Bugs, bats, natives and other tropical encounters

 

Short video about the trip

On July 30th, Oldest and Only left for Belize for a week long mission trip with 19 other short term missionaries. I really wanted to share a little bit of what they did:

Miss J and Only at the Mayan Ruins

Sunday:

They went to church at the Dump today and studied Luke 4.  They also went to the Mayan Ruins and to eat ice cream.  They are looking forward to tomorrow.  They are going to walk the streets of Bella Vista visiting and praying with people.  May possibly do a building project.  Thanks for praying...keep it up!   One of the girls woke up with a 103 temp, ...

Monday:  

1.  Everyone is healthy!

2.  They had a great day today ministering to children.  They did a bible study and made bracelets with the 60 children that showed up.

3.  Tomorrow they will be passing out sugar.  Sugar is difficult to get there.  They were able to buy 300 pounds of sugar today and are excited to give it away tomorrow.

 

 From Only:     

Only on the way to a village

  Hey! Hope you're having a good week. I sure do miss you guys a lot. Can't wait to come home on Saturday and tell you all about the trip.

      It rained on Sunday and Monday so was pretty cool most of the day without the sun out.
      Tuesday in Bella Vista was hot hot hot because the sun was while out all day. Which made everyone irritable and grouchy. (Not to mention the bugs are more aggressive this year in my opinion.) But the kids who showed up seemed to really enjoy making bracelets and listening to the Bible story. There is a bit of a language barrier because most of the kids and families speak Spanish and Kache.

300 lbs of sugar

      Today we're going back to Bella Vista and I think we're going to distribute sugar around the village because Belize is going through a sugar shortage. Then we'll be back to show a movie later that night at the river of life church for the teenagers. Please pray that well be safe out there cause it can get pretty sketchy at night, because it's in a secluded part of the village.
       We've decided that we're going to leave a day early for the resort. :D So Thursday morning will be our clean up day at The Dump and we'll be leavng for the resort after our day in the village. As you can imagine we're all pretty excited about this. :)
I can't wait to see you guys Saturday!! Love and miss you guys soooooooooooooooooo much. Tell Youngest I can't wait to see him! :D

Only with Belize kids

Tuesday, Aug. 2:  What a great day the team had yesterday.  On Monday, they walked the village just talking with people.  That opened the door for passing out the sugar yesterday.  They had a great time doing that.  As they passed out the sugar they invited people to come and watch one of the Jesus films.  They had 176 people show up!  Praise the Lord!  

Oldest ended up waking up one morning to discover he had somehow rolled over on a small black scorpion while he was sleeping and killed it without being stung.  We were so thankful for that!  He actually brought it back with him in a ziplock bag.  Gas was between $5.80-$6 a gallon (US currency). They also encountered bats, lizzards, iguanas, sand fleas (very painful), parrots, and many Belizian people hungry for God in their lives. 

Show us some feet after walking!

Wednesday:  

1) Walked the village of Bella Vista, Belize, meeting and praying with people, 

2) had 60-70 kids for VBS at River of Life church. Tom taught the kids about "let the children come unto me," while the others made bracelets with the kids, 

3) 176 people showed up for the movie on Wednesday night, led to many fruitful conversations, etc., 

4) prayed for local sick folks, 

5) reconnected with folks from past trips. 

At the Beach

Thursday  About 3:00 (4 our time) they will be leaving the village to head to Jaguar Reef.  They should get there after dinner time.  Once there, they should have access to WiFi again…so be watching for those facebook updates J

Only and Honey - Home at last

 

 Thanks for reading about what the kids did in Belize.  Our family is looking forward to hearing and seeing how God is going to use this to impact their lives. 

Home again from Belize

It's almost 10:30 a.m. and I sit in silence, with the hum of the air conditioner and the clacking on my keyboard.  My thoughts are running laps in my head with joy, sadness, anticipation, and thankfulness. 


Late last night, 12 hours ago, we stood at the airport with a bevy of parents, siblings, and friends waiting for a the Team from Belize to walk through the gate. Then, there was a movement of parents, turning to the gate, peering into the distance for that first glimpse, a whisper of excitement building....

Only and Honey

For now, my house is silent, but if you were to tiptoe to their doors, you would hear the quiet breathing... safe at home, exhausted, and filled with new experiences...  They are travel weary and filled with stories of this adventure, sights, and lessons.

