Submitted by Jason;
Four days after my most recent post, my friend and Buena Vista ministry partner, Dale Loy passed away from an apparent heart attack. With all due respect to the Loys and their extended family, I'd like to preface this blog by offering my condolences to any and all of you who happen to read this blog. I'd also like to recognize that the challenges that I'm presented with regarding the future of our ministry pale in comparison to the challenges that the Loy family now face in Dale's absence.
Having said that, I'd like to share a bit about how Dale and I met and grew together as friends and eventually ministry partners.
In August of 2012, after several months of prayer regarding entering the missionary field, a woman from Belize who was selling 80+ acres of jungle offered to allow us and our friends, the Reeds, to host us in Belize and show us her property in hopes that we could reach an agreement on the possible purchase of her land. She also offered to introduce us to a few other like minded families that may be willing to rent us some land or work out an agreement that would provide us with a place to live for a season.
The Loys were one of these families. Our first visit to their home was very nice. We sat and talked about the vision that God had given us for the upcoming season in our lives and shared a meal with them. I sensed at that time that Dale really wanted to help us, but didn't know quite how to trust complete strangers. In the end, we reached an agreement with another family on a rental that we never wound up living in.
Once here, in Belize, Dale and I became friends. Dale was a tremendously educated man in the field of agriculture. He studied at Penn State University in Pennsylvania, United States. Our conversations would always revolve around the challenges that we, Americans, faced in gardening and farming in this tropical region. After many failed attempts to successfully grow food for his family, Dale decided to build a few greenhouses and grow inside. At this time, I had agreed to come out and help him with this project. We agreed that it would be beneficial to both of us. Dale was getting an extra hand on the farm and I was getting some, much needed, first hand experience in farming.
In September of 2013, Dale and David Nelson, of Buena Vista, had discussed the possibility of starting a youth ministry in Buena Vista. Dale approached my son Brendan, and I, about the possibility of our help with the music ministry side of this youth ministry. Brendan and I agreed to get involved and help out in whatever way we were needed.
The music part of this ministry was very short lived. The kids were better off just singing the songs without the leading of a guitar. Brendan's commitment to the ministry faded when he and his wife went to the US for an extended visit in November of 2013. My commitment remained with Dale and David in Buena Vista.
We met every Saturday night in Buena Vista for the first few months. Dale was consistent in his love and compassion for the children from this village. We quickly recognized that the target age that Dale and David had originally intended to reach was not becoming involved because there were too many young children attending. So, we decided to make Wednesdays youth night for ages 13 and up. Saturday nights became all ages night.
Dale, David and I continued to hold two meetings per week for the next 5 months, or so.
In May of 2014, David Nelson, informed Dale and I of his intentions to move back to the US in June. Since the ministry was taking place on his property, we knew that we would need some other facility to use for our growing ministry in the village. Some nights we would have over 70 kids in our original, temporary, make-shift sanctuary that consisted of a shipping container, some 2*3s, screen and a few tarps.
In June, with the support of two ministries in particular from the US, we were able to transition our ministry into a two story building that was formerly used as a church building. The ministry continued to grow. With the additional space and the addition of two billiards tables, and internet access, the ministry was continuing to grow in numbers.
Dale and his children, particularly Micah, Hope and Charity, were faithful in their service to the village for almost a year leading up his unexpected passing. Dale had discussed his vision for the village and how to offer hope to those who wanted to do better for themselves.
During the last few weeks of his life, Dale was driving into the village early on Saturday mornings and picking up a few of the teenagers. He would then, take them to the biggest marketplace in our part of Belize and set them up with a table and goods to sell. Dale was interested and committed to teaching these young men and women business principles that they were not otherwise afforded the opportunity to.
On Sunday, September 28th, 2014 Dale collapsed on the porch of his home. He was 56 years old.
I was in no way prepared for how his death would affect me in the following days. I somehow underestimated how much his friendship meant to me and how closely I was bonding to him as we ministered side by side for the better part of one year, mostly twice a week. I was previously unfamiliar with the bond that forms between people that minister together, but I can now identify with those who have experienced something similar.
