside of the village.  I much preferred village life, however we did relish the shower and beds!!!  We felt like kings and queens.

Kylie and Elonni were inseparable!

We experienced a little bit of "third world" living when the owner of the property we stayed on turned off our water source because his cistern had only a foot of water left in it!  We gave up showering and flushing for awhile until the cistern could refill to a safer level.  Belize is in it's dry season so no rain means no water!  It sure made us many times grateful for the blessing we have of clean running water and excellent sewer systems!  Amazing the things we take for granted each day.

We got to take a "Howling Monkey" tour at the wildlife refuge we stayed at.  The guide (Robert) took us out into the jungle and howled for the monkeys to come down.  They did and a couple people even got a monkey to sit on them!

Sweet baby!

Eustace

The best part of my week was our last day.  Not that the rest of the week wasn't great, but really what topped it off for me was being invited back to Eustace's house.  The kids and my flight left a bit later in the day than the rest of the group so we had some time to kill.  Our trip leader was kind enough to arrange for us to visit with Eustace and his wife, Dell.  Eustace is a Praying Pelican's staff member and was a leader on our trip.  We drove back with him to his house and met his wife and darling 5 month old granddaughter.  She is just this hunka chunka little girl who is so sweet!  Dell let me hold her and help dress her, do her hair and then I even got to rock this precious little one to sleep.  I still think there's nothing better than a baby falling asleep on you!

In a restaurant in Caye Caulker.  While
the kids stuck with burgers/fries, I
tried the Barracuda steak.  Yummy!

Once she woke up we brought lunch that Dell had prepared to their 8 year old son's school to serve as birthday lunch.  I met his teacher (one of Dell's older daughters) and then she took me to be introduced to the principal.  This is a government Christian school.  Yes, I did say "government!"  After introductions the principal right away asked for prayer for her school.  Within moments I was standing with the principal and 2 teachers praying for their teachers and students.  Amazing.  God is amazing!

After a yummy typical Belizian lunch (chicken, rice (with a "gravy") and coleslaw) we sang Happy Birthday to Eustace's son and passed out cake.  It was then time to pack up and leave.  We visited a bit more with Eustace and Dell in their home and then were driven back to the airport.

Jayden and Kylie did great on the trip.  They worked hard and got to experience a very different way of life.  I was really glad we've taken the kids camping as it really felt like that.  It was a joy to be able to experience this with the kids.  We all want to go back sometime and see all the wonderful friends we made.  I think there will always be a little piece of my heart in Belize.

Jayden made a new friend, Jaheed.

Back home we are ramping up our efforts on the house.  The basement is pretty much finished.  New paint and new carpet is all laid.  It looks great.  I moved our school area downstairs and we're excited to be in that new space this next week.  I actually really like it down there.  Much easier to be down there with new carpet and brighter walls.  I feel a little spoiled!

The next thing we need to attack is painting the kitchen/dining room and then getting the wood floor finished.  Then 2 bedrooms remain to be painted and the rest of the carpet laid.  I'd love to get the house on the market in May.... we'll see.

God and I had some important time together the last morning in Belize.  I'm feeling some nudges in some new directions in my job with church as well as some ideas with mission work.  I don't know where any of it will go, but I figure all I need to do is follow God one day at a time.  It is comforting to know I don't have to figure it all out.  I just need to obey.

I'm excited for our future.  Greg and I are finally in a "sweet spot" in our marriage.  We have gone through so much, but God is faithful and has guided us through.  In no way is our marriage perfect, nor will it ever be, but by God's grace we are two sinners learning to live together.  We are now experiencing "sharpening and refining" in other areas of our lives.  These trials are never easy, but so important to building our faith in our Heavenly Father.  A dear friend made a comment to me today at church.  She said we say we don't see God work miracles anymore.  But, do we ever put ourselves in a position where we need to rely on God to work one?   She has a great point.

We had about 50 kids attend
VBS which was quite good considering
the kids are still in school.

Pastor Floyd's house with eating area/food shelf
in the area below.

The classroom at the government Christian
school we visited.

General store just down the street
from where we stayed.

Our sleeping arrangement.  Some learned
early on NOT to put luggage on the floor
as fire ants overtook their bags!

Our accommodations at the
Wildlife Refuge.

Bermudian Landing Church
Building.  In the front of the photo
is the place we dug out the foundation.

Health Clinic

Sweet ladies we visted
in the village.

Snorkeling with sharks and stingrays!

In the rainforest near the ruins.

Pastor Floyd's sweet wife Dalia.  She and ladies from the
church fed us well during the week!  I really enjoyed the
short time I had to talk with Dalia.  I think we'd be good
friends if we lived in the same country!  

On the water taxi heading to the island.

Ms. Hilda is a dear sister in the church. 

I just got done reading "Kisses from Katie".  It's a story of a 19 year old young woman who drops her comfortable life in the US and heads to Uganda to minister to the poorest of the poor.  She adopts 14 girls in the first year she is there and sets up a non-profit to support 150 more children with food and schooling!  It is an amazing story of this young woman's faith.  She is in a position to see miracles and she does.  In the midst of daily death, sickness, famine and filth she witnesses many miracles.  Things only God can do.  This is the place I so desperately desire to be.... on the edge, hanging on, expecting great things from our Great God!

**Some photos courtesy of Beky Smith who was our amazing photographer for the week!  Thanks Beky!