My Bags are Packed...

...I'm ready to go.
Remember the song by the Mamas & Papas back in the 70's? Maybe even late sixties...
Well, I'm leavin' on a jet plane tomorrow morning. For Belize.
My traveling companions include Peggy and the Haddens. Oh, and a couple Rotarians, from Pennsylvania, including the inimitable and irrepressible Ray Hopkins.
Every trip has a little different feel to it. This one looks like it's shaping up to be good and productive. I hope it'll be valuable not just on a personal level, but ultimately for the whole church.
We've got a lot to do.
Tomorrow we plan to spend some time with Mateo and Michael Chiquin, our little leukemia survivor and partner.
Sunday we're off to Guatemala. The town of Arenal straddles the border between Guatemala and Belize. Both sides have water problems of a very different character. It'll be a major challenge to find solutions for both. And after Arenal, Ray insists we visit an old student of his at Black Rock Lodge. Should be fun. Google it: "black rock lodge belize"
Monday is Yalbac and a checkup on the water system we helped install last year.
Tuesday includes visits to Los Tambos and La Gracia, two other villages near Yalbac without electricity and with potential water problems. Fountain City Pres. has a long-standing relationship with Los Tambos, and we might be able to partner with them in the future.
Wednesday is Belmopan and the Rural Development Minister and St Margaret, another potential water site. We also hope to visit King's Children's Home where many from our teams in 2005 and 2008 worked.
Thursday is a chance to spend time closer to San Ignacio. We hope to visit Nadine and Atiliano Jones, who cooked for us a couple years ago. Word has it she is *very* pregnant; we hope to give her a baby present. And Cristo Rey is also a potential partner for water and more.
Friday we split up. The Terpstras and Pennsylvanians head to the airport while Chuck and Dale clean up details in San Ignacio. We spend Saturday celebrating Peggy's mom's 80th birthday while Chuck and Dale and Ashley play on the beach.
God willing, we'll all be back in Oak Ridge by Sunday night with stories to tell
Pray for us!
- dan