Many critical decisions will be necessary for me to make regarding several areas of our lives in the coming weeks. I would like to postpone sharing this information until my next post out of respect for the Loy family.
To the friends and family of Dale Loy; I, along with the body of Christ, stand with you in celebrating a life devoted to the advancement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Good News From A Far Country
Submitted by Jason;
Sometimes life presents moments or situations in which we, as individuals, are surprised by our own emotional responses to them. Sometimes they are landmarks in life that are obviously monumental, such as a birth, a death, a marriage, etc... Contrarily, sometimes they are unexpected moments that move us in ways that we could never anticipate.
A few of the more obvious moments, for me, have been; my wedding day, the day my Father passed away, the day(s) that I learned that Francie was pregnant, the moment that I was saying goodbye to my coworkers, the day that Francie miscarried, the day that we boarded the cruise ship in Galveston, Tx, the day(s) that I found out that I was going to be a grandfather, the days of my childrens' weddings, etc...
Yesterday, I had one of these moments that, in itself, may seem rather ordinary to most. However, to me, judging by my emotional response to it, was no less significant than the aforementioned.
Proverbs 25:25 says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."
As I mentioned in our previous post, my daughter and son-in-law, Kayla and Darrell were scheduled to move from Belize to Canada for "a season". Well, they did exactly that.
Yesterday, I read a message that was posted on the computer by Kayla referencing a scripture that she came across that moved her enough to share. My emotional response to this actually surprised me at first. As I thought about it later, I realized that we can learn a lot about ourselves by the moments that move us in these ways.
This "good news from a far country" certainly was like "cold waters to a thirsty soul". It wasn't necessarily the particular scripture reference that impacted me. It was the moment that I, as a parent, realized that my children are moving into adulthood with continued commitments to Jesus Christ.
My point is not that I doubted in any way that this would take place. My point is that my surprisingly, emotional response to this realization confirmed in my heart what desires I have for my children.
Several weeks ago, our Buena Vista ministry was brought to a, hopefully, temporary halt. My partner in ministry there was approached by the village chairmen to notify us that we were illegally operating a church without a license. So, we agreed to postpone any further meetings until we have legal documentation.
I question the motives of a man who comes against a ministry designed to reach and disciple the very youth of the village that they have complained are smoking marijuana on our property. We'll let the Lord deal with this man. In the meantime, I have a few more nights per week to enjoy with my family.
We're still expecting an answer from the Immigration Department on the approval of our permanent residency application. We're hopeful that this approval answer will come any day now. this will be a major step towards a sustained presence in this country for our family. In the meantime, we're visitors on tourist visas, even though we've been here for two years now.
Also, since our last post, we have been notified that our rental "agreement" is scheduled to end at the end of November. Because of this, we're currently exploring all options as we seek the Lord on where he wants us move to. This will be our fourth move in two years.
Please join with us in prayer during this important time in our lives here in Belize. We appreciate you who will commit to praying for us as often as you remember. I believe that the purposes for which we have been called here are revealing themselves now as well as in the near future.
Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about our lives here in Belize. Feel free to message or email us. We welcome interaction, especially from missionaries in other countries.
Sometimes life presents moments or situations in which we, as individuals, are surprised by our own emotional responses to them. Sometimes they are landmarks in life that are obviously monumental, such as a birth, a death, a marriage, etc... Contrarily, sometimes they are unexpected moments that move us in ways that we could never anticipate.
A few of the more obvious moments, for me, have been; my wedding day, the day my Father passed away, the day(s) that I learned that Francie was pregnant, the moment that I was saying goodbye to my coworkers, the day that Francie miscarried, the day that we boarded the cruise ship in Galveston, Tx, the day(s) that I found out that I was going to be a grandfather, the days of my childrens' weddings, etc...
Yesterday, I had one of these moments that, in itself, may seem rather ordinary to most. However, to me, judging by my emotional response to it, was no less significant than the aforementioned.
