One other note about the trip back from Spanish Lookout. While we were waiting for the ferry, we were visited by a warbler-sized hummingbird, which flew around the car, peering through each of the windows as though it wanted to come in and join us. It was a female green-breasted mango, a beautiful bird, gray on the front with a black stripe down the center and burgundy-violet colors on the underside of the tail. The beak was about 1 1/2 inches long. I guess it decided it couldn't get into the car, so after a tour all the way around, it flew off.
Although there is much poverty, Belize is blessed with much beauty.
Peace,
Chuck
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Encountering the Men on the Bridge
As we were standing around “debriefing” one evening this week I was struck that we may be in a situation analogous to the “Man on the Bridge” story from Pastor Kerra’s sermon on February 15. We are clearly in a situation where may accept someone else’s burden and be trapped in a long term dependency where we can’t extricate ourselves. (Okay, so maybe I’m a little slow on the uptake but I wasn’t even in church that week so cut me some slack.)
The analogy isn’t perfect but I’ve never met a metaphor that I can’t extend and stretch to the breaking point. Rather than accepting a burden unbidden from a stranger, we are seeking people already dangling from the bridge who we want to help. As in the parable, some want us untie their ropes from the bridge and accept their burden with no expectation of helping themselves back up.
Some are simply out bungee jumping and don’t need any help, thank you very much. (One of my favorite sayings during this trip has been “When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”)
Finally there are those who are truly in peril, are seeking assistance and are certainly willing to help themselves back up if we can help them (if you want to keep extending the metaphor, sometimes we need to convince them that they are in peril).
The trick is to discern which is which because it certainly isn’t always obvious. That’s where God’s grace and the ability to wisely use our God-given gifts comes in I guess.
Peace to All,
Dave
Rotary
The weekly San Ignacio Rotary meeting is held from 7 to 8 AM every Thursday in the elegant but slightly shabby (this is Belize) San Ignacio Hotel, owned and run by the wife of the current Rotary president.
I presented the standard Living Waters PowerPoint with embellishment to focus on our Rotary partnership and the Yalbac water project. The 20 or so attendees were interested and receptive, asking quite a few questions as I wrapped up.
Afterward, the president and I signed three copies of our three-way covenant agreement with Yalbac. Ray and Pat then headed off with John, the president, to San Antonio, a village south of Cristo Rey, while Dave and Chuck and I headed back to our rooms to prepare for a lunch meeting with Harrison Mocollock, the chair of the Yalbac village council.
Dan
I presented the standard Living Waters PowerPoint with embellishment to focus on our Rotary partnership and the Yalbac water project. The 20 or so attendees were interested and receptive, asking quite a few questions as I wrapped up.
Afterward, the president and I signed three copies of our three-way covenant agreement with Yalbac. Ray and Pat then headed off with John, the president, to San Antonio, a village south of Cristo Rey, while Dave and Chuck and I headed back to our rooms to prepare for a lunch meeting with Harrison Mocollock, the chair of the Yalbac village council.
Dan
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday
The morning was pretty quiet. We had a leisurely breakfast and did paperwork until it was time to go to Sherree and Aki's to regroup. On the way we dropped Ray off at the Octavia Waight nursing home, which we have visited on previous trips, to take care of some business. He was on his own to walk back after that, so he got a bit of exercise.
Aki drove us to Belmopan, where we located the office where we were to meet. The office was not in the government compound, but according to Sherree was on a road a ways around the ring road in a building like the ones a block over but under the tall tree. It turned out the be the last building on the way out of the loop where the King's Children's Home is located. We had a very producutive meeting there, as I think Dan has described. I was pleased but somewhat boggled by being able to phone and set up a face-to-face meeting with the head of a government program in just a couple of days. Sherree made it a very relaxed meeting because she and the director were joking about various other projects and what a nuisance she had been. I'm convinced that if the director actually comes to watch the installation, he'll be hooked and really supportive. Maybe putting plumbing together is a guy thing.
We went immediately from that meeting to Raphael Ku in Santa Elena, the sister city of San Ignacio. Raphael is beginning to burn out from the load of school management, which he seems to do with no staff; church development, which worries him because church growth is not keeping up with school growth; and seminary concerns, which he didn't say much about but had talked about quite a bit when we saw him last year. Fortunately, a new general manager is coming and in a couple of weeks he will have three seminary graduates to share the load of pastoring. That will double the number of ordained Presbyterian pastors in Belize and increase the number of English-speaking pastors from one to four. He didn't specify, but I think the students are Belize-born, as he is, so he will no longer be the only one.
We went to Ash Wednesday service at St. Andrews Anglican Church, where Dale and I initially met Sherree and Aki. Dale and Ashley phoned me during the sermon, so I missed most of it, but it was given in Spanish and translated inaudibly by a teenager who had trouble with some of the words. I got the feeling she was also having a little trouble with the Spanish, which seemed really strange.
After the service, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant operated by an Italian. The food was excellent and certainly different from Italian food I have had in the States.
All in all, it was another very productive day. Thanks to Sherree and Aki for greasing so many skids for us.
Peace,
Chuck
Aki drove us to Belmopan, where we located the office where we were to meet. The office was not in the government compound, but according to Sherree was on a road a ways around the ring road in a building like the ones a block over but under the tall tree. It turned out the be the last building on the way out of the loop where the King's Children's Home is located. We had a very producutive meeting there, as I think Dan has described. I was pleased but somewhat boggled by being able to phone and set up a face-to-face meeting with the head of a government program in just a couple of days. Sherree made it a very relaxed meeting because she and the director were joking about various other projects and what a nuisance she had been. I'm convinced that if the director actually comes to watch the installation, he'll be hooked and really supportive. Maybe putting plumbing together is a guy thing.
We went immediately from that meeting to Raphael Ku in Santa Elena, the sister city of San Ignacio. Raphael is beginning to burn out from the load of school management, which he seems to do with no staff; church development, which worries him because church growth is not keeping up with school growth; and seminary concerns, which he didn't say much about but had talked about quite a bit when we saw him last year. Fortunately, a new general manager is coming and in a couple of weeks he will have three seminary graduates to share the load of pastoring. That will double the number of ordained Presbyterian pastors in Belize and increase the number of English-speaking pastors from one to four. He didn't specify, but I think the students are Belize-born, as he is, so he will no longer be the only one.
We went to Ash Wednesday service at St. Andrews Anglican Church, where Dale and I initially met Sherree and Aki. Dale and Ashley phoned me during the sermon, so I missed most of it, but it was given in Spanish and translated inaudibly by a teenager who had trouble with some of the words. I got the feeling she was also having a little trouble with the Spanish, which seemed really strange.
After the service, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant operated by an Italian. The food was excellent and certainly different from Italian food I have had in the States.
All in all, it was another very productive day. Thanks to Sherree and Aki for greasing so many skids for us.
Peace,
Chuck
Raphael Ku
Arriving about 15 minutes late (we’re now on Belize time) we greeted Raphael Ku in the courtyard of his small church in Santa Elena, the sister city to San Ignacio. Raphael is one of 3 ordained ministers in the Belize Presbyterian Church, and the only ordained Belizean. He’s also the general manager of 10 Presbyterian Schools in Belize. Raphael invited us into the preschool and showed us around while answering questions. Then he ushered us into the sanctuary where he hosted a long and frank conversation about the future of the Presbyterian Church in Belize and the situation in Orange Walk specifically. This was a valuable preamble to our visit on Saturday with Ruth Ku, Raphael’s sister-in-law and principal of the Presbyterian Pre and Primary School where a defunct Living Waters system resides. The focus begins to shift from our work in Cayo to future possibilities on the broader Belize landscape.
Dan
Dan
Earnest Banner
We all piled into Aki Fukai's Honda SUV for the trip from Santa Elena to Belmopan. All except Ray, that is, who spent much of the day at the Octavia Waight Retirement Home. We encountered a light rain on Western Highway, foreshadowing the deluge that poured down while we had lunch and conversation at Perkups in Belmopan. Pat and I had watermelon juice to drink - a firstfor me. I wonder how you squeeze a watermelon?
After lunch Aki and Dave dropped us (Sheree, Chuck, Pat and me) at the Government Rural Development Board where we met with Earnest Banner, Rural Development Coordinator for all of of Belize. He grilled us about our plans for Yalbac and showed a high level of interest in what we are doing there. He promised that if we called him in advance he would be there for the installation. He also wanted to send his people to learn about the workings of the system while we installed it.
When Sheree asked about other possible sites with water needs he quickly listed three locations in desperate need: St. Matthews, Biscayne, and Franks. All of these are desperate for clean water and located in the Belize City district to the east of Cayo. Sheree and I plan to explore these options during our next trip. It's amazing how one thing leads to another...
Dan
After lunch Aki and Dave dropped us (Sheree, Chuck, Pat and me) at the Government Rural Development Board where we met with Earnest Banner, Rural Development Coordinator for all of of Belize. He grilled us about our plans for Yalbac and showed a high level of interest in what we are doing there. He promised that if we called him in advance he would be there for the installation. He also wanted to send his people to learn about the workings of the system while we installed it.
When Sheree asked about other possible sites with water needs he quickly listed three locations in desperate need: St. Matthews, Biscayne, and Franks. All of these are desperate for clean water and located in the Belize City district to the east of Cayo. Sheree and I plan to explore these options during our next trip. It's amazing how one thing leads to another...
Dan
Pat's first post
Hi, I am Pat Montgomery from First Presbyterian Church in Cody, WY. First I need to compliment FPC, Oak Ridge on a number of things. Your commitment to the Living Waters program is tremendous. What you are doing in Appalachia and working towards here in Belize speaks incredibly well of your congregation and the faith. I also must say (at the risk of creating impossible egos for the rest of the week) Dan, Dave and Chuck are wonderful ambassadors for your congregation and for the Living Waters program. Together they form a beautifully balanced team to further your Belize efforts. Both I and all of FPC Cody are blessed through being invited along on this trip.
Thus far we have been in the southern and middle parts of Belize. New friends have been made and future work has been explored. My previous LWW work has been in Guatemala and I am struck by how similar…and yet how different the two countries are. Obviously they are at about the same latitude and the climates are very similar. Yet the differences are many.
Belize has much more ethnic diversity Mestizo, Mayan, Garifuna, Anglo, etc. Belize has much more tourism; Belize is much less densely populated, has much more wildlife and in general is much cleaner. The Belizean government seems to be much more “hands off” than that of Guatemala. We see far less police and military presence here than we did in Guatemala. It is far easier to drive one’s self in Belize and simple tasks are just easier here. In Guatemala our water tests revealed biological contamination about 95% of the time while here in Belize tests so far indicate biological contamination only about 50% of the time. Here in Belize there appears to be less litter. Even the poorest homes and yards appear a bit tidier, the cars appear less road weary, and perhaps most helpful of all, the majority of folks speak English.
This last point makes a huge difference when doing the relationship building part of the LWW program. Much more can be accomplished in less time with all parties having a far greater understanding. Even in the Yalbac situation where FPC Oak Ridge is working, many of the young and several of the village council members speak English. A translator still needs to be present, but it is much easier to form a relationship and come to an understanding. It also allows the LWW team to split up and work on multiple points at a time. When the people from Cody went to Guatemala for their early visits, the translating was great, but the process was just so much more slow and cumbersome.
The Yalbac community members Oak Ridge is working with are good hard working people. They know the creek water makes them sick, they know the well water is not pure, but they also have little ability to make significant change without the contributions and technical help of LWW (FPC Oak Ridge) and the contributions of Rotary. As an outside observer to what you all are doing in Yalbac, your project seems to be coming together very well and I believe your efforts will be well worth while.
Despite all the differences between Guatemala and Belize one thing remains the same. The key to success is not found in the purification system itself (good as it is); instead what is most critical is the cultural change that takes place through the educational efforts and the empowerment that happens when people are equipped to change their lives for the better.
After my crash course introduction to Belize over the past few days, today (Ash Wednesday) I start doing things more directly related to FPC Cody. We still have some details to pin down for the Oak Ridge folks in relation to Yalbec, but later today we meet with Raphael Ku who is the director of Presbyterian Schools in Belize. This should prove useful for our visit to Orange Walk on Saturday, where FPC Cody may have an opportunity to work with the local Presbyterian School there. Not only is Raphael the Director of Presbyterian Schools in Belize, but his sister in law, Ruth Ku is also director or principal of the Orange Walk School. (In Wyoming we like to say that the state is just a small town with very long streets. In that regard Belize is very similar.) I may get put to work on this trip yet.
I am constantly grateful to Dan, Chuck, Dave and Ray for bringing me along on this excursion. Without their allowing me to be a fifth wheel on this trip I could never have had such a good experience in such a short period of time. Thanks FPC Oak Ridge.
(P.S. One of your team members snores tremendously.)
Pat Montgomery
Thus far we have been in the southern and middle parts of Belize. New friends have been made and future work has been explored. My previous LWW work has been in Guatemala and I am struck by how similar…and yet how different the two countries are. Obviously they are at about the same latitude and the climates are very similar. Yet the differences are many.
Belize has much more ethnic diversity Mestizo, Mayan, Garifuna, Anglo, etc. Belize has much more tourism; Belize is much less densely populated, has much more wildlife and in general is much cleaner. The Belizean government seems to be much more “hands off” than that of Guatemala. We see far less police and military presence here than we did in Guatemala. It is far easier to drive one’s self in Belize and simple tasks are just easier here. In Guatemala our water tests revealed biological contamination about 95% of the time while here in Belize tests so far indicate biological contamination only about 50% of the time. Here in Belize there appears to be less litter. Even the poorest homes and yards appear a bit tidier, the cars appear less road weary, and perhaps most helpful of all, the majority of folks speak English.
This last point makes a huge difference when doing the relationship building part of the LWW program. Much more can be accomplished in less time with all parties having a far greater understanding. Even in the Yalbac situation where FPC Oak Ridge is working, many of the young and several of the village council members speak English. A translator still needs to be present, but it is much easier to form a relationship and come to an understanding. It also allows the LWW team to split up and work on multiple points at a time. When the people from Cody went to Guatemala for their early visits, the translating was great, but the process was just so much more slow and cumbersome.
The Yalbac community members Oak Ridge is working with are good hard working people. They know the creek water makes them sick, they know the well water is not pure, but they also have little ability to make significant change without the contributions and technical help of LWW (FPC Oak Ridge) and the contributions of Rotary. As an outside observer to what you all are doing in Yalbac, your project seems to be coming together very well and I believe your efforts will be well worth while.
Despite all the differences between Guatemala and Belize one thing remains the same. The key to success is not found in the purification system itself (good as it is); instead what is most critical is the cultural change that takes place through the educational efforts and the empowerment that happens when people are equipped to change their lives for the better.
