Children, Beautiful Children

Hi FPC-OR Family!!!

Here we are: day 4 in Belize (3 for some), 2 days hard work under our belt. The rain today has been sporadic and refreshing. It has not hindered our work in the slightest; in fact, it may have even made the day more fun. This morning we started the day with a delicious breakfast (and diet coke for me—we all know I need my DC to survive the morning) from our very amazing cooks before we packed up our backpacks and headed out. Once we arrived at the school, we were quickly put to work finishing tasks that we had not finished yesterday and then began new ones. Today, we finished the windows and doors from yesterday, built some new ones, and started building bookshelves; all the while, stopping for rain and stopping to play with students on their breaks (recess) at school. I was amazed at how children are the same every where: boys and girls are still afraid to interact with each other, “chase” (or tag) is the most popular recess game, and soccer is the unspoken language of masses. If you’re good at the game the children eagerly let you join them, if not they say no thanks and you have to prove yourself (ask our youth boys about this). Or if you’re a girl (like me), you might just be told you can’t play because you’re a girl and then decide to play anyway. Very quickly, they let me join in thankfully! Now our own youth are playing soccer with the Jaguar Creek staff and laughter and joy permeates the air. It has been a great day here in Belize!

Before I end this blog post, I wanted to spend a few moments bragging on your youth. They are amazing! They has stepped up to the challenge of hard work, two days in a row with absolutely no complaints. They stand in the sun for hour, hammering, building windows, whatever we happen to be doing, and they do it with such joy. While doing this, I have noticed they are taking the time to get to know each other and build relationships that I know will last them a lifetime. I have seen Ashley Hadden have countless Belizian little girls run up to her and throw them arms around her shouting “Ashley, Ashley.” And you can tell she makes each one feel special and none of them left out—a difficult task. I have seen Jon Markley building a window and then 10 minutes last running down a soccer field, after being told he wasn’t good enough by boys half his age, making them all laugh, as well as, become willing to let him join in. Robin Parker is one of the most determined hard workers I have ever met. She and I spent a long while trying to get nails out of a hinge in order to reuse the hinge, and never once did she give up. Coupled with that though, is a passion for the children at the school. She spent a very long time this afternoon pushing a young boy on the swing who didn’t (or couldn’t speak) and wanted nothing else but to be pushed. Sure, Robin had other things to do, but she knew her time was best spent just as she was. Then there is Russell Fulcher. Russell has a wicked sense of humor—he can kick out a good zinger—and just like all off the previously mentioned youth, a wicked work ethic too. Nicole Markley, though not as confident (or outwardly confident at least) in her window building skills, is always willing to give it a try and do her best at it. Similar to the rest of the youth too, Nicole is fabulous with the children at the school in Armenia. She is patient and loving. She plays their games, hold their hands and answers their questions. These are your youth FPC-OR. They are changing the world and making it a better place one window at a time, one child at a time, one beautiful faith-filled action at a time. I praise you FPC-OR for raising such wonderful, loving, kind, hard-working youth. They are who they are because of you. You should definitely be proud of the people they are and the people they are becoming. Thank you for giving me the privilege of getting to know another side of them in this beautiful country.

Many Blessings,
Hannah