Proverbs 25:25 says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."
As I mentioned in our previous post, my daughter and son-in-law, Kayla and Darrell were scheduled to move from Belize to Canada for "a season". Well, they did exactly that.
Yesterday, I read a message that was posted on the computer by Kayla referencing a scripture that she came across that moved her enough to share. My emotional response to this actually surprised me at first. As I thought about it later, I realized that we can learn a lot about ourselves by the moments that move us in these ways.
This "good news from a far country" certainly was like "cold waters to a thirsty soul". It wasn't necessarily the particular scripture reference that impacted me. It was the moment that I, as a parent, realized that my children are moving into adulthood with continued commitments to Jesus Christ.
My point is not that I doubted in any way that this would take place. My point is that my surprisingly, emotional response to this realization confirmed in my heart what desires I have for my children.
Several weeks ago, our Buena Vista ministry was brought to a, hopefully, temporary halt. My partner in ministry there was approached by the village chairmen to notify us that we were illegally operating a church without a license. So, we agreed to postpone any further meetings until we have legal documentation.
I question the motives of a man who comes against a ministry designed to reach and disciple the very youth of the village that they have complained are smoking marijuana on our property. We'll let the Lord deal with this man. In the meantime, I have a few more nights per week to enjoy with my family.
We're still expecting an answer from the Immigration Department on the approval of our permanent residency application. We're hopeful that this approval answer will come any day now. this will be a major step towards a sustained presence in this country for our family. In the meantime, we're visitors on tourist visas, even though we've been here for two years now.
Also, since our last post, we have been notified that our rental "agreement" is scheduled to end at the end of November. Because of this, we're currently exploring all options as we seek the Lord on where he wants us move to. This will be our fourth move in two years.
Please join with us in prayer during this important time in our lives here in Belize. We appreciate you who will commit to praying for us as often as you remember. I believe that the purposes for which we have been called here are revealing themselves now as well as in the near future.
Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about our lives here in Belize. Feel free to message or email us. We welcome interaction, especially from missionaries in other countries.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Gaining Momentum
Submitted by Jason;
In March I posted about "The Need For A Base In The Village". Well, in June, we were able to begin leasing a building with the help of a few churches in the U.S. that have caught the vision. The building is two stories. It was, at one time, used as a church. My ministry partner, Pastor Dale Loy, donated two billiards tables which are used downstairs as a tool to bring in the young people that wouldn't otherwise step foot in a church. The upper room is a 30' x 40' open floor plan that we use as our sanctuary.
We're currently averaging 50-60 young people every Wednesday and Saturday night. We're identifying leaders and are in need of a plan to disciple those leaders in a way that pulls the potential out of them. In order to take a step such as this, we need more laborers who feel called and committed to giving themselves away to the people of Belize, primarily the young people of Buena Vista.
With our Buena Vista ministry gaining momentum, and many people expressing interest in following our progress in the village, we felt the need to name our ministry. We have settled on Grace Church Buena Vista. We're in the process of developing a website that allows friends and family to more easily follow what's happening here, in Belize.
Bill Craver of DCI Missions has also partnered with us this summer in bringing the missions teams that he hosts from Canada and the U.S. to our church on Wednesday nights. Last week, in fact, one of his short term missions teams supplied the paint and the manpower to paint the inside of our church, both upstairs and downstairs. The children in Buena Vista really enjoy the coloring books, face paint, nail polish, etc. that the teams bring with them. All things considered, the teams usually tell me at the end of the evening that they received more than they gave.
One member of a previous team from Canada has kept in touch and helped raise funds for us to be able to purchase a new toilet and bathroom sink for Grace Church Buena Vista. These types of relationships are essential for our forward progress with our growing vision. Our vision for the church will be shared in detail on our website, which should be up soon.