After my crash course introduction to Belize over the past few days, today (Ash Wednesday) I start doing things more directly related to FPC Cody. We still have some details to pin down for the Oak Ridge folks in relation to Yalbec, but later today we meet with Raphael Ku who is the director of Presbyterian Schools in Belize. This should prove useful for our visit to Orange Walk on Saturday, where FPC Cody may have an opportunity to work with the local Presbyterian School there. Not only is Raphael the Director of Presbyterian Schools in Belize, but his sister in law, Ruth Ku is also director or principal of the Orange Walk School. (In Wyoming we like to say that the state is just a small town with very long streets. In that regard Belize is very similar.) I may get put to work on this trip yet.
I am constantly grateful to Dan, Chuck, Dave and Ray for bringing me along on this excursion. Without their allowing me to be a fifth wheel on this trip I could never have had such a good experience in such a short period of time. Thanks FPC Oak Ridge.
(P.S. One of your team members snores tremendously.)
Pat Montgomery
Yalbac Resort
We stayed Monday night at Victor Tut’s unfinished resort just outside Yalbac village. It’s on a hill within easy walking distance of the well site where our treatment system will be placed. The building is a pretty impressive poured concrete structure, with three stories embedded into the hilltop. The top floor is a big concrete slab bigger than a basketball court and covered with beautiful tile. There’s a kitchen at one end and a bar at the other end, and no walls with a railing all around. The hammocks suspended from the concrete beams were inviting and the views of the mist rising from the distant hills were spectacular. The thatched roof soared 30 feet overhead and created a wonderful jungle ambiance. All our rooms were on the floor below this community area, and none of this was finished and ready for “prime time”. We had the place to ourselves, except for Victor, his wife, and a handful of their staff. An interesting juxtaposition of wealth; the potential luxury of the resort, still in a raw and unfinished state; and a short walk away, the subsistence level living of Yalbac village. A country of contrasts.
Dan
Dan
Small Country
Belize is a small country. I was reminded again of this Monday morning at Jesus Guerra’s house. Jesus is on the Water Board for Cristo Rey. Chuck and I had been introduced to him by Atiliano Jones last March. This time we had just come from Victor Tut’s Crystal Paradise Resort, where Ray had negotiated prices for a stay at Victor’s unfinished resort within walking distance of Yalbac village. The only thing separating Jesus’ property from Victor’s in Cristo Rey was a 16 acre parcel owned by a friend of Ray, and some old and deep-seated animosity.
Yalbac is nearly an hour’s drive away from Cristo Rey, even though it’s only 25 miles or so in distance. Even so, Victor himself hosted us at the lodge in Yalbac, with his wife doing the cooking. I negotiated to stay again at the lodge in two months when we come back to install the water system. I wish I knew what price we’d agreed on!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, we head to Belmopan, about an hour to the east. Sheree asked if we might be interested in meeting with someone on the Rural Development Board. When we said yes, she promptly got on the phone. When she got off the phone, she said we had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 2 with Ernest Banner, the Minister of the National Rural Development Board. So tomorrow while Dave and Aki go on a scavenger hunt for water parts, Sheree and Pat and I will be meeting with a National Minister.
Belize is a small country.
Dan
Yalbac is nearly an hour’s drive away from Cristo Rey, even though it’s only 25 miles or so in distance. Even so, Victor himself hosted us at the lodge in Yalbac, with his wife doing the cooking. I negotiated to stay again at the lodge in two months when we come back to install the water system. I wish I knew what price we’d agreed on!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, we head to Belmopan, about an hour to the east. Sheree asked if we might be interested in meeting with someone on the Rural Development Board. When we said yes, she promptly got on the phone. When she got off the phone, she said we had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 2 with Ernest Banner, the Minister of the National Rural Development Board. So tomorrow while Dave and Aki go on a scavenger hunt for water parts, Sheree and Pat and I will be meeting with a National Minister.
Belize is a small country.
Dan
A few pictures
Here are a few pictures to help you envision where we've been so far. I hope they'll be in roughly chronological order (since I haven't played with pictures before on the blog I don't know how they'll turn out).
This was our first stop in the village of Gale's Point. This village appeared to be possibly the most needy of the various stops we have made but they also appeared to have access to water resources that they weren't currently utilizing. This was also different from the other areas we've visited because it's located along the coast.
Heading back in the other direction, this picture was taken at Hope Creek. This is situated at the junction of two major roads so although they didn't currently have a good supply of water, they potentially could get bottled water delivered easily. The village was devastated by a major flood that swept through last October. Based on the water marks we saw, the water in this location looked like it rose to about the height of the trailer bed in the picture. In the picture you can see the homeowner who's water we were sampling along with Ray Hopkins, Pat Montgomery, Chuck Hadden (back to you) and Dan Terpstra.
We then headed further south into the Toledo district. Unfortunately I don't have any good pictures from the Hope Mission in Mafredi. This picture was taken in the village of Santa Cruz which is located further south (west?) This was another unique location nestled in rolling hills and consisting mostly of thatched building. Here Ray is explaining what we want to do (test water) and negotiating over crafts they were trying to sell. I don't think they saw too many cars come through and all along the road the locals tried to get us to stop and buy their crafts.
We then headed north to our current location near Yalbac. This picture was taken in Yalbac and we're re-testing the well that we plan to use for our installation in May. The hand pump will be replaced by an electric pump powered by the generator that we need to install for the water purification system. In addition to Dan and Pat, Aki and Sheree Fukai are shown providing the "people power" for the pump. They are our local partners from the San Ignacio Rotary Club.
This picture was taken looking back toward the Catholic church and school. This is the spot where we hope to see the water purification building standing two months from now.
As the first visible sign that we plan to return and make something happen, yesterday we pounded some stakes in the ground to mark the approximate location of the new building.
To God be the glory!
Dave
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, Yalbac to San Ignacio
I spoke with the principal of the school this morning. His main question was when we were going to get started. He was very cooperative and agreed to use Living Waters arts and crafts in the classrooms. The children don't go to school on Friday afternoon, and he said he would ask them to come back after lunch on installation Friday, when we anticipate being ready to have the village adults teach the children. I noticed a poster on the classroom wall about hand-washing that could have come from Living Waters literature, so I was very encouraged about their receptivity to hygiene education.
On the way back, we saw many cattle egrets and some of what Dave insisted were horse egrets. I assumed the cattle egrets and horse egrets were willing to intermingle, but we didn't stick around long enough to see. (At the resort I saw a bird that looked very much like a wood thrush. When I Googled Belizean thrushes, I found that it was a wood thrush.) The trip back to San Ignacio included an essential stop in Spanish Lookout for Mennonite ice cream. Then to get back we had to cross a river on a hand-cranked cable ferry that held a maximum of three cars.
We made a fortuitous contact with a woman in the Agriculture Ministry pesticide control field office just outside of San Ignacio. We had been told in Yalbac that the villagers were concerned that pesticide runoff from rice farms upstream might be getting into their groundwater. The woman at the Ag office was gratified that the villagers were aware of and concerned about pesticides, and she promised to have one of her staff research what chemicals might be in use.
Dinner was at a Sri Lankan restaurant. My fish curry was really tasty, but what I thought would be Sri Lankan mild and Gringo spicy was really pretty mild. Their papadum was also very good, but much different in flavor from Indian papadum.
I am being dragged off to a meeting (I am actually writing this Thursday morning). More later.
Peace,
Chuck
On the way back, we saw many cattle egrets and some of what Dave insisted were horse egrets. I assumed the cattle egrets and horse egrets were willing to intermingle, but we didn't stick around long enough to see. (At the resort I saw a bird that looked very much like a wood thrush. When I Googled Belizean thrushes, I found that it was a wood thrush.) The trip back to San Ignacio included an essential stop in Spanish Lookout for Mennonite ice cream. Then to get back we had to cross a river on a hand-cranked cable ferry that held a maximum of three cars.
We made a fortuitous contact with a woman in the Agriculture Ministry pesticide control field office just outside of San Ignacio. We had been told in Yalbac that the villagers were concerned that pesticide runoff from rice farms upstream might be getting into their groundwater. The woman at the Ag office was gratified that the villagers were aware of and concerned about pesticides, and she promised to have one of her staff research what chemicals might be in use.
Dinner was at a Sri Lankan restaurant. My fish curry was really tasty, but what I thought would be Sri Lankan mild and Gringo spicy was really pretty mild. Their papadum was also very good, but much different in flavor from Indian papadum.
I am being dragged off to a meeting (I am actually writing this Thursday morning). More later.
Peace,
Chuck
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday in Cayo District
We got to Hanna's restaurant in San Ignacio shortly after 6 AM because Ray said it would be really crowded by 6:15. Actually, maybe four other parties had come in by 6:45. I had papaya and pineapple with homemade yogurt and granola. A nice change from eggs and beans.
We went up through Cristo Rey to the Crystal Paradise resort, where Ray negotiated with Victor Tut to set rates to stay at Tut's resort in Yalbac. We saw hummingbirds twice as big as those at home, brown jays the size of small crows, and a collared aracari, as well as several birds and flowers I couldn't identify.
After dropping off a present for Nadean Jones's grandbaby at Cristo Rey, we picked up Sherree and Aki and went up to Yalbac. I talked to one of the teachers about or education plans. He thought it was a good idea but couldn't comment on whether we could use any class time or whether he thought we could use the church, and he clearly did not want to stay after school to help with the teaching.
Meetings with the village elders were successful beyond our expectations. The folks at the evening meeting of the village council were enthusiastic and seemed savvy about what we were planning. We left feeling that we really would end up with a signed covenant. One of the council, a 17-year old who had interpreted for the afternoon meeting, felt this was so important that she came in her church dress and earrings.
Monday night we were treated to a howler monkey chorus and then a heavy rain shower. Another interesting feature was that after we went to bed the generator was turned off and didn't come on again until just before breakfast. It was very dark with the overcast and no city lights around.
Chuck
We went up through Cristo Rey to the Crystal Paradise resort, where Ray negotiated with Victor Tut to set rates to stay at Tut's resort in Yalbac. We saw hummingbirds twice as big as those at home, brown jays the size of small crows, and a collared aracari, as well as several birds and flowers I couldn't identify.
After dropping off a present for Nadean Jones's grandbaby at Cristo Rey, we picked up Sherree and Aki and went up to Yalbac. I talked to one of the teachers about or education plans. He thought it was a good idea but couldn't comment on whether we could use any class time or whether he thought we could use the church, and he clearly did not want to stay after school to help with the teaching.
Meetings with the village elders were successful beyond our expectations. The folks at the evening meeting of the village council were enthusiastic and seemed savvy about what we were planning. We left feeling that we really would end up with a signed covenant. One of the council, a 17-year old who had interpreted for the afternoon meeting, felt this was so important that she came in her church dress and earrings.
Monday night we were treated to a howler monkey chorus and then a heavy rain shower. Another interesting feature was that after we went to bed the generator was turned off and didn't come on again until just before breakfast. It was very dark with the overcast and no city lights around.
Chuck
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Cayo
We made it to Cayo. This is the name of both the largest district and the nickname of the largest town in western Belize. Formerly known as San Ignacio, it’s smaller than Oak Ridge, but the jumping off point for our adventures in Yalbac.
We attended the Anglican (don’t call us Episcopal) church in Placencia this morning, after which we all had brunch. Ray headed for a swim, as the rest of us headed back to the guest house to pack and dispose of some water samples. So far two of the samples we collected on our first day have shown positive for biological contamination: the creek near Gales Point at the old pumping station, and the spigot in Ramon’s village of Hope Creek. The second of those, Ramon’s village, may be a good possibility for a future water site.
On our way back up Hummingbird Highway, we decided to stop at Jaguar Creek and look around. As we drove down the dirt road in a light drizzle, we came upon Matteo and his wife walking toward camp from the bus stop. Matteo was a security guard during both of our previous stays at Jaguar Creek. He remembered us after a brief puzzlement, and asked if Sarah was still playing soccer. He invited us to look around, and since not much had changed, it brought back a flood of memories as we showed it off proudly to Ray and Pat.
We continued on to Belmopan and headed down Western Highway toward Cayo town. We rolled in about 5:30 and checked into 5 little stand-alone wooden bungalows in the back near the river. A flurry of phone calls was mostly unproductive, but I was able to talk to Lucy, the young daughter of the water board president in Cristo Rey to let him know we would stop in briefly in the morning to arrange a longer visit later in the week. We also set up an early morning meeting with Victor Tut, owner of a resort south of Cristo Rey and a camp near Yalbac where we hope to stay tomorrow night. As we prepared to walk to dinner, we were surprised to see Sheree and Aki, our local Rotary contacts roll into the parking lot. We took them to dinner and had a long and productive conversation over a good meal. They are a class act, and have everything under control. I’m more confident than ever that this trip will be a success.
I hope to post this entry if I can find a wireless signal. After that it might be a couple days before I get another chance.
It’s gratifying to see the comments on the blog and know that someone’s reading this. Keep commenting. And keep praying for us. So far this trip has been blessed with few and minor glitches. I’m grateful and confident that we’ll be able to achieve our major goals.
Dan Terpstra
We attended the Anglican (don’t call us Episcopal) church in Placencia this morning, after which we all had brunch. Ray headed for a swim, as the rest of us headed back to the guest house to pack and dispose of some water samples. So far two of the samples we collected on our first day have shown positive for biological contamination: the creek near Gales Point at the old pumping station, and the spigot in Ramon’s village of Hope Creek. The second of those, Ramon’s village, may be a good possibility for a future water site.
On our way back up Hummingbird Highway, we decided to stop at Jaguar Creek and look around. As we drove down the dirt road in a light drizzle, we came upon Matteo and his wife walking toward camp from the bus stop. Matteo was a security guard during both of our previous stays at Jaguar Creek. He remembered us after a brief puzzlement, and asked if Sarah was still playing soccer. He invited us to look around, and since not much had changed, it brought back a flood of memories as we showed it off proudly to Ray and Pat.
We continued on to Belmopan and headed down Western Highway toward Cayo town. We rolled in about 5:30 and checked into 5 little stand-alone wooden bungalows in the back near the river. A flurry of phone calls was mostly unproductive, but I was able to talk to Lucy, the young daughter of the water board president in Cristo Rey to let him know we would stop in briefly in the morning to arrange a longer visit later in the week. We also set up an early morning meeting with Victor Tut, owner of a resort south of Cristo Rey and a camp near Yalbac where we hope to stay tomorrow night. As we prepared to walk to dinner, we were surprised to see Sheree and Aki, our local Rotary contacts roll into the parking lot. We took them to dinner and had a long and productive conversation over a good meal. They are a class act, and have everything under control. I’m more confident than ever that this trip will be a success.
I hope to post this entry if I can find a wireless signal. After that it might be a couple days before I get another chance.
It’s gratifying to see the comments on the blog and know that someone’s reading this. Keep commenting. And keep praying for us. So far this trip has been blessed with few and minor glitches. I’m grateful and confident that we’ll be able to achieve our major goals.