Only's eyes filled with tears last night as she told me how heart broken she was to leave those kids - the poverty she saw, the sadness at the conditions, but she was filled with hope and a vision of reaching out to others and I pray the kids that went will be filled with those haunting pictures in their heads - that they won't forget the tugging at their hearts that God has placed.

Honey with Oldest

Oldest's eyes lit up with excitement as he told of the manatees, sting rays, and nurse sharks (which he touched) while snorkeling off the barrier reef, walking through the Mayan ruins, playing soccer with native kids, and eating conch and fish eyes. He's our quiet one, so we'll hear more from him over the next few months.  He's been in Belize for just 2 weeks his experiences have included two groups.  He looks different, taller, more grown-up.


Not every experience was fantastic.  Several of the adults and kids got sick while there, their legs are covered in huge bug bites and some have had to go on steroids and antibiotics because of their reaction to the bites, and then there is the mysterious rash that many suffered by both teams.  It is now suspected that the laundry soap the native lady used was very harsh or their clothes were not quite rinsed properly, needless to say, they couldn't say no when she offered because they didn't want to offend her.  It was hard for them to see such conditions that people live in.  Quite a different trip from one almost 6 years ago that they took as Ambassadors to Australia, but one that God will use to shape their lives and who they are. 

What experiences have you had that have shaped your life?  How have they changed you?  I'd love to hear about it!

Coming Home

Belize child by Roselle Scott

Today, Oldest and Only come home.

It feels like it has been more than a month since I've seen them, but in reality - it's been 2 weeks for Oldest and only a week since I've seen Only. 

by Roselle Scott

  Where have they been?  In Belize on a mission trip with our youth group.  It's not been an easy trip for any of them, but I've heard tidbits and the blog, and we're anxious to hear about their experience!

by Roselle Scott

Oldest by by Roselle Scott

Our prayer is that God will use this trip not only to introduce Him to the people of Belize, but that He will be working in the hearts of these kids that traveled to Central America.  That the images, experiences, and emotions will be embedded in their hearts and minds and impact their choices for where and what they will do with their lives.

by Roselle Scott

 What have we been doing since they left?  We've been busy working, tutoring, praying, and a surprise home improvement project - redoing the Kids' Bathroom.  They have no idea what they're coming home to!  I'll have to post more after they return home.  But for now, I've got a list a foot long of things I need to get done today so I need to get going!  It's going to be a long and busy day! 

Two in Belize, one at home

Only with friends, ready to fly out!

Today I put Only on the plane to Belize, a country in Central America, where she and 19 20 others in this group, will join  Oldest, Steven, and our youth minister, Tim, as they serve on a short-term mission trip. You can read about their experiences here.  

Almost immediately when Oldest landed, I started receiving emails and Facebook updates.  His fan ceased to work sometimes in the flight, and they quickly learned that the area they are in was receiving an incredible amount of rain - making it a mud bath adventure.  He requested that Only bring him a new fan, his work tennis shoes, more triple antiobiotic ointment, and more bug spray.  Good thing he had a sister joining him to bring this to him!  I told Only last night that I had no way to bring her anything she might have forgotten!  She just rolled her eyes and giggled.

So with eager anticipation, she started packing on Thursday, and was anxious to begin this journey. Something different about this trip, is that it is mainly for evangelism, unlike the trip last year, where a group of men built a church.  She was overwhelmed at first, not knowing what exactly to pack.  She likes to know how many shirts, skirts, etc, to take, but all she had was a general list.

Farewell hug from the Princess

  Long story short, Princess Izzy returned this week, so Only was thrilled to see her before she left.  She didn't quite understand Sissy leaving on something called a "plane". 

I didn't get to stay around until they prayed with the group before they walked through the loading gate like with Oldest. I had a Hearing test, since mine came back slightly abnormal last month.  Turns out, I couldn't take the test today because I had The Princess with me and the test would take over an hour and I couldn't move, or be distracted,  or have her in the room with me and they didn't want me to leave her in the waiting room with Youngest (totally understand)/ *sigh*  Rescheduled to take it in a few weeks.