On a personal note, Francie and I recently found out that we're expecting our second grandchild. Brendan and Asia are expecting in February. My son, Andrew, has been in Belize City for the last few weeks as a volunteer counselor for Belize Camping Experience, a Christian youth camp program. He has a few more weeks to go. He's scheduled to return on Aug 16th. I expect him to post about his experience at camp when he returns. Also, Darrell & Kayla, my son-in-law and daughter are moving to Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada on Aug 7th. Darrell has a trucking job lined up and they're committed to it for "a season".
The Domata Bible School that I posted about previously has been postponed. It is now scheduled to begin Sept 1st. We have, however, taken part in some of the evening meetings of World Outreach Church which is somewhat of a partnering ministry to Domata Bible School. WOC is a church in San Ignacio that is slowly gaining ground on impacting the unchurched and calling those who have strayed from the faith to return to the kingdom.
The Men Of Honor program that I'm involved with continues to hold meetings every Friday evening. MOH Belize is a discipleship program for young men within the age range of 11-17 years of age. We focus on teaching these "men" valuable lessons on biblical manhood. We teach them that "Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous.", "Good is the enemy of best.", "Fear attracts attack.", "There is no greatness outside of God.", and "If there is no man, I will be the man.", to name a few.
On behalf of my whole family, I'd like to thank all of you who've committed to partnering with us in prayer and financially. Please continue to pray for us as often as you think of us. There's much ground to be gained for His kingdom here, in Belize and we covet your prayers.
Anyone desiring to visit or bring a team, feel free to contact us. We'd gladly assist you in making this possible. Thanks and God bless.
In March I posted about "The Need For A Base In The Village". Well, in June, we were able to begin leasing a building with the help of a few churches in the U.S. that have caught the vision. The building is two stories. It was, at one time, used as a church. My ministry partner, Pastor Dale Loy, donated two billiards tables which are used downstairs as a tool to bring in the young people that wouldn't otherwise step foot in a church. The upper room is a 30' x 40' open floor plan that we use as our sanctuary.
We're currently averaging 50-60 young people every Wednesday and Saturday night. We're identifying leaders and are in need of a plan to disciple those leaders in a way that pulls the potential out of them. In order to take a step such as this, we need more laborers who feel called and committed to giving themselves away to the people of Belize, primarily the young people of Buena Vista.
With our Buena Vista ministry gaining momentum, and many people expressing interest in following our progress in the village, we felt the need to name our ministry. We have settled on Grace Church Buena Vista. We're in the process of developing a website that allows friends and family to more easily follow what's happening here, in Belize.
Bill Craver of DCI Missions has also partnered with us this summer in bringing the missions teams that he hosts from Canada and the U.S. to our church on Wednesday nights. Last week, in fact, one of his short term missions teams supplied the paint and the manpower to paint the inside of our church, both upstairs and downstairs. The children in Buena Vista really enjoy the coloring books, face paint, nail polish, etc. that the teams bring with them. All things considered, the teams usually tell me at the end of the evening that they received more than they gave.
One member of a previous team from Canada has kept in touch and helped raise funds for us to be able to purchase a new toilet and bathroom sink for Grace Church Buena Vista. These types of relationships are essential for our forward progress with our growing vision. Our vision for the church will be shared in detail on our website, which should be up soon.
On a personal note, Francie and I recently found out that we're expecting our second grandchild. Brendan and Asia are expecting in February. My son, Andrew, has been in Belize City for the last few weeks as a volunteer counselor for Belize Camping Experience, a Christian youth camp program. He has a few more weeks to go. He's scheduled to return on Aug 16th. I expect him to post about his experience at camp when he returns. Also, Darrell & Kayla, my son-in-law and daughter are moving to Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada on Aug 7th. Darrell has a trucking job lined up and they're committed to it for "a season".
The Domata Bible School that I posted about previously has been postponed. It is now scheduled to begin Sept 1st. We have, however, taken part in some of the evening meetings of World Outreach Church which is somewhat of a partnering ministry to Domata Bible School. WOC is a church in San Ignacio that is slowly gaining ground on impacting the unchurched and calling those who have strayed from the faith to return to the kingdom.