Dan Terpstra
Placencia, Jaguar Creek, San Ignacio
Ray and I started the day with coffee at dawn at Yoli's restaurant on the pier. Sunrise over the ocean didn't really happen. There was a line of clouds on the horizon that rose as fast as the sun. I guess that means the clouds were moving east to west, which seems strange to me.
At church we were treated to a baptism, whose participants were not readily identifiable except the baby, Mom, and the priest. There were two other women and a man in the group, whom some thought were godmother, aunt, and father, but I thought were grandmother and godparents. I think Dad slipped in after the service for the family picture. The priest took the party to task at one point for not answering the questions loudly enough. The baby was wearing white slacks and jacket and a lovely ecclesiastical stole, which is not common in Belize but is in Guatemala, where the woman I thought was grandmother had bought it.
After brunch, at which I had a french toast sandwich filled with chocolate and topped with a white sauce containing a berry liquer, we checked out and headed back to the Hokey Pokey water taxi.
After stops in Jaguar Creek and then at Ian Anderson's to look for Ray's daily requirement of iron-in-Guiness, we arrived at our resort in San Ignacio. The resort comprises a number of cabins in a row of trees that have labels giving the scientific name, common name, habitat, and medicinal uses. They included avocado, almond, trumpet tree, and custard apple. It was a great surprise that my cabin had a large cable TV. There were at least six soccer channels, and channels 110-113 were in Chinese. What I heard later seemed to be that most of the cable service was pirated from somebody else's signals.
Sherree and Aki arrived just as we were contemplating supper. We walked up the street to a restaurant where the tables were under an open roof. We had great food and conversation, and also kids on bicycles and dogs running around among the tables.
It was really nice to catch up with Sherree and Aki again and incorporate Sherree's enthusiasm with ours. Aki's support is strong and quiet. He really seems to be key in getting projects done. We are blessed to be working with both of them and have them mentor us on the ways of Belize.
At church we were treated to a baptism, whose participants were not readily identifiable except the baby, Mom, and the priest. There were two other women and a man in the group, whom some thought were godmother, aunt, and father, but I thought were grandmother and godparents. I think Dad slipped in after the service for the family picture. The priest took the party to task at one point for not answering the questions loudly enough. The baby was wearing white slacks and jacket and a lovely ecclesiastical stole, which is not common in Belize but is in Guatemala, where the woman I thought was grandmother had bought it.
After brunch, at which I had a french toast sandwich filled with chocolate and topped with a white sauce containing a berry liquer, we checked out and headed back to the Hokey Pokey water taxi.
After stops in Jaguar Creek and then at Ian Anderson's to look for Ray's daily requirement of iron-in-Guiness, we arrived at our resort in San Ignacio. The resort comprises a number of cabins in a row of trees that have labels giving the scientific name, common name, habitat, and medicinal uses. They included avocado, almond, trumpet tree, and custard apple. It was a great surprise that my cabin had a large cable TV. There were at least six soccer channels, and channels 110-113 were in Chinese. What I heard later seemed to be that most of the cable service was pirated from somebody else's signals.
Sherree and Aki arrived just as we were contemplating supper. We walked up the street to a restaurant where the tables were under an open roof. We had great food and conversation, and also kids on bicycles and dogs running around among the tables.
It was really nice to catch up with Sherree and Aki again and incorporate Sherree's enthusiasm with ours. Aki's support is strong and quiet. He really seems to be key in getting projects done. We are blessed to be working with both of them and have them mentor us on the ways of Belize.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Transitions
I’m sitting on the veranda on the second floor of Dianni’s Guest House, enjoying the pleasant ocean breezes and feeling the slight glow of a mild sunburn. It’s late; 11:00 back home, but only 10:00 here. Dianni’s is in the town of Placencia on the tipoff a 17 mile peninsula about halfway down the coast of Belize.
Today is an early R&R day, between our commitments at Hope Mission in Mafredi last night and this morning, and our commitments in San Ignacio and Yalbac beginning tomorrow evening.
It’s been a pleasant day. We woke up to the sound of the ocean in Punta Gorda and trekked back to Mafredi for breakfast at Jerry Parham’s house next door to the Hope Mission Center at 7:30. We arrived right on time – very American. After breakfast we had a long and engaging conversation with Jerry and Valerie Osborne about future directions and opportunities. I’m optimistic we can together make something happen to God’s glory and the benefit of the people of this area.
Around mid-morning we headed deeper into the mountains toward the Guatemala border. Our goal was two-fold:
First, to visit a small Mayan village that Rebekah Pound mentioned to us yesterday. She said we would find it representative of the small poor villages in the area. It was. While collecting a water sample from the pumping station, we were accosted by 3 generations of Mayan women and children eager to sell us their handmade wares. Ben now has a new bracelet and Sarah has a brightly colored handbag.
Second, to visit a waterfall that Ray remembers from a visit over a decade ago. When it became apparent that Ray, the oldest member of our team, fully intended to jump off the bluff nearly 30 feet above the pool below the falls, Dave and I couldn’t let him be the only one. We stripped to our skivvies and joined him in the water. Thankfully no pictures accompany the event.
A long ride on rough dirt roads finally brought us back to the paved Southern Highway and north to Independence. On Ray’s insistence, we parked the SUV and took the Hokey Pokey ferry from Independence across the lagoon to Dianni’s place in Placencia. After some sight-seeing and fruit gelato, we wandered down to Yoli’s place on the beach. Ray wanted to know who was cooking dinner. Yoli herself came out and gave Ray a big hug along with assurances that she was the cook tonight. We had a couple rounds on a pier over the bay, watching some big catamarans reposition themselves, and talking to Yoli’s husband Ragan. He’s a Canadian ex-pat with some valuable knowledge about the goings-on around Yalbac.
Dinner was excellent; shrimp, grouper and black snapper. The conversation matched the meal, including a rollicking tale from Pat Montgomery about how he single handedly salvaged the merger of the Northern and Southern Presbyterian churches oh so many years ago. An after dinner walk took Ray and Chuck and me on a scavenger hunt to find the daughter and son-in-law of Jerry Parham. This morning his wife told us over breakfast that they both work at restaurants in Placencia. We found them, and embarrassed them at their work place by showing up as three old white guys they’d never met with a message from mom and dad. It’s a story they’re sure to repeat.
Now it’s late and time for bed. Tomorrow it’s off to Northwest Belize and another adventure.
Dan Terpstra
Today is an early R&R day, between our commitments at Hope Mission in Mafredi last night and this morning, and our commitments in San Ignacio and Yalbac beginning tomorrow evening.
It’s been a pleasant day. We woke up to the sound of the ocean in Punta Gorda and trekked back to Mafredi for breakfast at Jerry Parham’s house next door to the Hope Mission Center at 7:30. We arrived right on time – very American. After breakfast we had a long and engaging conversation with Jerry and Valerie Osborne about future directions and opportunities. I’m optimistic we can together make something happen to God’s glory and the benefit of the people of this area.
Around mid-morning we headed deeper into the mountains toward the Guatemala border. Our goal was two-fold:
First, to visit a small Mayan village that Rebekah Pound mentioned to us yesterday. She said we would find it representative of the small poor villages in the area. It was. While collecting a water sample from the pumping station, we were accosted by 3 generations of Mayan women and children eager to sell us their handmade wares. Ben now has a new bracelet and Sarah has a brightly colored handbag.
Second, to visit a waterfall that Ray remembers from a visit over a decade ago. When it became apparent that Ray, the oldest member of our team, fully intended to jump off the bluff nearly 30 feet above the pool below the falls, Dave and I couldn’t let him be the only one. We stripped to our skivvies and joined him in the water. Thankfully no pictures accompany the event.
A long ride on rough dirt roads finally brought us back to the paved Southern Highway and north to Independence. On Ray’s insistence, we parked the SUV and took the Hokey Pokey ferry from Independence across the lagoon to Dianni’s place in Placencia. After some sight-seeing and fruit gelato, we wandered down to Yoli’s place on the beach. Ray wanted to know who was cooking dinner. Yoli herself came out and gave Ray a big hug along with assurances that she was the cook tonight. We had a couple rounds on a pier over the bay, watching some big catamarans reposition themselves, and talking to Yoli’s husband Ragan. He’s a Canadian ex-pat with some valuable knowledge about the goings-on around Yalbac.
Dinner was excellent; shrimp, grouper and black snapper. The conversation matched the meal, including a rollicking tale from Pat Montgomery about how he single handedly salvaged the merger of the Northern and Southern Presbyterian churches oh so many years ago. An after dinner walk took Ray and Chuck and me on a scavenger hunt to find the daughter and son-in-law of Jerry Parham. This morning his wife told us over breakfast that they both work at restaurants in Placencia. We found them, and embarrassed them at their work place by showing up as three old white guys they’d never met with a message from mom and dad. It’s a story they’re sure to repeat.
Now it’s late and time for bed. Tomorrow it’s off to Northwest Belize and another adventure.
Dan Terpstra
Saturday PM, Punta Gorda to Placencia
First, my thoughts about Punta Gorda. The southernmost large town in Belize, PG was a disappointment when we visited Friday night. It was dreary, with dirty, shabby buildings packed close together. Other than political rallies by both the ins and the outs, nothing seemed to be going on. Ray seemed to delight in taking us up one empty street and down the next, pointing out all the shuttered shops and restaurants. Not a place to vacation or do much of anything else.
We started our Saturday venture with a search for bakery shops so Ray could get pastries. No luck, they were closed. We went back to the Hope mission for a delicious breakfast of beans, fresh fruit, fry bread and fried dukunus. Fry bread is something like a light fluffy large sopapilla made with wheat flour. Dukunus are a kind of tamale made from a lump of freshly ground white corn mush steamed in a corn husk. We had had fresh duconos Friday night, and the leftovers were sliced and fried for breakfast.
Our hosts, the local director of the mission and his wife, had ancestors from southern India. He is a rice farmer in addition to his duties with the mission and as the head of the village council.
After breakfast we headed up into the hills on roads that wandered through the forest and would probably have been twice as long if you measured up and down through the potholes as well as forward. We passed through the village of San Antonio, which had a paved road(!), and then on to San Marcos to take a water sample. Before the car had stopped moving at the San Marcos well, a young woman came running down the hill to be the first to offer us crafts to buy. She had a covered palm basket the size of a volley ball, which was lovely and probably a steal at $30 US, but it seemed too large to pack and bring home. Now I am wishing I had decided to find a way to bring it home. The woman had four small children and another on the way. She was barefoot but wearing a beautiful dress, apparently handmade.
On through the village we saw free range chickens, horses, pigs, and even a peccary (javelina in Texas). Also churches, a school, and a library. I think you have read about our adventures at the waterfall.
On the way back north, we had pavement briefly, then several miles of dirt-surfaced road construction, and finally pavement again. We went first through orange groves, then banana plantations, more oranges, more bananas, and back to oranges. There weren’t many kinds of flowers, mostly a yellow daisy-like composite on trees that were up to about 30 feet high. In the towns, however, there were many varieties of hibiscus and bougainvillea, all on large bushes. Most of the birds inland were grackles, but I did see a king vulture Friday, kingfishers at the waterfall, and a pair of yellow kiskadees today. Out on the beach at Placencia there were brown pelicans, gulls, cormorants, and a few magnificent frigate birds.
Placencia seems somehow disconnected from the rest of Belize, like Key Caulker did. People elsewhere have their own real lives, but in Placencia everything seems to be related to partying and shopping. It’s much less dreary than Punta Gorda.
Saturday night we had supper at a restaurant on a pier over the ocean. The proprietor and her husband were friends of Ray, as many people in Belize seem to be. We had a delicious meal of shrimp and fish with coconut rice and salad. Dan and Ray and I wandered around for a while finding the daughter and son-in-law of the Hope Mission folks, and then abandoned the hopping nightlife in favor of sleep.
Dave has been twitting me about how much I am writing, so enough for now. To maintain my record, my Sunday entry will come in on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Chuck
We started our Saturday venture with a search for bakery shops so Ray could get pastries. No luck, they were closed. We went back to the Hope mission for a delicious breakfast of beans, fresh fruit, fry bread and fried dukunus. Fry bread is something like a light fluffy large sopapilla made with wheat flour. Dukunus are a kind of tamale made from a lump of freshly ground white corn mush steamed in a corn husk. We had had fresh duconos Friday night, and the leftovers were sliced and fried for breakfast.
Our hosts, the local director of the mission and his wife, had ancestors from southern India. He is a rice farmer in addition to his duties with the mission and as the head of the village council.
After breakfast we headed up into the hills on roads that wandered through the forest and would probably have been twice as long if you measured up and down through the potholes as well as forward. We passed through the village of San Antonio, which had a paved road(!), and then on to San Marcos to take a water sample. Before the car had stopped moving at the San Marcos well, a young woman came running down the hill to be the first to offer us crafts to buy. She had a covered palm basket the size of a volley ball, which was lovely and probably a steal at $30 US, but it seemed too large to pack and bring home. Now I am wishing I had decided to find a way to bring it home. The woman had four small children and another on the way. She was barefoot but wearing a beautiful dress, apparently handmade.
On through the village we saw free range chickens, horses, pigs, and even a peccary (javelina in Texas). Also churches, a school, and a library. I think you have read about our adventures at the waterfall.
On the way back north, we had pavement briefly, then several miles of dirt-surfaced road construction, and finally pavement again. We went first through orange groves, then banana plantations, more oranges, more bananas, and back to oranges. There weren’t many kinds of flowers, mostly a yellow daisy-like composite on trees that were up to about 30 feet high. In the towns, however, there were many varieties of hibiscus and bougainvillea, all on large bushes. Most of the birds inland were grackles, but I did see a king vulture Friday, kingfishers at the waterfall, and a pair of yellow kiskadees today. Out on the beach at Placencia there were brown pelicans, gulls, cormorants, and a few magnificent frigate birds.
Placencia seems somehow disconnected from the rest of Belize, like Key Caulker did. People elsewhere have their own real lives, but in Placencia everything seems to be related to partying and shopping. It’s much less dreary than Punta Gorda.
Saturday night we had supper at a restaurant on a pier over the ocean. The proprietor and her husband were friends of Ray, as many people in Belize seem to be. We had a delicious meal of shrimp and fish with coconut rice and salad. Dan and Ray and I wandered around for a while finding the daughter and son-in-law of the Hope Mission folks, and then abandoned the hopping nightlife in favor of sleep.
Dave has been twitting me about how much I am writing, so enough for now. To maintain my record, my Sunday entry will come in on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Chuck
Friday, February 20, 2009
Day One
It’s been a long and busy day. I’m rewinding and trying to find an anecdote that captures the essence of the day. I’m not sure there’s one that will do it.
Might it be the conversation with the school principal at Gales Point who just wants clean water for her kids to drink? She couldn’t even provide us a sample because today there was no water. The pump was not working and she didn’t know why.