One wonderful surprise was  our senior minister, showed up this morning, and it didn't surprise us that he was there, as we expected him to be there to pray with our kids.  What surprised us is that he had his own BAGS packed and had been GIVEN free passage to Belize and back by a family from church whose dad is a pilot!!!  What a blessing!  Central Christian has been exploring Belize as a possible mission field to connect with the current missionary there, support, and help establish a thriving congregation.  We are so excited for the opportunities to reach and work with the people in Belize! 

With the wonders of technology, I was able to track her plane as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico and knew immediately when she landed! The plan was that both Teams would be at the Belize airport at the same time, one coming, the other leaving, and would take a HUGE group picture at that time.  

JUST IN via Text from Belize!  There have officially arrived and are on the road in Belize, but stopped at Cheers - AGAIN!!!  

 Saturday, Oldest posted on FB: Snorkeling off the coast of Belize in the second largest barrier reef in the world with sharks, stingrays, barracudas, and other fish. Now if only our bus will start...

Later:  Swam with sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and lots of fish today. Saw a moray eel and had raw conch for lunch. Pretty good day.

 Sunday:  Could really stay every sunday in Belize just to hear a sermon like today again. It was really good.

This update was posted Wednesday by a friend who . 

Team 1 landed in Belize Mon., Aug. 2 around 3:40 p.m. (they are an hour behind us).  They started toward Roaring Creek compound, where they were going to be staying.  On their way they stopped in a village and ate at a restaurant named "Cheers" according to Tim Beasely it is named after the 1980's sitcom.  He said the food was good and cheap; he had a quesadilla and a bottle of water for $4.  When it was time to leave the bus wouldn't start and ended up needing a mechanic which took a few hours because the closet one was an hour away.  So around 8:45 p.m. they were on their way to their first destination.  It rained that night and he said the rain was very loud because the place they were staying had a tin roof.  But he did say it was beautiful there, but a very poor place.

  Yesterday he worked on building a block bathroom for the building that the team last year built.  He said he has bug bites all of him (bug spray is only working for mosquitoes), there is a bug that bites you and you don't know you've been bitten until you see your arm or leg bleeding.  It was hot there but not to bad.  He drank water from a coconut, he cut it open with his knife, and he also ate a fresh lime from a tree.  He said it was good but drinking from a coconut was a little strange.  He said the food has been good; fresh tortillas for breakfast and then for dinner they had a stew chicken and beans with rice (it's not like our rice and beans) it's a traditional Belizian food.  The little kids there make him very sad and he says we don't know how good we have it.  He said God is opening his eyes to a lot of things while he is there.  He didn't get to share with people yesterday but he said he witnessed other sharing and it was a humbling sight to see the children being receptive.

      The village they stayed their first 2 nights was one hour from Belmopan and is one of the oldest villages in Belize.  They speak mostly English.  It is very muddy, dirty and poor.  The children play in very nasty water and with chickens.  The men in the village walk around at night with lit matches, he said it was very intimidating at first, seeing that a lot of the village has houses with thatch roofing others have tin roofs.  He said there are a few nicer houses and some slums, but our house would be a mansion. The sun rises around 5 a.m. and sets around 6:30 p.m.  One funny thing is that he's learned geckos bark and the monkeys make a loud funny noise.  He said it's pretty funny.  The evenings have been nice and cool.

         Today they are leaving for the southern compound which is 3 hours south of Roaring Creek.  They have to travel over a low water bridge which is the only way in and out, so pray that there aren't any floods because if the river floods they can't get back out until the waters recede.  The village where they will stay makes the Roaring Creek compound look like the Hilton; it's very remote in the mountains and jungle.

    

 Thank you for just reading through this long post, and if you have a moment, can you say a prayer for this group of kids. They've worked very hard all summer to have this opportunity, and some of them have turned down jobs just so they could go.  My prayer is that not only will God allow His work to continue there, but to really work in the hearts of these kids, that they will be influenced to not look so much to themselves, but to serve others, and that this will influence their decisions on where and how they will work after college! 

Belize 2010: Typical Church Trip

Today we put Oldest on the plane, along with 19 others for a 2-part mission trip to Belize, a Central American Country. Some of these kids have never been on a plane or out of the country, but they are going during the hottest part of the summer to work with a missionary: Sport camps, VBS, lots of time with native kids, scraping and painting a building, witnessing, and reaching out in an area where there is a church building but no congregation. 