The Men Of Honor program that I'm involved with continues to hold meetings every Friday evening. MOH Belize is a discipleship program for young men within the age range of 11-17 years of age. We focus on teaching these "men" valuable lessons on biblical manhood. We teach them that "Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous.", "Good is the enemy of best.", "Fear attracts attack.", "There is no greatness outside of God.", and "If there is no man, I will be the man.", to name a few.
On behalf of my whole family, I'd like to thank all of you who've committed to partnering with us in prayer and financially. Please continue to pray for us as often as you think of us. There's much ground to be gained for His kingdom here, in Belize and we covet your prayers.
Anyone desiring to visit or bring a team, feel free to contact us. We'd gladly assist you in making this possible. Thanks and God bless.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Domata Discipleship School Of Ministry
Submitted by Jason;
It's always interesting to see how the Lord uses events, situations and circumstances to orchestrate his kingdom. Like a chess player, He is strategically positioning his people for advancement and victory all over the world. Here, in Belize, is no different. I 'd like to share some of the events, situations and circumstances that He has recently used to lead us into the next season of ministry here.
As you may or may not know, we've been ministering in Buena Vista, Bz, a small Spanish village, since Oct '13. Recently, with the financial help of some friends from the U.S. and Canada, I was able to take a young needy boy in the village shopping for some school uniforms and supplies.
While shopping, we stopped at a Hindu owned store in San Ignacio. I found some of the items that he needed and proceeded to purchase them. At the check out counter, the store owner began to randomly tell me about this unusual pain that he gets in his head that travels down into his neck and shoulder as he rang up the items. Although I knew that I was supposed to pray for him to be healed, I paid for my stuff and left.
I was convicted for not obeying what the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. When I got home, I was asking the Lord what had happened. What was behind my disobedience? How did I miss such an opportunity for the Lord to show himself strong on my behalf as well as the Hindu man's behalf? The Holy Spirit quickly pointed out that I was walking in the flesh, not in the Spirit.
We, Christians, have all been there, right? We pray for opportunities to minister as we go about our daily business and when they present themselves, sometimes we just fall short of accomplishing the very thing that we know that we are supposed to do. My failure was not walking in the Spirit in that moment. I was with a few friends, enjoying our shopping that day, paying little attention to spiritual matters. The bible says in Romans 8:8, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.", and Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.". If I had been walking in the Spirit, I would have been prepared to confront such a spiritual matter when it presented itself, but I was not. I repented to God for my disobedience and vowed to go back and visit the Hindu store owner.
A few days later, a friend of ours stopped by our house and I shared this experience with him. He, Francie and I decided to go to San Ignacio that day to see this man. When we arrived, I greeted the man and asked him how his head and neck condition was. He said that it comes and goes and that he remembered me being in his store. I told him that I came back to pray for him. He pulled out a few chairs and we sat and visited with him for about 15 minutes.
He told us how he grew up in India in a Hindu home, but when he came to Belize someone gave him a picture of Jesus and that every time that he looks at the picture it's as if Jesus is beckoning him. Those were his words. As we shared with him he seemed a bit uncomfortable, but he listened to us and allowed us to pray for him. I believe that, like many Hindus, he honors many gods and Jesus, to him, is just another god on his list. The pictures on the walls and statues in the store of Hindu gods is evidence enough that he has not fully placed his faith in Jesus Christ as the one true God.
Before we left, he introduced us to his employees. We asked one young lady if she had any needs that she'd like for us to pray with her about. She told us that her and her husband are separated and that she wants to be reconciled to him. So we agreed with her in prayer that this would take place in her life.
I shared these encounters with my church in Spanish Lookout and publicly asked the church to notify me of any strong Christian churches in the San Ignacio are that I could refer my new friends to so that they could have a church to attend and connect with. Unfortunately, the reports that I received were not favorable towards the churches there. This was such a surprise to me for a city the size of San Ignacio, which along with it's twin city of Santa Elena has the second highest population in Belize.