Or Karl, the operator who rode two miles on Ray’s lap to the pump house for the Gales Point well, and fired up the diesel generator to power the electric pump to pump the water so we could get a sample. Oh, by the way, since the pump is running, let’s go ahead and fill the water tank.
Or maybe the Nazarene lay pastors who hosted us for lunch (stewed chicken and rice and beans…or beans and rice). They listened intently as we outlined the role of Living Waters for the World.
Ramon, a former cop and bar owner, and a recent convert to Christianity, was impressive in his passion for his faith and his community. He’s setting up an internet café, the first in his community and promises to have his own email address on March 9. He wants very much for us to “approve his application” for a Living Waters system so his church can provide affordable clean water to the disadvantaged in his community.
Maybe Rebekah Pound, niece of a Nazarene “pioneer” missionary who came to Belize over 30 years ago. She came to Belize over 6 years ago to do recovery work for Hurricane Iris. She stayed and started a High School. She talked with us intently about wanting to do good for the people of the villages of southern Belize. She thinks water might be a part of that picture.
Or Jerry Parham, village elder rice grower and school bus driver in Mafredi. He opened his house to us for dinner, accompanied by four surprise (to us) house guests from Kentucky who we hadn’t expected to meet. Then he offered to let us sleep in the house with his wife and son and granddaughter (and Kentucky guests) when it was discovered that the killer bees living behind the church had migrated inside.
Or maybe Ray Hopkins, extravert extraordinaire, who hobnobbed with everyone in sight, brought a smile to many faces through the day, and pestered the innkeepers at a hotel in Punta Gorda (we couldn’t take advantage of Jerry’s genuinely gracious hospitality) to find us a place with rooms available. And who decided after we’d checked in to another hotel, to pay a visit to the owner when the night manager told us he couldn’t honor the 10% discount that the first innkeepers had negotiated for us. I still don’t know the outcome of that story.
The bottom line: if the remaining trip is as adventure filled as today, I’ll come home exhausted. With a big and satisfied smile on my face. God is good.
Dan Terpstra
Might it be the conversation with the school principal at Gales Point who just wants clean water for her kids to drink? She couldn’t even provide us a sample because today there was no water. The pump was not working and she didn’t know why.
Or Karl, the operator who rode two miles on Ray’s lap to the pump house for the Gales Point well, and fired up the diesel generator to power the electric pump to pump the water so we could get a sample. Oh, by the way, since the pump is running, let’s go ahead and fill the water tank.
Or maybe the Nazarene lay pastors who hosted us for lunch (stewed chicken and rice and beans…or beans and rice). They listened intently as we outlined the role of Living Waters for the World.
Ramon, a former cop and bar owner, and a recent convert to Christianity, was impressive in his passion for his faith and his community. He’s setting up an internet café, the first in his community and promises to have his own email address on March 9. He wants very much for us to “approve his application” for a Living Waters system so his church can provide affordable clean water to the disadvantaged in his community.
Maybe Rebekah Pound, niece of a Nazarene “pioneer” missionary who came to Belize over 30 years ago. She came to Belize over 6 years ago to do recovery work for Hurricane Iris. She stayed and started a High School. She talked with us intently about wanting to do good for the people of the villages of southern Belize. She thinks water might be a part of that picture.
Or Jerry Parham, village elder rice grower and school bus driver in Mafredi. He opened his house to us for dinner, accompanied by four surprise (to us) house guests from Kentucky who we hadn’t expected to meet. Then he offered to let us sleep in the house with his wife and son and granddaughter (and Kentucky guests) when it was discovered that the killer bees living behind the church had migrated inside.
Or maybe Ray Hopkins, extravert extraordinaire, who hobnobbed with everyone in sight, brought a smile to many faces through the day, and pestered the innkeepers at a hotel in Punta Gorda (we couldn’t take advantage of Jerry’s genuinely gracious hospitality) to find us a place with rooms available. And who decided after we’d checked in to another hotel, to pay a visit to the owner when the night manager told us he couldn’t honor the 10% discount that the first innkeepers had negotiated for us. I still don’t know the outcome of that story.
The bottom line: if the remaining trip is as adventure filled as today, I’ll come home exhausted. With a big and satisfied smile on my face. God is good.
Dan Terpstra
On the Mission Circuit!
We covered a lot of ground today. Most of the others did the heavy lifting. I’ll let Dan provide the gory details. The first stop struck me as the most frustrating. The poverty was significant and our primary task was to convince people of very limited resources that they needed to be concerned, and ultimately pay for, pure water (that’s why I’m a LWW tech person and not a people person).
We visited a number of villages, took many water samples and drove on miles and miles of dirt roads. We finished the day at the Hope Mission Center and were surprised to find our contacts from Kentucky came down here to work at the last minute (they say hi, Tim). Things took a further surprising turn when our lodging for the night, the local Methodist church, turned out infested by killer bees. Our host offered to put the five of us in his living room along with housing four from Kentucky but we opted to drive up to the nearest “big” city and get some hotel rooms for the night.
We’re on the coast so we should see another great Belizean sunrise tomorrow. We’ll hit a few more villages at the southern most end of our travels before heading up to the Yalbac area on Sunday.
Peace to all,
Dave
We visited a number of villages, took many water samples and drove on miles and miles of dirt roads. We finished the day at the Hope Mission Center and were surprised to find our contacts from Kentucky came down here to work at the last minute (they say hi, Tim). Things took a further surprising turn when our lodging for the night, the local Methodist church, turned out infested by killer bees. Our host offered to put the five of us in his living room along with housing four from Kentucky but we opted to drive up to the nearest “big” city and get some hotel rooms for the night.
We’re on the coast so we should see another great Belizean sunrise tomorrow. We’ll hit a few more villages at the southern most end of our travels before heading up to the Yalbac area on Sunday.
Peace to all,
Dave
We've Arrived
We've arrived safe and sound in Belize.
Deju vu all over again (see my first post during last years trip). Our flight was delayed out of Knoxville and we only had a forty five minute lay over in Atlanta to begin with. A rush through the Atlanta airport but we made it okay.
We met up with Pat in Atlanta (he actually spotted me, I guess I looked distinctly Presbyterian) and Ray was waiting for us outside the Belize airport with the car already to go.
Beautiful drive to our first night's stop. A little cramped with five guys plus luggage in a small SUV. We'll be drawing straws to see who drives, who gets shot-gun and the loser sits in the middle in the back.
We stopped for a late lunch in Belmopan. We all had "Cow's Foot Soup". Quaint name. I won when I discovered a good size bit of "hoof" at the bottom of the bowl.
We then stopped in Armenia. The water system wasn't in terrible disrepair. The brass faucets had been removed but not broken off. Unfortunately it also looked like the tanks hadn't been used in a while. They were empty and the tie-down straps were missing (maybe they disappeared when the faucets were taken). On the up side the last large tank (the one Ben climbed inside to clean) had been plumbed into the bathroom in the Community Building.
We proceeded through the mountains on Humingbird Highway south of Jaguar Creek (the direction we didn't typically drive). The last seven miles were on a dusty durt road and we ended up at a small church camp for the night.
Today we're off to investigate a few potential water sites.
Peace to all,
Dave
Deju vu all over again (see my first post during last years trip). Our flight was delayed out of Knoxville and we only had a forty five minute lay over in Atlanta to begin with. A rush through the Atlanta airport but we made it okay.
We met up with Pat in Atlanta (he actually spotted me, I guess I looked distinctly Presbyterian) and Ray was waiting for us outside the Belize airport with the car already to go.
Beautiful drive to our first night's stop. A little cramped with five guys plus luggage in a small SUV. We'll be drawing straws to see who drives, who gets shot-gun and the loser sits in the middle in the back.
We stopped for a late lunch in Belmopan. We all had "Cow's Foot Soup". Quaint name. I won when I discovered a good size bit of "hoof" at the bottom of the bowl.
We then stopped in Armenia. The water system wasn't in terrible disrepair. The brass faucets had been removed but not broken off. Unfortunately it also looked like the tanks hadn't been used in a while. They were empty and the tie-down straps were missing (maybe they disappeared when the faucets were taken). On the up side the last large tank (the one Ben climbed inside to clean) had been plumbed into the bathroom in the Community Building.
We proceeded through the mountains on Humingbird Highway south of Jaguar Creek (the direction we didn't typically drive). The last seven miles were on a dusty durt road and we ended up at a small church camp for the night.
Today we're off to investigate a few potential water sites.
Peace to all,
Dave
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Advance
Thursday evening
We made it to the Advance Mission at about 5:30 this afternoon. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but this is Belize. Ray encouraged us to take Hummingbird Highway instead of the Coastal Highway. Judging from the 7 miles we finally did travel on the dirt and potholes of Coastal, that was probably the right choice. Isidro and his wife cooked up a delicious dinner of chicken with rice and beans (or is it beans and rice?) while the five of us settled into a dorm built for 32. After dinner Ray Neu joined us to explain his role in teaching lay pastors to more effectively minister in the area and his interest in helping us with clean water systems. He provided us with a new tidbit of information: Barry Bowen’s Crystal Water is now available as refills for $2 BZ for a five gallon jug. That’s very cost competitive and raises the question as to whether we should try to compete with those prices. This may lead us to consider focusing on areas where Crystal is not readily available; too small or remote.
We learned a great deal of valuable and interesting information from Ray and Ray today. It’s kinda overwhelming to try to absorb it all. Tomorrw the plan is to visit a government school in Gales Point about 10 miles north of here. The principal filled out a Water Issues Survey and we want to complete the picture with a water sample. After that we’ll head to Mafredi, stopping in Hope Creek for another water sample and in Silk Grass to pick up a Survey to go along with it.
I’m looking around the room. Everyone else is asleep, or at least trying to. I suppose I should turn off the lights. Good night.
Dan Terpstra
We made it to the Advance Mission at about 5:30 this afternoon. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but this is Belize. Ray encouraged us to take Hummingbird Highway instead of the Coastal Highway. Judging from the 7 miles we finally did travel on the dirt and potholes of Coastal, that was probably the right choice. Isidro and his wife cooked up a delicious dinner of chicken with rice and beans (or is it beans and rice?) while the five of us settled into a dorm built for 32. After dinner Ray Neu joined us to explain his role in teaching lay pastors to more effectively minister in the area and his interest in helping us with clean water systems. He provided us with a new tidbit of information: Barry Bowen’s Crystal Water is now available as refills for $2 BZ for a five gallon jug. That’s very cost competitive and raises the question as to whether we should try to compete with those prices. This may lead us to consider focusing on areas where Crystal is not readily available; too small or remote.
We learned a great deal of valuable and interesting information from Ray and Ray today. It’s kinda overwhelming to try to absorb it all. Tomorrw the plan is to visit a government school in Gales Point about 10 miles north of here. The principal filled out a Water Issues Survey and we want to complete the picture with a water sample. After that we’ll head to Mafredi, stopping in Hope Creek for another water sample and in Silk Grass to pick up a Survey to go along with it.
I’m looking around the room. Everyone else is asleep, or at least trying to. I suppose I should turn off the lights. Good night.
Dan Terpstra
On our Way
We're in the air over Atlanta and the captain has just announced that we can use approved electronic devices. So out comes my computer. I've got a choice. I can write another entry for the blog. Or I can write an update on the Community Garden for the Banner. Blog sounds more fun.
Mary Mullins delivered us safely to the airport this morning, where we cooled our heels waiting for departure. We sat on the ground for a half hour waiting for clearance from Atlanta. A bit unnerving, since we only had a 45 minute layover. We made it, after a mad dash up the escalators to our gate. And we even got a chance to meet Pat Montgomery, albeit very briefly, before boarding.
I’ve got a window seat, and I must not be composing my thoughts too quickly, because I can see the Florida coast as I glance out the window. Soon we’ll be in Belize. I’m trying to focus on today and not look too far ahead.
An email yesterday from our host for tonight, Ray Neu, indicates that he’s been busy. He says he’s got several completed Water Issues Surveys from locations in our area, and recommends that we stop at a school on the way to Dangriga to talk with the principal who is interested in a water system.
Valerie Osborne, our contact for Mafredi, tells us that although there’s no café or restaurant in the village (just a church, a school, two shops and four houses), the local families are excited about our visit tomorrow and planning to cook for us. She says we’re in for a treat.
Another email message last night indicates that Ray Hopkins, our Swarthmore partner, is still negotiating a place to stay for Monday night. One of the families of Yalbac has a resort near Cristo Rey, and a camp near Yalbac. We’d like to stay overnight at the camp while we’re negotiating with the village about the water system, but so far the price we’ve been quoted for the camp is higher than for the resort. We’ll need to see what happens here.
We’ve picked up a solid cloud cover, so there’s nothing to see out the window. I hope it breaks before we get to Cuba. In the meanwhile I suppose I should write that garden article.
Dan Terpstra
Mary Mullins delivered us safely to the airport this morning, where we cooled our heels waiting for departure. We sat on the ground for a half hour waiting for clearance from Atlanta. A bit unnerving, since we only had a 45 minute layover. We made it, after a mad dash up the escalators to our gate. And we even got a chance to meet Pat Montgomery, albeit very briefly, before boarding.
I’ve got a window seat, and I must not be composing my thoughts too quickly, because I can see the Florida coast as I glance out the window. Soon we’ll be in Belize. I’m trying to focus on today and not look too far ahead.
An email yesterday from our host for tonight, Ray Neu, indicates that he’s been busy. He says he’s got several completed Water Issues Surveys from locations in our area, and recommends that we stop at a school on the way to Dangriga to talk with the principal who is interested in a water system.
Valerie Osborne, our contact for Mafredi, tells us that although there’s no café or restaurant in the village (just a church, a school, two shops and four houses), the local families are excited about our visit tomorrow and planning to cook for us. She says we’re in for a treat.
Another email message last night indicates that Ray Hopkins, our Swarthmore partner, is still negotiating a place to stay for Monday night. One of the families of Yalbac has a resort near Cristo Rey, and a camp near Yalbac. We’d like to stay overnight at the camp while we’re negotiating with the village about the water system, but so far the price we’ve been quoted for the camp is higher than for the resort. We’ll need to see what happens here.
We’ve picked up a solid cloud cover, so there’s nothing to see out the window. I hope it breaks before we get to Cuba. In the meanwhile I suppose I should write that garden article.
Dan Terpstra
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Back To Belize
It's Tuesday night as I write. Weather.com says its 47 degrees. In Belmopan, the capital of Belize, it's 73, On Thursday morning three of us, me, Dave Mullins, and Chuck Hadden, will be headed back to Belize. I can't wait. This will be Dave's second trip, Chuck's fourth, and my third. Our main goal this time is to make sure everything's in place for a water system installation in late April, but we'll be covering a lot of other ground as well. This is the third trip I've planned since 2005, and in many ways it's both the easiest and hardest. There are far fewer of us to worry about, but the agenda is far more fluid and open ended.