Caleb and Steven

Mixing cement and building walls

Oldest and his best friend, Steven, along with Tim (youth minister) have been planning this for months. They were in the initial work trip in the village of More Tomorrow last year that built a church for an existing congregation, as part of Steven's Eagle Scout project. It was extremely physically hard work, mixing cement on the ground, setting walls on an existing foundation, and hoisting rafters by hand. They were thrilled to complete the project and receive updates through out this last year. I know they are looking forward they will visit the village where they worked, see friends they made, and revisit the church they built.

Rafters and beams

Completed Church

If you think about it, please pray for them. That they kids on this trip will be able to see past the heat and the meek conditions, and focus on the real reason they are there. That God will touch each of their hearts and use this trip to plant seeds as to how He leads and shapes them in the direction He wants them to go in the great adventure of their lives.

Last night I received an email from Oldest:

Hola from Belize. It's been a long day, but we're finally settled down at the compound. Had a safe trip down here.  Tomorrow we start the sports camp and construction on something.
We're supposed to go down to the southern compound on Wednesday which isn't as luxurious as this northern one, but it sounds like a challenge. We'll see the church tomorrow. Less luxury means no wifi and no good plumbing. Can't flush toilet paper (outhouse).

The Belize Mission Trip Blog:
Belize 2010: Typical Church Trip: "We stopped today at Cheers (yes they stole their logo from the early late '80s/early '90s) to have a snack and something to wet the whistle....

When it was time to get into the bus to press on toward the Roaring Creek Compound,,,,the bus wouldn't start. We prayed. The bus didn't start. The grown men all looked at the engine,it is in the back and grunted and spit and talked like we were diesel mechanics. The bus didn't start. Uncle Steve came back with his Leatherman pocket tool, and moved us all out of the way so he could work without any hindrance. It is amazing what you can accomplish with a Leatherman pocket tool. Now the bus won't start and there is damage to the wiring, too."

Under attack for God

I spoke with a dear friend this morning.  She seemed to dog-gone weary.  In the early morning grogginess she explained what had transpired in the last 12 hours since I had last seen her.  You could hear the weariness in her voice.  With a few kids to contend with,six to be exact, schedules, an ongoing difficulty with a pesky health issue, projects due, funds to be raised for upcoming mission trip, curriculum to think about for next month...


Another friend has had the similar struggles with projects to get done, unexpected vehicle issues, kids, schedule changes, curriculum to think about for next month, funds to raise for upcoming mission trip... faulty wiring, and wait... it gets better!  Her dryer quit working today!





Wait, they both have kids going on this mission trip! In less than a month two groups of kids and adults from church (22 altogether), Oldest and Only included, are traveling to the southern part of Belize, in Central America.  Each group, staying for one week, will work closely with the missionary already established there, sharing about God in the villages of San Isidro and Bella Vista. Tim (our youth minister), Oldest, and Steven will stay the entire two weeks as coordinators of the project.
So what do the two have to do with each other?  It really seems that many families who have a child/children/spouse going on the trip have been under attack by little and big things and it's wearing them down.

Oldest and Only have been working to raise their support to go.  We told them from the beginning that we didn't have the funds to send two kids on this trip - shoot, we don't have the extra funds to even send one child!  Just today I took Only and "J" to a home so they could pull weeds in a family's garden.  They were hot, dirty, and tired when I picked them up!  Tomorrow they will clean a house and Only will spend the next two days helping a teacher move from one school to another.  Some of the kids have taken summer jobs, part time jobs, writing letters, mowing lawns, "Slave for a Day" projects (people from church call with projects they need a student to do)  all to fund this trip to tell others about Jesus.  

This will not be a cushy summer trip to a tropical retreat.  Oldest found out last summer from his 2 week trip there that it is extremely hot, there are HUGE bugs and snakes that like to hide out in the outhouses, and they worked from 4 a.m. until sometimes 8 p.m., amenities are minimal. Granted  there will not be as much physical labor to do this time, but Satan is already worried because he's been after the families and kids. There is a lot of spiritual tug-a-war going on... makes me wonder what awesome things are going to come from this trip! I know this is a terrific opportunity for the kids to experience life on the mission field, and while it is short term, it will make an impact on their lives.

Are there any battles going on in your life?  If you think about it, can you pray for the kids and their families? 


Simply,