About a week later, I was introducing a friend of mine to a man that I met from North Carolina, USA who was in Belize to, ironically enough, look for a building in San Ignacio to start a bible school that he has been led to pioneer. The three of us agreed to take a ride to San Ignacio to see the building that he was in the process of negotiating a deal with the landlord on.
As we drove, we talked about this store owner and I told them that I'd like to pay him a visit to see how he is doing. When we arrived, we visited the man and again he gratefully pulled up some chairs and allowed us to visit with him. I asked him where his employee, that we prayed for, was. He said that after we prayed, she received a phone call from her husband asking her to move to Belize City to be with him again. Together, we rejoiced. He then introduced us to his other employees, one of which shared how the other young lady had told her about how we prayed for her and our prayer was answered. So, we asked her if we could pray for a need of hers as well. She agreed and, before we left, we prayed for alcoholism to be broken in the life of her father. After this, we visited the building which is visible from the Hindu store. We walked through it as our friend shared his vision for how the Lord was leading him to use the building.
In the following days, we spent some more time together sharing our lives and what the Lord has done and is doing. Francie and I were asked to pray about considering getting involved with the new bible school.
As we did, the Lord used the events of my experience with the Hindu store, the situation that has presented itself in the form of an opportunity to serve in what I believe is going to stir the hearts of many and the circumstances of a city in need of a strong ministry that powerfully demonstrates the love of Christ, among other things, to confirm in our hearts that this is, in fact, the direction that we are to go in for this next season of our lives. So, in mid-June, we will assist in the pioneering work of Domata Discipleship School Of Ministry.
We, as in times past, continue to walk in faith for provision. We are currently in need of sound equipment, musical instruments and other supplies. Anyone with a desire to plant a seed into this ministry would be greatly appreciated.
As always, thanks in advance to those who partner with us both financially and in prayer as we continue to give ourselves away for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to God be the glory.
It's always interesting to see how the Lord uses events, situations and circumstances to orchestrate his kingdom. Like a chess player, He is strategically positioning his people for advancement and victory all over the world. Here, in Belize, is no different. I 'd like to share some of the events, situations and circumstances that He has recently used to lead us into the next season of ministry here.
As you may or may not know, we've been ministering in Buena Vista, Bz, a small Spanish village, since Oct '13. Recently, with the financial help of some friends from the U.S. and Canada, I was able to take a young needy boy in the village shopping for some school uniforms and supplies.
While shopping, we stopped at a Hindu owned store in San Ignacio. I found some of the items that he needed and proceeded to purchase them. At the check out counter, the store owner began to randomly tell me about this unusual pain that he gets in his head that travels down into his neck and shoulder as he rang up the items. Although I knew that I was supposed to pray for him to be healed, I paid for my stuff and left.
I was convicted for not obeying what the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. When I got home, I was asking the Lord what had happened. What was behind my disobedience? How did I miss such an opportunity for the Lord to show himself strong on my behalf as well as the Hindu man's behalf? The Holy Spirit quickly pointed out that I was walking in the flesh, not in the Spirit.
We, Christians, have all been there, right? We pray for opportunities to minister as we go about our daily business and when they present themselves, sometimes we just fall short of accomplishing the very thing that we know that we are supposed to do. My failure was not walking in the Spirit in that moment. I was with a few friends, enjoying our shopping that day, paying little attention to spiritual matters. The bible says in Romans 8:8, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.", and Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.". If I had been walking in the Spirit, I would have been prepared to confront such a spiritual matter when it presented itself, but I was not. I repented to God for my disobedience and vowed to go back and visit the Hindu store owner.
A few days later, a friend of ours stopped by our house and I shared this experience with him. He, Francie and I decided to go to San Ignacio that day to see this man. When we arrived, I greeted the man and asked him how his head and neck condition was. He said that it comes and goes and that he remembered me being in his store. I told him that I came back to pray for him. He pulled out a few chairs and we sat and visited with him for about 15 minutes.