As in the past we intend to blog the experience as we go, and hope you'll follow along. Don't forget, you can also post comments so we can get a bit of feedback. This first entry will set the stage, introduce some additional players, and give you an idea of where we'll be when.
Come Thursday morning February 19, bright and early, we'll convene at the church, declare a quorum, and prevail upon Mary Mullins to take us to the airport. By mid-morning we'll be scanning the Atlanta airport looking for Pat Montgomery, pastor of 1st Presbyterian, Cody WY. He'll be our travelling companion for the rest of the trip. By early afternoon we'll be basking in the balmy Belizean air and scanning the arrivals area for Ray Hopkins, retired Political Science Professor from Swarthmore, and member of the Swarthmore Rotary. He should have our rental SUV and be ready to take us to our first destination.
In a little less detail, here's where we'll be spending the rest of our week:
Dan Terpstra for
the LWW Belize Team
As in the past we intend to blog the experience as we go, and hope you'll follow along. Don't forget, you can also post comments so we can get a bit of feedback. This first entry will set the stage, introduce some additional players, and give you an idea of where we'll be when.
Come Thursday morning February 19, bright and early, we'll convene at the church, declare a quorum, and prevail upon Mary Mullins to take us to the airport. By mid-morning we'll be scanning the Atlanta airport looking for Pat Montgomery, pastor of 1st Presbyterian, Cody WY. He'll be our travelling companion for the rest of the trip. By early afternoon we'll be basking in the balmy Belizean air and scanning the arrivals area for Ray Hopkins, retired Political Science Professor from Swarthmore, and member of the Swarthmore Rotary. He should have our rental SUV and be ready to take us to our first destination.
In a little less detail, here's where we'll be spending the rest of our week:
- Thursday night finds us at the Advance Mission north of Dangriga about halfway down the Belizean coast. We met Ray Neu at the car rental place last March and when we mentioned water, he asked us to come for a visit.
- Friday night, the 20th, we'll be sleeping in the church at Mafredi, a small village about 17 miles inland from Punta Gorda in Southern Belize. Wil Howie and Tim Myrick met Mitch and Valerie Osborne at a LWW Appalachia meeting last November and they insisted we needed to visit their Hope Mission in Mafredi to explore the possibility of a water system.
- Saturday afternoon and evening is early R&R in Placencia which, according to Ray Hopkins is one of the prettiest beaches in Belize. We'll let you know.
- We hope to stop in at Jaguar Creek on Sunday to say hi to Matteo, even though Mark and Adrienne, our hosts from last year will have left for the States on Wednesday. We also plan to stop in Armenia and get a few pictures of the water tanks and laundry facility.
- By Sunday night we'll be in San Ignacio where we'll be based for most of the upcoming week. It's the largest town in West Central Belize. From here we'll be working on finalizing plans for a water system in Yalbac, a village about 20 miles north. We also hope to have time to visit our friends in Cristo Rey, south of San Ignacio and further discuss a future relationship and possible water system.
- On Friday February 27 we head back to Belize City to drop Ray at the airport. From there the remaining four of us head north to Orange Walk. We'll meet with the principal of the Presbyterian Day School Saturday morning with the hope of laying the groundwork for restarting the Living Waters system installed there in 2003.
- Finally on Sunday, March 1, it's back to Belize City and then back to the States.
Dan Terpstra for
the LWW Belize Team
Monday, March 31, 2008
Cristo Rey
We turned right from Santa Elena and headed south toward Cristo Rey. We had just driven a loop over the low steel plate bridge on the
My brief phone conversation with Jamie the night before had provided our directions. We were to look for a park on the right side of the road after entering Cristo Rey, and then ask the first person we saw where Atiliano Jones lived. I spotted the park, and pulled the SUV in front of a small tienda a few hundred yards down the road. Peggy and I got out and asked after Atiliano, as instructed. The shopkeeper pointed to a small blue house across the street. We’d found our destination with 20 minutes to spare. As we walked up to the blue house, we saw Atiliano stride out from the porch of a house two doors down. He was a striking figure, large and athletic. His button-down shirt and slacks made me self-conscious in my t-shirt and shorts.
Atiliano invited us to share the porch of his bother’s house while we made small talk and waited for the chairman of the water board to arrive. He was obviously uncomfortable with these strange Americans who not only arrived on time, but even came EARLY.
After several uneasy glances at Atiliano’s watch, the water board chair, Jesus Guerra, came roaring down the trail behind the house in a beat-up pickup truck. We reconvened at the community center with his nephew, the chair of the village council and settled in to talk water. Jesus’ two main concerns were that it would cost too much in electricity (very expensive in
Thinking that I was in for a wild ride, I was surprised when we pulled into a homestead not much more than a stone’s throw from the porch where the others now sat, but back in the woods on the bank of the river. Two boys were cutting palm fronds to rethatch the palapa next to the house. Jesus invited me in. It was small – three rooms – and shabbier than Atiliano’s brother's. Half a dozen dogs kept me preoccupied while Jesus found his daughter and had her give me her hotmail address for future email communications. I asked her how often she checked it, and in a worldy tone she answered “Oh, at least once a week, sometimes more!”
Jesus delivered me back to Atiliano, and we walked to the house between his blue house and his brother’s house. His mother greeted us at the back door and ushered us into the kitchen. A bowl full of tamales wrapped in plantain leaves was served up, along with water that we were assured came straight from the cistern.
It was a morning of hospitality. Shared food, shared conversations and a shared sense of community permeated our visit. Although poor, Cristo Rey did not feel impoverished. In fact in many ways it seemed to provide a richer lifestyle than the ones we aspire to in suburban
- dan terpstra
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Blocks
Thinking back...
Monday Morning Construction
Task one for the week is to build a concrete block platform for the fourth water tank; the one currently perched haphazardly near the laundry building. Three years ago it sat on a wooden platform next to the
The two guys from Jaguar Creek (I wish I knew their names) are busy measuring and staking out the footings for the platform, a job that requires skills and knowledge we don’t have. We cut a few stakes for them, using Dave and Charica’s window shutter lumber, but soon run out of work. I see a stack of concrete blocks in front of the building. Sooner or later they’ll be needed for the platform. I decide to move them. It’s make-work, but necessary.
“Sarah, Matt – let’s move these blocks” “OK, How do you carry them?” I instruct the college kids to hold one block in each hand, careful to keep them away from your legs. Watch out, they’re rough. Walk slowly, you don’t want to trip.
I hoist a block in each hand and turn to make the trip to the back of the building. Directly in front of me is a little guy, all bright eyes, big smile and bare feet. He looks up at me with a toothy grin. “Sir! Sir! I can help?” It isn’t a question as much as a request. I have my doubts. The blocks are nearly half his height. But he is so eager. I try to work out how he’s going to carry such a large and heavy object; one hand on each end? He shakes his head vigorously and turns his back to me. He lifts his hands back behind his head and waits. I finally catch on and place the block between his hands, the weight resting on his back. He scampers off across the construction site, a trip he’ll repeat more times than I will as I try to keep him busy and happy.
I find out later from Sarah that his name is Miguel and he’s 5 years old. He spends the day with us, eagerly helping in any way he can (and cajoling a push on the swings from Sarah whenever he can). There’s a lesson in Miguel’s eager participation that I still haven’t quite put my finger on. I wonder about the metaphor of the concrete block. What blocks in our lives prevent us from living as fully and joyfully as I saw Miguel live on Monday? What tasks do we decide are too tough or too big to tackle, instead of saying “Sir! Sir! I can help!” Here I am Lord. Send me.
- dan terpstra
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The trip home - from Nancy
We may have been delayed, but we got home safely and that's what counts. There were 7 of us who arrived at the airport in Belize City on Saturday in plenty of time for our flights back to the United States. Anne, Catherine, Emily, and Lauren were flying American Airlines and they were departing before Joanie, Erin, and I. The employee came over the intercom to announce it was time for them to board and we gave hugs and they were on their way. We watched their plane take off and everything seemed in order...
Our plane (U.S. Airways) was supposed to board at 11:45 a.m. so that we could depart at 12:15. People started standing up about that time and were crowding around the counter, so we figured it was time to board and followed suit. It wasn't long until we heard the word "delay." Apparently the airport was low on fuel and we would only have enough fuel to fly to Cancun where we would refuel for the rest of the trip. This is not the weekend to fly into Cancun - spring break, anyone? We would not be leaving Belize City until 2:00 and would hopefully get into Charlotte at 7:55. That would work - maybe - our flight to Knoxville was scheduled to leave Charlotte at 8:20 p.m. Could we clear customs in record time? Not to worry... the plane trip to Cancun took a long time because of the lack of fuel (we flew slowly) and it took quite a while to refuel once we got there. The Cancun airport also uses the same runway for arrivals and departures, so taking off took another 45 minutes as we sat on the runway and waited. We landed in Charlotte at approximately 8:45 p.m. The airlines gave us hotel and meal vouchers and told us we would be spending the night in Charlotte. We didn't make it to the Easter worship service as we had planned - our flight the next morning landed at 11:15 a.m. We were glad to be home after a wonderful week - and we were so glad that we made it safely!
Our plane (U.S. Airways) was supposed to board at 11:45 a.m. so that we could depart at 12:15. People started standing up about that time and were crowding around the counter, so we figured it was time to board and followed suit. It wasn't long until we heard the word "delay." Apparently the airport was low on fuel and we would only have enough fuel to fly to Cancun where we would refuel for the rest of the trip. This is not the weekend to fly into Cancun - spring break, anyone? We would not be leaving Belize City until 2:00 and would hopefully get into Charlotte at 7:55. That would work - maybe - our flight to Knoxville was scheduled to leave Charlotte at 8:20 p.m. Could we clear customs in record time? Not to worry... the plane trip to Cancun took a long time because of the lack of fuel (we flew slowly) and it took quite a while to refuel once we got there. The Cancun airport also uses the same runway for arrivals and departures, so taking off took another 45 minutes as we sat on the runway and waited. We landed in Charlotte at approximately 8:45 p.m. The airlines gave us hotel and meal vouchers and told us we would be spending the night in Charlotte. We didn't make it to the Easter worship service as we had planned - our flight the next morning landed at 11:15 a.m. We were glad to be home after a wonderful week - and we were so glad that we made it safely!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Fom Anne, Friday
Orphanage Update - Sorry I haven't posted all week, but you know I hate technology.
Tuesday Joanie and I headed back to the orphanage. I did more laundry and she worked in the kitchen and a dentist was there. Dora did say that she appreciated the help. We had more time with the kids. At one point I had Lequesha and Leah (Dora's daughter) each on a knee. It reminded me of when the twins were little. After about an hour, Lequesha asked me if she could tell me a secret in my ear. I said yes, and she whispered in my ear "I'm afraid of the dentist". I told her I used to be also and we went and watched the dentist for about 30 minutes. Then she told me to follow her and she went and put her name on the list for the dentist! I told her she was a brave girl. Joanie had a lot of time with the kids since lunch was so late.
Wednesday morning I took a walk with the teens and went back to the orphanage to take the older kids to swim at blue hole. Of course they weren't ready when we got there, but we stayed cool and waited until they were. Chio (the bus driver) started honking the horn and they all started climbing on the bus. They asked Joanie and I if we wanted to ride with them and we agreed. Chio makes the trip in a lot less time than any of our drivers! I think our children were scared for our lives, but Joanie & I stayed cool. When we got there we had kids everywhere and it was chaos. Kids jumping where they shouldn't, swimming past where they should, and wandering off. I manned the water and Peggy used her teacher voice from above to keep everyone in line. We even took Eleona, a blind girl. Joanie spent the entire time with her, but we were a little amazed they sent her with us. She did beautifully and she sang several to Joanie in Spanish. Together they sang This is the Day the Lord hath Made in English and then she sang it in English Creole. When it was time to go, Chio started honking the horn, we did a count and thought we were missing 3 kids, they told us there was an extra kid we were missing also. They kept saying they would catch the bus home, but eventually the bus pulled out and the other 4 showed up and got on. I don't think we were following Girl Scout Safety Wise, but were doing it the Belezian way.
Thursday was back to the orphanage for teens, medical and us. We were going to take the kids to the park and play games, but it was raining. So we stayed flexible and ended up playing with the kids and helping them brave the medical team. I apparently have several new daughters since my girls have new sisters. When we got in the van, the teens and us were crying because they wouldn't see their new friends again. I know Kings Children Home is going to be in our monthly budget.
Thanks for all your support. We are flying home tomorrow and if we don't have any problems will spend Easter morning with you.
Tuesday Joanie and I headed back to the orphanage. I did more laundry and she worked in the kitchen and a dentist was there. Dora did say that she appreciated the help. We had more time with the kids. At one point I had Lequesha and Leah (Dora's daughter) each on a knee. It reminded me of when the twins were little. After about an hour, Lequesha asked me if she could tell me a secret in my ear. I said yes, and she whispered in my ear "I'm afraid of the dentist". I told her I used to be also and we went and watched the dentist for about 30 minutes. Then she told me to follow her and she went and put her name on the list for the dentist! I told her she was a brave girl. Joanie had a lot of time with the kids since lunch was so late.
Wednesday morning I took a walk with the teens and went back to the orphanage to take the older kids to swim at blue hole. Of course they weren't ready when we got there, but we stayed cool and waited until they were. Chio (the bus driver) started honking the horn and they all started climbing on the bus. They asked Joanie and I if we wanted to ride with them and we agreed. Chio makes the trip in a lot less time than any of our drivers! I think our children were scared for our lives, but Joanie & I stayed cool. When we got there we had kids everywhere and it was chaos. Kids jumping where they shouldn't, swimming past where they should, and wandering off. I manned the water and Peggy used her teacher voice from above to keep everyone in line. We even took Eleona, a blind girl. Joanie spent the entire time with her, but we were a little amazed they sent her with us. She did beautifully and she sang several to Joanie in Spanish. Together they sang This is the Day the Lord hath Made in English and then she sang it in English Creole. When it was time to go, Chio started honking the horn, we did a count and thought we were missing 3 kids, they told us there was an extra kid we were missing also. They kept saying they would catch the bus home, but eventually the bus pulled out and the other 4 showed up and got on. I don't think we were following Girl Scout Safety Wise, but were doing it the Belezian way.
Thursday was back to the orphanage for teens, medical and us. We were going to take the kids to the park and play games, but it was raining. So we stayed flexible and ended up playing with the kids and helping them brave the medical team. I apparently have several new daughters since my girls have new sisters. When we got in the van, the teens and us were crying because they wouldn't see their new friends again. I know Kings Children Home is going to be in our monthly budget.
Thanks for all your support. We are flying home tomorrow and if we don't have any problems will spend Easter morning with you.
From Erin, Friday
Today was a "play day", so 15 of us traveled to Xunantunich (we had a lot of trouble pronouncing and spelling this word!) to visit Mayan ruins. The ruins were absolutely astounding. There were several very large, stone temples. The largest pyramid temple was around 150 feet, but we're not sure the exact height. We just know that it was EXTREMELY tall, and very scary when we climbed all the way to the top. The weather wasn't exactly nice - it misted pretty much the entire day. Which made it interesting for us to climb the many, many stairs of the temples since they were slippery and wet. Some of us went on all 4 fours and did a "spider crawl" down the temple.
Our guide, Dino, was great - he informed us in great detail of how Mayans sacrificed people to the gods, which was a little gut-wrenching (quite literally). But we learned alot about the culture and history of the Mayan people.
After visiting the ruins we did a little shopping in San Ignacio. We ate lunch at a small cafe and had barbeque chicken, which is a very common Belizean dish. After lunch we headed back to Jaguar Creek...however we encountered many bumps, potholes, and a speed bump on a gravel road along the way. Mike was a great driver, but we had 16 people packed in a 15 passenger van, and the back row hit the ceiling many times from the extreme turbulance. We have had a great time in Belize! Seven of us are flying back tomorrow, and we appreciate your prayers!
Our guide, Dino, was great - he informed us in great detail of how Mayans sacrificed people to the gods, which was a little gut-wrenching (quite literally). But we learned alot about the culture and history of the Mayan people.
After visiting the ruins we did a little shopping in San Ignacio. We ate lunch at a small cafe and had barbeque chicken, which is a very common Belizean dish. After lunch we headed back to Jaguar Creek...however we encountered many bumps, potholes, and a speed bump on a gravel road along the way. Mike was a great driver, but we had 16 people packed in a 15 passenger van, and the back row hit the ceiling many times from the extreme turbulance. We have had a great time in Belize! Seven of us are flying back tomorrow, and we appreciate your prayers!
Completion!
The construction projects were completed on Thursday. In a flurry of activity gutters were hung, PVC was cut and glued, valves were installed and the water tanks attached. All this occurred in unusual and less than ideal conditions. It started to rain just before we woke up and continued steadily throughout the day. We climbed on slippery ladders and slogged through mud while finishing the work. In addition we decided to make up t-shirts that say "I went to Belize and almost got hypothermia!" The steady rain combined with a steady breeze left us all chilled.
The one reward from the soggy conditions was that after everything was hooked-up, the rain began to fill the water tanks. By late afternoon when the Living Waters team passed by, there was water available out of the spigots.
There are still some loose ends to tie-up but this morning the conditions are a lot like yesterday's. Shoving our American "completion" complexes aside, we concluded that safety outweighed further progress and decided to take the morning figuring out how to pack our wet and dirty clothes.
My "rain forest" experience is now complete.
See you soon.
Peace,
Dave
The one reward from the soggy conditions was that after everything was hooked-up, the rain began to fill the water tanks. By late afternoon when the Living Waters team passed by, there was water available out of the spigots.
There are still some loose ends to tie-up but this morning the conditions are a lot like yesterday's. Shoving our American "completion" complexes aside, we concluded that safety outweighed further progress and decided to take the morning figuring out how to pack our wet and dirty clothes.
My "rain forest" experience is now complete.
See you soon.
Peace,
Dave
From Sumner
AH!!! I wish I were there with you all! I can completely recall everything you describe - the incredibly green everything, the howler monkeys at night, the creek with its wooden stairs, the glass coke bottles (although that's the norm over here), the cicadas chirping like there's no tomorrow! I miss Jaguar Creek so much! Get elizabeth to show you where the eel lives...have you climbed up the waterfall yet? If you go farther back, there's a deep blue hole where the water comes out. Its so cool (and a tad scary). Anyway, say hi to LaQuisha and Ezekiel and Crystal for me, if they are still there (although they would probably have no idea who you were talking about) Do they still have a dog? When I was there he was just a puppy, and Ezekiel and I (I think) decided to name it Little Basil (no idea why). I bet he's huge now... :) Right now, even in Provence, there is no place I'd rather be than with you all in Belize. And I do mean that!
Love, Sumner
Love, Sumner
From Chuck
Thursday night
Today I went with Dan, Peggy, Lynn, and Jessica on a field trip to the San Ignacio area. On the way we stopped at the basketball court we had worked on last spring. It was finished and looked great. From there we went to visit Nadean Jones's husband in the village of Cristo Rey. Dan will likely write about that, so I'll let this be sufficient.
We then visited the Octavia Waight nursing home, where Lynn chatted briefly with a resident she had met last spring and gave him a stack of magazines she had brought. Next, a visit with Rafeal Ku, the general manager of Presbyterian schools in Belize. We discussed the potential water treatment system at the Orange Walk school, and I felt we came to an understanding that we should proceed toward a covenant to rebuild the existing non-functional system.
Tonight we had Maundy Thursday communion. I felt a strong connection with you back home taking communion in a far different place, but linked by the bond between us. I think it went well, by which I mean that I think I didn't prevent anyone's having a worshipful experience. It was my first experience as a celebrant, and a bit scary. I am thankful for the change in the Book of Order that allowed us to have communion and for the training that Pastor Kerra gave me to make it possible.
Back at the lodge after the service, Peggy, Sarah, Ben, Drew, Dale and I sang hymns and gospel songs for a while. It was wonderful to join our voices and our hearts to make such joyful music to praise God.
Today I went with Dan, Peggy, Lynn, and Jessica on a field trip to the San Ignacio area. On the way we stopped at the basketball court we had worked on last spring. It was finished and looked great. From there we went to visit Nadean Jones's husband in the village of Cristo Rey. Dan will likely write about that, so I'll let this be sufficient.
We then visited the Octavia Waight nursing home, where Lynn chatted briefly with a resident she had met last spring and gave him a stack of magazines she had brought. Next, a visit with Rafeal Ku, the general manager of Presbyterian schools in Belize. We discussed the potential water treatment system at the Orange Walk school, and I felt we came to an understanding that we should proceed toward a covenant to rebuild the existing non-functional system.
Tonight we had Maundy Thursday communion. I felt a strong connection with you back home taking communion in a far different place, but linked by the bond between us. I think it went well, by which I mean that I think I didn't prevent anyone's having a worshipful experience. It was my first experience as a celebrant, and a bit scary. I am thankful for the change in the Book of Order that allowed us to have communion and for the training that Pastor Kerra gave me to make it possible.
Back at the lodge after the service, Peggy, Sarah, Ben, Drew, Dale and I sang hymns and gospel songs for a while. It was wonderful to join our voices and our hearts to make such joyful music to praise God.
From Dale, Thursday
3/20/08 Dale Hadden
Today we worked at the orphanage. We worked in the kitchen because there was a dental team seeing the children where we had worked before. First, several impression - the orphanage is much improved. There is much less debris, the rooms are clean but still crowded. The kitchen is improved. Everything looks freshly painted. This is reflected in the children as well. Three years ago we treated 10 or 12 children with ringworm. This time I treated one. I identified one child with a minor heart murmur and one child (new to the orphanage and young) with badly bowed legs, probably rickets, who needs orthopedic intervention. A few children had ear infections. There were many cases of head lice. The children on the whole were healthy, and their skin looked good. In one long marathon session we completed the physicals on the children, several children of staff members and a few staff members. I was impressed with our teens’ relationship with the children.
Today we worked at the orphanage. We worked in the kitchen because there was a dental team seeing the children where we had worked before. First, several impression - the orphanage is much improved. There is much less debris, the rooms are clean but still crowded. The kitchen is improved. Everything looks freshly painted. This is reflected in the children as well. Three years ago we treated 10 or 12 children with ringworm. This time I treated one. I identified one child with a minor heart murmur and one child (new to the orphanage and young) with badly bowed legs, probably rickets, who needs orthopedic intervention. A few children had ear infections. There were many cases of head lice. The children on the whole were healthy, and their skin looked good. In one long marathon session we completed the physicals on the children, several children of staff members and a few staff members. I was impressed with our teens’ relationship with the children.
From Syd, Thursday
3/20/2008 Syd Murray
The process to plaster the interior and perhaps the exterior walls is to first load the pointed trowel and toss the mud in evenly delivered blops. Raul tried with great patience to instruct me. The best I could do was to wear most of it on my head or his back. My Spanish is as nonexistent as my mud throwing skills but I thought I heard someone comment that I threw mud like a girl. The comment tasted like cement back home.
The process to plaster the interior and perhaps the exterior walls is to first load the pointed trowel and toss the mud in evenly delivered blops. Raul tried with great patience to instruct me. The best I could do was to wear most of it on my head or his back. My Spanish is as nonexistent as my mud throwing skills but I thought I heard someone comment that I threw mud like a girl. The comment tasted like cement back home.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Praying for You
How hard it is to do God's work! God doesn't work on "American" time, or on our "to do lists." The Spirit moves where she will. The projects and programs we think are so important are sometimes God's little ruse to get us where we need to be. In my own ministry, I've seen this time and again. The things I think are important are far less than the events that come unexpected, unannounced and way, way off my schedule. The Spirit's work is seen in hindsight or from looking kind of sideways and unfocused. God called each of you to be in Belize - for reasons which may be yet unknown. It may have been to build relationships more so than to build a laundry house or put shutters on windows. Blessed are the poor and the meek. Perhaps we who are rich and strong have much to learn.
How easy it is to do God's work! Remember that the confessions of our church teach that the chief end of humankind is to glorify God and enjoy God forever. That little word - enjoy - is so valuable. Another spiritual teacher acknowledges that to align ourselves with God's purpose is to be filled with joy and enthusiasm, or when we cannot be thrilled about what we're doing to at least be present in the moment - because God is with us, right here, right now. The beauty you see all around you is God's spectacular show. The church's celebration of resurrection is Sunday, but it is with us every moment.
It's both difficult and easy to find ourselves in God's hands doing God's work. Trust in the Spirit. In Jeremiah God comforts all the families of Israel by saying, "The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness. When Israel sought for rest; the Lord appeared from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." God loves you and God is faithful. God will not let you stumble or fall - unless of course you will recognize God more clearly in the face of the person who helps you back up!
We're praying for you!
Kerra
How easy it is to do God's work! Remember that the confessions of our church teach that the chief end of humankind is to glorify God and enjoy God forever. That little word - enjoy - is so valuable. Another spiritual teacher acknowledges that to align ourselves with God's purpose is to be filled with joy and enthusiasm, or when we cannot be thrilled about what we're doing to at least be present in the moment - because God is with us, right here, right now. The beauty you see all around you is God's spectacular show. The church's celebration of resurrection is Sunday, but it is with us every moment.
It's both difficult and easy to find ourselves in God's hands doing God's work. Trust in the Spirit. In Jeremiah God comforts all the families of Israel by saying, "The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness. When Israel sought for rest; the Lord appeared from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." God loves you and God is faithful. God will not let you stumble or fall - unless of course you will recognize God more clearly in the face of the person who helps you back up!
We're praying for you!
Kerra
Wednesday
Today was the last day of medical clinic in Armenia, the clinic was fairly small we only saw 21 people. We saw several men today. The slower pace of clinic allowed me time to talk more with the mothers. One of the mothers was giving her year old child a bottle of sugared coffee! The additional time allowed me to ask her what she was giving her child. Over the period of time we have seen one very sick little girl, a child with malnutrition from worms, and several children with draining ear infections. I was grateful that we had the medications to treat them. We also saw an 89 year old woman with severe arthritis her hands, feet and knees were deformed and she complained of pain. We were able to give her Ibuprofen because the team contributed their own medications. I had given out all the Ibuprofen and Tylenol I had. It was cough and cold season and many of these people cannot even buy aspirin. It was a blessing to be able to give these medications. Odelia and Filberta the community nurses asked if I could give a public talk on asthma and scabies. It was an answer to my prayer, because I had wanted to do more health education. The people volunteers who staffed the clinic have done a fantastic job. They made the clinic successful. Tomorrow we will be working at the orphanage with the children there.
Dale
Dale
Who moved the goal posts?
Everyone seems to have a fantastic success story, so why don't I? The youth have been exceeding everyone's expectations. They completed twice as much painting and bonded with both the Belize kids and with each other. The medical team has seen almost a hundred patients and has had enough time to establish relationships to promote long term health education in addition to short term care.
The Living Waters group returns each day with another challenging opportunity and a call to return this summer to install a water system.
The "results" from the construction team have been mixed. The blocks are up and most of the concrete has been poured. The plumbing and gutters are going up and should be finished by Friday morning.
As for me, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. I elected to serve on the carpentry detail to install windows and doors. You need to understand that my idea of a window and what they wanted are two different things. Essentially what they wanted were shutters. That's fine. Once I figured that out I dug right in. Made good progress the first day but then ground to a halt when we didn't have any hinges. Not quite as simple as driving down to the Home Depot. Finally got the hinges Tuesday afternoon and installed them before we called it a day. This morning when it came time to hang the windows we discovered that my one accomplishment on Tuesday had been done wrong so we had to remove them and try again.
So in three days I've constructed a couple of windows and mixed a little concrete. Is this what it's all about? Don't get me wrong; it's been a marvelous experience. I've rejoiced in the accomplishments of others, marveled at the beauty of the country and felt tremendous pain viewing the poverty of the citizens. Somehow it all feels very selfish, however. I've been gaining a lot but it's not clear what I've been giving back.
Will I do it again? That remains to be seen. It is an experience that everyone should have. Perhaps I'm also learning things that will make future trips more fruitful. Or possibly I need to come to terms with my goal oriented mentality.
Stay tuned.
Peace,
Dave
The Living Waters group returns each day with another challenging opportunity and a call to return this summer to install a water system.
The "results" from the construction team have been mixed. The blocks are up and most of the concrete has been poured. The plumbing and gutters are going up and should be finished by Friday morning.
As for me, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. I elected to serve on the carpentry detail to install windows and doors. You need to understand that my idea of a window and what they wanted are two different things. Essentially what they wanted were shutters. That's fine. Once I figured that out I dug right in. Made good progress the first day but then ground to a halt when we didn't have any hinges. Not quite as simple as driving down to the Home Depot. Finally got the hinges Tuesday afternoon and installed them before we called it a day. This morning when it came time to hang the windows we discovered that my one accomplishment on Tuesday had been done wrong so we had to remove them and try again.
So in three days I've constructed a couple of windows and mixed a little concrete. Is this what it's all about? Don't get me wrong; it's been a marvelous experience. I've rejoiced in the accomplishments of others, marveled at the beauty of the country and felt tremendous pain viewing the poverty of the citizens. Somehow it all feels very selfish, however. I've been gaining a lot but it's not clear what I've been giving back.
Will I do it again? That remains to be seen. It is an experience that everyone should have. Perhaps I'm also learning things that will make future trips more fruitful. Or possibly I need to come to terms with my goal oriented mentality.
Stay tuned.