He told us how he grew up in India in a Hindu home, but when he came to Belize someone gave him a picture of Jesus and that every time that he looks at the picture it's as if Jesus is beckoning him. Those were his words. As we shared with him he seemed a bit uncomfortable, but he listened to us and allowed us to pray for him. I believe that, like many Hindus, he honors many gods and Jesus, to him, is just another god on his list. The pictures on the walls and statues in the store of Hindu gods is evidence enough that he has not fully placed his faith in Jesus Christ as the one true God.
Before we left, he introduced us to his employees. We asked one young lady if she had any needs that she'd like for us to pray with her about. She told us that her and her husband are separated and that she wants to be reconciled to him. So we agreed with her in prayer that this would take place in her life.
I shared these encounters with my church in Spanish Lookout and publicly asked the church to notify me of any strong Christian churches in the San Ignacio are that I could refer my new friends to so that they could have a church to attend and connect with. Unfortunately, the reports that I received were not favorable towards the churches there. This was such a surprise to me for a city the size of San Ignacio, which along with it's twin city of Santa Elena has the second highest population in Belize.
About a week later, I was introducing a friend of mine to a man that I met from North Carolina, USA who was in Belize to, ironically enough, look for a building in San Ignacio to start a bible school that he has been led to pioneer. The three of us agreed to take a ride to San Ignacio to see the building that he was in the process of negotiating a deal with the landlord on.
As we drove, we talked about this store owner and I told them that I'd like to pay him a visit to see how he is doing. When we arrived, we visited the man and again he gratefully pulled up some chairs and allowed us to visit with him. I asked him where his employee, that we prayed for, was. He said that after we prayed, she received a phone call from her husband asking her to move to Belize City to be with him again. Together, we rejoiced. He then introduced us to his other employees, one of which shared how the other young lady had told her about how we prayed for her and our prayer was answered. So, we asked her if we could pray for a need of hers as well. She agreed and, before we left, we prayed for alcoholism to be broken in the life of her father. After this, we visited the building which is visible from the Hindu store. We walked through it as our friend shared his vision for how the Lord was leading him to use the building.
In the following days, we spent some more time together sharing our lives and what the Lord has done and is doing. Francie and I were asked to pray about considering getting involved with the new bible school.
As we did, the Lord used the events of my experience with the Hindu store, the situation that has presented itself in the form of an opportunity to serve in what I believe is going to stir the hearts of many and the circumstances of a city in need of a strong ministry that powerfully demonstrates the love of Christ, among other things, to confirm in our hearts that this is, in fact, the direction that we are to go in for this next season of our lives. So, in mid-June, we will assist in the pioneering work of Domata Discipleship School Of Ministry.
We, as in times past, continue to walk in faith for provision. We are currently in need of sound equipment, musical instruments and other supplies. Anyone with a desire to plant a seed into this ministry would be greatly appreciated.
As always, thanks in advance to those who partner with us both financially and in prayer as we continue to give ourselves away for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to God be the glory.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Need For A Base In The Village
Submitted by Jason;
As we continue to work in Buena Vista, Bz and build relationships with the locals, we are becoming more and more aware of the needs of this village. We've known from the beginning that the real need here is for long term discipleship, people that commit to invest in the lives of the children, youth and adults. The affects of "gringos" (Americans) that have come and given financially to the poor in the name of Christ, love or basic good will and then left are evident to us as we visit the village and talk with the people.
The result is a welfare mentality that passes from generation to generation struggling from season to season awaiting for the next hand out. Many able-bodied men do not work. They seem to find a way to survive in poverty and in some cases have mastered the art of appearing hopelessly desperate for help from anyone whose love of Christ or heart to give is greater than their ability to see the reasons behind their poverty. Having said that, the truth of the matter is still that many children suffer as a result of this cycle.
Last Saturday, a 9 yr old boy, who is new to the village, attended our Sat night outreach for the first time. We've been told that he was given over to strangers to look after him by his extended family. We've since heard that this young boy told another girl that his father is in jail for murdering his mother by slitting her throat. He came to the village with the clothes on his back and a few belongings that he carried in a plastic store bag.