Peace,
Dave
At the Creek
Wednesday, ~6:30AM
It’s morning. The sun’s up and the birds are calling to each other. I find myself sitting at the edge of Jaguar Creek, a place and time of day I occupied almost exactly three years ago. Some things have changed. The deck now extends to the water’s edge. I could dangle my feet in the creek if I wasn’t wearing shoes. Some things are eternally the same. The crystal clear water burbles over the small waterfall upstream, surrounded by lush jungle growth. I’m reminded of the journal entry I wrote three years ago, and again of the contrasts between the natural beauty and the human degradation one sees in Belize. I’m not sure how the jungle view from where I sit could be much more beautiful. And I don’t understand the psychology and culture that permits the rampant trashing of this beauty with plastic bags and bottles and junk of all sorts. Not much different, I guess, from many of the ‘hollers’ I’ve seen in the hills of East Tennessee.
I spent yesterday in Orange Walk in the northern part of the country. Four and a half hours of driving punctuated by a four hour meeting with the principal of a Christian elementary school and her husband. Their dedication to and vision for their community and school was inspiring. The conditions in which they worked out that vision were appalling to these American eyes: unsafe wiring; open sewer lines; construction materials in hallways, classrooms and playgrounds.
But even in these conditions they immediately grasped the idea of providing clean water to their students and families as a way to powerfully minister to their community.
God is at work in us and through us amid the contrasts that define Belize.
- dan terpstra
It’s morning. The sun’s up and the birds are calling to each other. I find myself sitting at the edge of Jaguar Creek, a place and time of day I occupied almost exactly three years ago. Some things have changed. The deck now extends to the water’s edge. I could dangle my feet in the creek if I wasn’t wearing shoes. Some things are eternally the same. The crystal clear water burbles over the small waterfall upstream, surrounded by lush jungle growth. I’m reminded of the journal entry I wrote three years ago, and again of the contrasts between the natural beauty and the human degradation one sees in Belize. I’m not sure how the jungle view from where I sit could be much more beautiful. And I don’t understand the psychology and culture that permits the rampant trashing of this beauty with plastic bags and bottles and junk of all sorts. Not much different, I guess, from many of the ‘hollers’ I’ve seen in the hills of East Tennessee.
I spent yesterday in Orange Walk in the northern part of the country. Four and a half hours of driving punctuated by a four hour meeting with the principal of a Christian elementary school and her husband. Their dedication to and vision for their community and school was inspiring. The conditions in which they worked out that vision were appalling to these American eyes: unsafe wiring; open sewer lines; construction materials in hallways, classrooms and playgrounds.
But even in these conditions they immediately grasped the idea of providing clean water to their students and families as a way to powerfully minister to their community.
God is at work in us and through us amid the contrasts that define Belize.
- dan terpstra
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
From Lynn: Living Waters for the World - Orange Walk
On Sunday and Monday the LWW team was focused on Armenia with meetings with the Village Chairman and a member of the Water Board. We’re making progress and think that a system may be viable next year because of the plumbing work we’re doing on this trip. The political picture is quite complicated though so we continue to work through those issues and pray for guidance.
On Tuesday morning, parts of the LWW team (Lynn, Mike, Dan, and Matt) headed to the Presbyterian Pre and Primary school in Orange Walk. Lynn had made contact with the school last year so this was the next step and we were hoping for good progress. Orange Walk is a little more than 2 h north of Jaguar Creek (JC). Driving from JC north, the land changes from jungle to very dry coastal plain. As with everywhere we go, there are small villages along the road and then long expanses of absolutely nothing. After all, there are more people in Knox Co., then in the entire of Belize! When we got to Orange Walk I was relieved that my memory of the location was correct. Orange Walk is more city-like than other places we’ve been (although it is technically called a town). Narrower streets with shops on either side, lots of Chinese restaurants (honest), people walking back and forth, and kids hanging out since they’re on break. As everywhere, housing varied from shacks with cloth windows to block, wood, shingle places that were tucked behind cement walls. Matt saw some kids playing football (soccer) with an empty bottle and wished he had a soccer ball to give them.
We arrived at the school to meet the principal, Ruth Ku and her husband Mario. We spent the first hour learning about the history of the school, progress since last year, and plans for the future. It was immediately clear that Mrs Ku has a vision for the school and is working very hard with limited resources to improve the school. 170 kids attend the school – from Kindergarten through 8th grade (they call it preschool through standard 6). The school is still struggling with tuition as they have no external support. They are making it month to month with all of their expenses until next year. If they can get gov’t support next year, the gov’t will pay 70% of the teacher salaries. Mrs. Ku was very excited about the possibility of us fixing the water treatment system. The system would be a source of clean water instead of each class chipping in to purchase water. Mrs. Ku is also certain that families in the community would use the water – to the tune of 300-500 people between the school and community. We had a bit of a scare when Mrs Ku started talking about selling the water to help the school – which is not our purpose. Mike looked at me, I looked at Dan, I looked at Mike…and after an awkward pause we started talking about the mission of LWW and providing water only to recover your costs or free for those that couldn’t afford it. We were greatly relieved when Mrs. Ku got the picture of water as a method to reach out to the community and she got excited about how it would help them rebuild the trust of the community after the corruption that happened in the past.
After our discussions, we took a look at the defunct system and then headed for lunch. We went to a Chinese restaurant and I was brave enough (or stupid enough) to order ice tea because I am so tired of coke and water. (As of this writing – no ill effects ). We enjoyed getting to know the Ku’s – where they grew up, the ages of their children, etc.
We headed back to the school and Dan, Matt, and Mike went to figure out what was needed for water treatment and I sat down with Ruth to complete the water survey and talk about the covenant that we would need to complete/sign. We also talked about when she would like the installation – July or August to be ready for school in September – Yikes! I wasn’t surprised, really, and assuming we can find a team and the $$ it is absolutely doable. In addition, Mrs Ku talked about the teacher workshops she holds in August and we thought that would be the perfect time to teach the teachers the health, hygiene and spiritual training – perfect! I left my meeting with Mrs Ku convinced that an installation will happen. I can’t tell you how good that feels after working on this LWW effort for three years now. It is hard to stay enthusiastic over time but I guess I’ve learned that the work last year starting the relationship with this school, fed into this year, which will feed into an installation. And it will happen in God’s time, not mine.
Mark and Dan’s conclusion with the old system was that it would have to be replaced entirely and scavenged for pieces. The holding tanks are in good shape though and it wouldn’t be hard to fix up a bottling station. On the “bummer” side, Mike and Dan also learned that the electrical system at the school is a real hazard and raw sewage from one of the bathrooms empties onto the ground outside the exterior wall. There was also rebar sticking out of walls that looked hazardous. Our feeling is that the water system would only be the beginning – that to accomplish Mrs Ku’s vision and ours, we will need to help the school with some of their other problems. I’m also thinking that maybe we could hook them up with other mission groups as well – none have visited the school since July. The problems with the school are not for lack of desire to fix things up, it’s a matter of resources. God blessed us with a successful trip and relationships begun. Speaking of relationships, I’ve noticed when we talk at night about what we accomplished during the day, it is the stories of relationships that puts a spark in people’s eyes and voices. It might be pushing a child in a swing during a break, painting next to a new friend, sitting with a child to convince them that it was ok to visit the dentist, or trying to figure out what to do with a tarantula (really!). The construction, painting, clothes washing, water systems (the things) are important, but it is the relationships that everyone is experiencing is making this trip a blessing to us all.
Lynn Kszos
On Tuesday morning, parts of the LWW team (Lynn, Mike, Dan, and Matt) headed to the Presbyterian Pre and Primary school in Orange Walk. Lynn had made contact with the school last year so this was the next step and we were hoping for good progress. Orange Walk is a little more than 2 h north of Jaguar Creek (JC). Driving from JC north, the land changes from jungle to very dry coastal plain. As with everywhere we go, there are small villages along the road and then long expanses of absolutely nothing. After all, there are more people in Knox Co., then in the entire of Belize! When we got to Orange Walk I was relieved that my memory of the location was correct. Orange Walk is more city-like than other places we’ve been (although it is technically called a town). Narrower streets with shops on either side, lots of Chinese restaurants (honest), people walking back and forth, and kids hanging out since they’re on break. As everywhere, housing varied from shacks with cloth windows to block, wood, shingle places that were tucked behind cement walls. Matt saw some kids playing football (soccer) with an empty bottle and wished he had a soccer ball to give them.
We arrived at the school to meet the principal, Ruth Ku and her husband Mario. We spent the first hour learning about the history of the school, progress since last year, and plans for the future. It was immediately clear that Mrs Ku has a vision for the school and is working very hard with limited resources to improve the school. 170 kids attend the school – from Kindergarten through 8th grade (they call it preschool through standard 6). The school is still struggling with tuition as they have no external support. They are making it month to month with all of their expenses until next year. If they can get gov’t support next year, the gov’t will pay 70% of the teacher salaries. Mrs. Ku was very excited about the possibility of us fixing the water treatment system. The system would be a source of clean water instead of each class chipping in to purchase water. Mrs. Ku is also certain that families in the community would use the water – to the tune of 300-500 people between the school and community. We had a bit of a scare when Mrs Ku started talking about selling the water to help the school – which is not our purpose. Mike looked at me, I looked at Dan, I looked at Mike…and after an awkward pause we started talking about the mission of LWW and providing water only to recover your costs or free for those that couldn’t afford it. We were greatly relieved when Mrs. Ku got the picture of water as a method to reach out to the community and she got excited about how it would help them rebuild the trust of the community after the corruption that happened in the past.
After our discussions, we took a look at the defunct system and then headed for lunch. We went to a Chinese restaurant and I was brave enough (or stupid enough) to order ice tea because I am so tired of coke and water. (As of this writing – no ill effects ). We enjoyed getting to know the Ku’s – where they grew up, the ages of their children, etc.
We headed back to the school and Dan, Matt, and Mike went to figure out what was needed for water treatment and I sat down with Ruth to complete the water survey and talk about the covenant that we would need to complete/sign. We also talked about when she would like the installation – July or August to be ready for school in September – Yikes! I wasn’t surprised, really, and assuming we can find a team and the $$ it is absolutely doable. In addition, Mrs Ku talked about the teacher workshops she holds in August and we thought that would be the perfect time to teach the teachers the health, hygiene and spiritual training – perfect! I left my meeting with Mrs Ku convinced that an installation will happen. I can’t tell you how good that feels after working on this LWW effort for three years now. It is hard to stay enthusiastic over time but I guess I’ve learned that the work last year starting the relationship with this school, fed into this year, which will feed into an installation. And it will happen in God’s time, not mine.
Mark and Dan’s conclusion with the old system was that it would have to be replaced entirely and scavenged for pieces. The holding tanks are in good shape though and it wouldn’t be hard to fix up a bottling station. On the “bummer” side, Mike and Dan also learned that the electrical system at the school is a real hazard and raw sewage from one of the bathrooms empties onto the ground outside the exterior wall. There was also rebar sticking out of walls that looked hazardous. Our feeling is that the water system would only be the beginning – that to accomplish Mrs Ku’s vision and ours, we will need to help the school with some of their other problems. I’m also thinking that maybe we could hook them up with other mission groups as well – none have visited the school since July. The problems with the school are not for lack of desire to fix things up, it’s a matter of resources. God blessed us with a successful trip and relationships begun. Speaking of relationships, I’ve noticed when we talk at night about what we accomplished during the day, it is the stories of relationships that puts a spark in people’s eyes and voices. It might be pushing a child in a swing during a break, painting next to a new friend, sitting with a child to convince them that it was ok to visit the dentist, or trying to figure out what to do with a tarantula (really!). The construction, painting, clothes washing, water systems (the things) are important, but it is the relationships that everyone is experiencing is making this trip a blessing to us all.
Lynn Kszos
From Jessica - Painting in Armenia day 2
Yesterday was a productive day. The teens painted more of the schools and we even painted inside of one school building. After all of the schools were done we headed to a town council building to paint it grey. It was smaller than a school building so it took us about two hours to do the inside and outside of it. We had a lot of help.
During the day some teens spotted a tarantula. A boy named Kevin apparently was thrilled to see it and I think he stepped on it. I was not there to see it but it was definitely memorable. Kevin helped us paint and we all came to the conclusion that he stayed for one of our paint buckets. He ended up receiving 2. These were for water. It’s hard to believe that kids would stand around the whole day waiting for a bucket. But that’s what really happened.
I took some pictures in the morning of a bunch of kids jammed on the slide. They really wanted their pictures taken. One of the little boys had a big bump on his forehead. One little girl’s teeth were in pretty bad shape.
At the beginning of the trip I was expecting Armenia to be in terrible conditions. I thought the water was going to be horrible. When I got there it really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. People bought water, and some people got it from the pipes.
Most of the kids I interacted with were the happiest you’d ever see them. They were so happy and they all wanted to help. Some kids even helped with construction. All of the kids were very nice and none of them judgmental. Everyone here does not care what you look like. It’s so easy and laid back.
One of the kids I met named Suli had never been to the ocean. I’m going to the ocean on Friday and some of the kids here have never even seen an ocean.
I love all the experiences I am having here and I hope to remember them all.
-jessica kszos
During the day some teens spotted a tarantula. A boy named Kevin apparently was thrilled to see it and I think he stepped on it. I was not there to see it but it was definitely memorable. Kevin helped us paint and we all came to the conclusion that he stayed for one of our paint buckets. He ended up receiving 2. These were for water. It’s hard to believe that kids would stand around the whole day waiting for a bucket. But that’s what really happened.
I took some pictures in the morning of a bunch of kids jammed on the slide. They really wanted their pictures taken. One of the little boys had a big bump on his forehead. One little girl’s teeth were in pretty bad shape.
At the beginning of the trip I was expecting Armenia to be in terrible conditions. I thought the water was going to be horrible. When I got there it really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. People bought water, and some people got it from the pipes.
Most of the kids I interacted with were the happiest you’d ever see them. They were so happy and they all wanted to help. Some kids even helped with construction. All of the kids were very nice and none of them judgmental. Everyone here does not care what you look like. It’s so easy and laid back.
One of the kids I met named Suli had never been to the ocean. I’m going to the ocean on Friday and some of the kids here have never even seen an ocean.
I love all the experiences I am having here and I hope to remember them all.
-jessica kszos
Mixed Feelings
Tuesday AM, March 19, 2008
Most of us were working in Armenia yesterday. I was among them. I found myself nurturing very mixed feelings as I walked through the community center and onto the porch where we mixed so much concrete three years ago. It was gratifying to see the laundry building we’d put so much effort into – now much more complete with a roof and cyclone fencing on the windows. But as I entered, it was disconcerting to realize that it had never been used for laundry. The six cast concrete wash tubs formed two rows down the center of the building, exactly as designed. But they were filled with discarded snack food bags, not laundry. The PVC pipe came up from the floor and fed the laundry tubs. Except for the broken fittings where kids had climbed or jumped on them. The building had been secured at one point, but only hinges on the frame suggested where a door had once hung. Dead vines climbing the back of the building reinforced the feeling of disuse. Putting aside feelings of disappointment, I walked out into the bright blue Belizean day. Hope re-emerged as I became engaged in the process of planning for the water tanks that will resurrect the promise of the laundry building from three years ago and promote the dream of clean water for the people of Armenia.
- dan terpstra
Most of us were working in Armenia yesterday. I was among them. I found myself nurturing very mixed feelings as I walked through the community center and onto the porch where we mixed so much concrete three years ago. It was gratifying to see the laundry building we’d put so much effort into – now much more complete with a roof and cyclone fencing on the windows. But as I entered, it was disconcerting to realize that it had never been used for laundry. The six cast concrete wash tubs formed two rows down the center of the building, exactly as designed. But they were filled with discarded snack food bags, not laundry. The PVC pipe came up from the floor and fed the laundry tubs. Except for the broken fittings where kids had climbed or jumped on them. The building had been secured at one point, but only hinges on the frame suggested where a door had once hung. Dead vines climbing the back of the building reinforced the feeling of disuse. Putting aside feelings of disappointment, I walked out into the bright blue Belizean day. Hope re-emerged as I became engaged in the process of planning for the water tanks that will resurrect the promise of the laundry building from three years ago and promote the dream of clean water for the people of Armenia.
- dan terpstra
Clinic Notes
I won’t hurt you. “No voy a causarle dolor.” This is what I was trying to communicate with my eyes and my smile without much success. Two year olds are supposed to be scared of strangers especially ones that want to touch them with “things”. How scary it is not to understand what is happening or why it is happening; especially when we are children. Keep in mind I was doing fairly non-evasive procedures such as taking blood pressures, pulse rates, and respiration rates in the medical clinic but I was overcome with the desire to make sure the children knew I wasn’t going to hurt them. Smiling helps!!! Often I was rewarded with a huge grin in response to my smiles and if I was lucky may be even a giggle. I really had to stop and pray several times, “Lord, I want to help not hurt.” Finding the English to Spanish Medical Dictionary and translating “I won’t hurt you” increased my confidence and hopefully eased the fears of several toddlers and young children. I have no idea what the children who speak Mayan and not Spanish thought I was saying. My goal tomorrow is to learn how to say I won’t hurt you in Mayan. Keep me in your prayers, who knows how Mayan sounds with a slight southern drawl.
Having the opportunity to return to Belize and work on the mission projects gives me the incredible sense that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, serving God. When my heart serves I feel all is right with the world. I know in my head that I don’t have to travel to another country to serve Him but stepping out of the daily routine and INTENTIONALLY serving is freeing to my soul. So today I learned to take blood pressures on a squirming, squalling toddler as well as learned how to communicate several different ways – “No voy a causarle dolor” and felt my soul soar with service and love for my Lord.
The clinic was able to serve approximately 27 people today. Dale (our Nurse Practioner) was also able to spend quite a bit of time with the village’s health care workers answering their questions, offering solutions as well as assessing the needs of the village as a whole. Tomorrow should bring more people in need of medical care and we will do our best to treat the issues present.
In peace,
elizabeth
Having the opportunity to return to Belize and work on the mission projects gives me the incredible sense that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, serving God. When my heart serves I feel all is right with the world. I know in my head that I don’t have to travel to another country to serve Him but stepping out of the daily routine and INTENTIONALLY serving is freeing to my soul. So today I learned to take blood pressures on a squirming, squalling toddler as well as learned how to communicate several different ways – “No voy a causarle dolor” and felt my soul soar with service and love for my Lord.
The clinic was able to serve approximately 27 people today. Dale (our Nurse Practioner) was also able to spend quite a bit of time with the village’s health care workers answering their questions, offering solutions as well as assessing the needs of the village as a whole. Tomorrow should bring more people in need of medical care and we will do our best to treat the issues present.
In peace,
elizabeth
School in Armenia
Monday, March 17
Today we loaded up the vans and headed into Armenia, where our American teenagers met up with their Belizean counterparts. After some shy and giggly introductions, we all grabbed buckets of paint and began to slap paint, Tom Sawyer-style, on the weathered boards of three school classrooms. Painting is a nice way to get to know somebody, since conversation is not forced to be continuous, but just happens as a natural part of the process. By noon, our enthusiastic crew looked to be about half done with our task for the week, and I was thinking uh-oh, what about the rest of the week! But Mark has figured out a few more things for us to do, not to worry.
I met the principal of the school, and found out that classes are typically over thirty kids, which is pretty amazing considering what the inside of the classrooms looked like. The classroom I first entered shocked me. The one blackboard was about 3’ x 6’ and was badly scratched and marred. There were two huge holes in the blackboard, and I wondered how I would use it! The classroom had a stained concrete floor, desks in various stages of disrepair, shuttered windows with no glass or screens, and posters that looked like the same ones you’d see in a US elementary classroom. My eye found the mandatory list of classroom rules. One of the class rules was “no stealing”; not something I’d think to put on my list! I couldn’t imagine thirty lively kids in that little room. What we cast off would be absolute heaven to whatever teacher God calls to teach there.
Peggy
Today we loaded up the vans and headed into Armenia, where our American teenagers met up with their Belizean counterparts. After some shy and giggly introductions, we all grabbed buckets of paint and began to slap paint, Tom Sawyer-style, on the weathered boards of three school classrooms. Painting is a nice way to get to know somebody, since conversation is not forced to be continuous, but just happens as a natural part of the process. By noon, our enthusiastic crew looked to be about half done with our task for the week, and I was thinking uh-oh, what about the rest of the week! But Mark has figured out a few more things for us to do, not to worry.
I met the principal of the school, and found out that classes are typically over thirty kids, which is pretty amazing considering what the inside of the classrooms looked like. The classroom I first entered shocked me. The one blackboard was about 3’ x 6’ and was badly scratched and marred. There were two huge holes in the blackboard, and I wondered how I would use it! The classroom had a stained concrete floor, desks in various stages of disrepair, shuttered windows with no glass or screens, and posters that looked like the same ones you’d see in a US elementary classroom. My eye found the mandatory list of classroom rules. One of the class rules was “no stealing”; not something I’d think to put on my list! I couldn’t imagine thirty lively kids in that little room. What we cast off would be absolute heaven to whatever teacher God calls to teach there.
Peggy
Hello Everyone from Joanie
Today a small group of us spent the day at the Kings Home for Children where approximately 45-50 children live. These children, through no fault of their own and for various reasons, have no family able to care for them and so, have been taken in by the Home. They range in age from infants to young adults. Leoni, the founder and director, was not there for much of the day, but her sister, Fay, oversaw the activities and goings-on in her absence. Anne and Ashley provided much needed help with the laundry. The children are on Spring Break this week and are at the Home all day since school is out. And yes, as Anne learned, Belizian teens change their clothes up to 4 times/day just like American teens! Jane and I helped in the kitchen; cleaning tables, sweeping, mopping, drying dishes, and helping make banana bread. But of course, in addition to knowing that we were helping with the chores and daily needs of the Home, most enriching was meeting and talking with the people. We were fortunate to be able to listen to Fay as she spoke about the Home, it’s purpose, their hopes for the children, their needs, and frustrations. Her dedication to the children is amazing. We spent time with Clement, a 16 year (if I remember correctly) volunteer who helps prepare every meal – in addition to his regular job outside the Home. Anne and Ashley spent much time talking with the wonderful ladies doing the laundry. And these are just a few of the many people who help. And of course, the children – Nathan (who looked about 2), LaQuisha (5), Josiah (7), Zarah (maybe 7?), Ezekial (10), Gladys (14), and a 20 year old blind, schizophrenic girl (whose name I don’t remember right now) who was led around the Home as needed by the younger children. There are so many more I met, but only briefly for now. I was struck by the sense of community and family within the Home – a toddler would cry and a 6 year old would comfort him. They live together as a team – helping each other, playing with each other, fussing with each other. I enjoyed so much getting to know them even in the short time we had today – some shy, some very outgoing and engaging. They enjoyed talking with me about the Superman movie they were watching and others enjoyed sitting in our laps being read to. And I keep thinking how grateful I am that this Home exists and that these children of God are cared for, provided for, and are given love, structure, discipline, friendship, and attention. We’re looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow!!
Joanie Scheuer
(Oh – I’ve just been given word that Eric walked in with a cat-eyed snake wrapped around his arm!)
Joanie Scheuer
(Oh – I’ve just been given word that Eric walked in with a cat-eyed snake wrapped around his arm!)
Hi Church Family from Barbara
Our first real work day! Monday started out as usual with a great devotional, singing and- pancakes! (It was noted that it is St. Patricks Day and the teens were painting withgreen and came back wearing green paint) But my task today was with Dale Hadden and those others participating in the medical deed-doing. We were a bit late so there were people waiting in line. Also waiting were the 3 Armenian helpers- Filberta, Odelia and Sarah. These 3 ladies were truly amazing, very helpful with translating and assisting. Sarah wants to become a nurse and is in her 2nd semester of nurse school in Belmopan, Belize. Sarah is being sponsored in her studies by Jaguar Creek.
Last night Dale taught us in Nurse-Aid 101 how to take blood pressure, TPR vitals, etc.
Today we just did it! All of the children today were sick. Lots of coughing and runny noses, lots of head lice and scabies, lots of staph skin infections. But Dale did see at least 3 children or infants who very much needed her services. Serious problems that she willfollow up with in the coming days. These kids benefited from our services today.
I got to be the pharmacist. Dale has pretty good writing so it wasn’t a challenge to read her scripts.
Tonight we had a lecture by Ed Boles an Aquatic Biologist from the Univ. of Belize speaking on watersheds and the problems with deforestation, dams, pollution, etc. Belize is truly ecologically diverse and unspoiled compared to the surrounding countries, but big business and international investors are coming. He said Belize needs to act now to protect itself.
Thanks for your letters and encouragement. Barbara Reeve
Last night Dale taught us in Nurse-Aid 101 how to take blood pressure, TPR vitals, etc.
Today we just did it! All of the children today were sick. Lots of coughing and runny noses, lots of head lice and scabies, lots of staph skin infections. But Dale did see at least 3 children or infants who very much needed her services. Serious problems that she willfollow up with in the coming days. These kids benefited from our services today.
I got to be the pharmacist. Dale has pretty good writing so it wasn’t a challenge to read her scripts.
Tonight we had a lecture by Ed Boles an Aquatic Biologist from the Univ. of Belize speaking on watersheds and the problems with deforestation, dams, pollution, etc. Belize is truly ecologically diverse and unspoiled compared to the surrounding countries, but big business and international investors are coming. He said Belize needs to act now to protect itself.
Thanks for your letters and encouragement. Barbara Reeve
From Nancy - March 17th
You may have noticed that there are names you don't recognize who are blogging on here. We are cross-posting every blog that is written on the Oak Ridge and Farragut sites so that you don't miss anything!
Today was our first day of work. I am working with the teen-to-teen group this week and today and tomorrow we are painting in the village of Armenia, which is about 15 minutes away from Jaguar Creek, where we are staying. We got there this morning and met the Belizean teens and got our brushes and buckets. Throughout the day, we painted the majority of three classrooms (the exterior). We painted them light green with dark green trim. We'll finish the classrooms tomorrow and do some other painting, too.
I was amazed to just stand back and watch the activity in the village. People are coming and going all the time. Children are running around, checking to see what's going on in their community. It was so neat to work alongside the Belizean teens and learn about them, their schooling, etc.
Painting also provides a great opportunity for group bonding. I was not surprised to see that our group was much closer by the end of the day than we had been at the beginning. We had discovered new things about each other and about the new people we met.And I'm sure others have told you - but it's absolutely beautiful here - it can't even be described in a blog post. And the food is delicious. We had fried plantains for lunch - Mmmmmmmm. :)
Today was our first day of work. I am working with the teen-to-teen group this week and today and tomorrow we are painting in the village of Armenia, which is about 15 minutes away from Jaguar Creek, where we are staying. We got there this morning and met the Belizean teens and got our brushes and buckets. Throughout the day, we painted the majority of three classrooms (the exterior). We painted them light green with dark green trim. We'll finish the classrooms tomorrow and do some other painting, too.
I was amazed to just stand back and watch the activity in the village. People are coming and going all the time. Children are running around, checking to see what's going on in their community. It was so neat to work alongside the Belizean teens and learn about them, their schooling, etc.
Painting also provides a great opportunity for group bonding. I was not surprised to see that our group was much closer by the end of the day than we had been at the beginning. We had discovered new things about each other and about the new people we met.And I'm sure others have told you - but it's absolutely beautiful here - it can't even be described in a blog post. And the food is delicious. We had fried plantains for lunch - Mmmmmmmm. :)
From Charica-March 16 morning
The morning started out very peacefully. Waking up to the sound of birds in the jungle and the soft morning light sifting in through the trees was as close to sleeping outdoors as you can get with a roof over your head. The peace was short-lived, though. Within about ten minutes, the place was bustling with activity and very human noise. Not that it was a bad thing. It was a good noise – the sound of people sharing space, getting to know each other, getting along.
Later in the morning, we were blessed with some truly joyous noisemaking. We joined the Church of the Nazarene for a powerful, music-centric worship service. The energy in the room was contagious and the volume loud enough that even I felt at ease joining in. The sermon itself was particularly moving to me. It was such an insightful look at Jesus’ triumphal entry – focusing in such detail on the unbroken, young colt that the Master needs. It spoke to me about willingness versus willfulness and about missed opportunities.
My afternoon was spent cave-tubing in Jaguar Paw. If you have never been there, then you are missing an amazing experience. That such vast beauty can be hidden in such dark places says a lot to me about the wondrous ways of God. Words cannot describe it and photos can’t capture it (despite Mike’s very determined efforts as designated photographer!). If you can, go see it for yourself someday...
Later in the morning, we were blessed with some truly joyous noisemaking. We joined the Church of the Nazarene for a powerful, music-centric worship service. The energy in the room was contagious and the volume loud enough that even I felt at ease joining in. The sermon itself was particularly moving to me. It was such an insightful look at Jesus’ triumphal entry – focusing in such detail on the unbroken, young colt that the Master needs. It spoke to me about willingness versus willfulness and about missed opportunities.
My afternoon was spent cave-tubing in Jaguar Paw. If you have never been there, then you are missing an amazing experience. That such vast beauty can be hidden in such dark places says a lot to me about the wondrous ways of God. Words cannot describe it and photos can’t capture it (despite Mike’s very determined efforts as designated photographer!). If you can, go see it for yourself someday...
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Question:
From Belmopan, in what direction do you go to get to Jaguar Creek? And how far? South to Armenia first, perhaps, and then . . .
- Jim Tonne
- Jim Tonne
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