I posted some information on Facebook to see if any of my friends would be interested in helping this boy with some of his basic needs. Several people have contacted me with a desire to help. At this point it appears that, through these friends, I'll be able to facilitate the purchase of school uniforms, school supplies, socks, underwear, shoes, toiletries, a blanket, a pillow, a few toys and possibly even a bicycle. I'm thankful for the quick response of those committed to help.
At this time, I feel that it's important to inform our family and friends of the predicament that we're facing. While this particular boy's circumstances may be extraordinary in terms of immediate needs, the number of children in the village that we would consider having legitimate needs are overwhelming. Because of this, we're praying about a solution to determining which, and how many, needs we can help meet without enabling the above mentioned welfare mentality.
We've talked briefly with the principal of the school yesterday in an effort to gain insight into this matter. We have committed to meet with her next Tuesday to continue our conversation.
As we currently understand, most children in the village only attend school until the age of 11 or 12. For most, at this time, they're forced to make adult decisions regarding their future based upon whether or not they'll have enough money or sponsors to continue their education or will they need to try to find work? Many of the students fortunate enough to have sponsors are sponsored for one year. This leaves these kids uncertain if they'll attend school the following year or not. The ones that are unable to continue their education wind up wandering the village engaged in drinking, sex and drugs.
So, this is where we come in. We, as in, us and you.
Our desire is to have a permanent structure in Buena Vista from which we could minister to the needs of the community and have a long term discipleship program as well. We're praying that the right property and resources become available for us to continue this work that He's begun in us and in Buena Vista.
So, while we continue to selectively find ways to meet the outstanding individual needs of the village, I'm asking that you please understand that if you have a sincere desire to help these kids, the real long term solution is in supporting the need for a base in the village for us to operate from.
Thanks for taking the time to read this in it's entirety.
Please feel free to contact Francie, or me, with questions, concerns or a desire for more information. I struggled to keep this as brief as possible.
As always, thanks to all of you who support us, both financially and in prayer.
As we continue to work in Buena Vista, Bz and build relationships with the locals, we are becoming more and more aware of the needs of this village. We've known from the beginning that the real need here is for long term discipleship, people that commit to invest in the lives of the children, youth and adults. The affects of "gringos" (Americans) that have come and given financially to the poor in the name of Christ, love or basic good will and then left are evident to us as we visit the village and talk with the people.
The result is a welfare mentality that passes from generation to generation struggling from season to season awaiting for the next hand out. Many able-bodied men do not work. They seem to find a way to survive in poverty and in some cases have mastered the art of appearing hopelessly desperate for help from anyone whose love of Christ or heart to give is greater than their ability to see the reasons behind their poverty. Having said that, the truth of the matter is still that many children suffer as a result of this cycle.
Last Saturday, a 9 yr old boy, who is new to the village, attended our Sat night outreach for the first time. We've been told that he was given over to strangers to look after him by his extended family. We've since heard that this young boy told another girl that his father is in jail for murdering his mother by slitting her throat. He came to the village with the clothes on his back and a few belongings that he carried in a plastic store bag.
I posted some information on Facebook to see if any of my friends would be interested in helping this boy with some of his basic needs. Several people have contacted me with a desire to help. At this point it appears that, through these friends, I'll be able to facilitate the purchase of school uniforms, school supplies, socks, underwear, shoes, toiletries, a blanket, a pillow, a few toys and possibly even a bicycle. I'm thankful for the quick response of those committed to help.
At this time, I feel that it's important to inform our family and friends of the predicament that we're facing. While this particular boy's circumstances may be extraordinary in terms of immediate needs, the number of children in the village that we would consider having legitimate needs are overwhelming. Because of this, we're praying about a solution to determining which, and how many, needs we can help meet without enabling the above mentioned welfare mentality.
We've talked briefly with the principal of the school yesterday in an effort to gain insight into this matter. We have committed to meet with her next Tuesday to continue our conversation.
As we currently understand, most children in the village only attend school until the age of 11 or 12. For most, at this time, they're forced to make adult decisions regarding their future based upon whether or not they'll have enough money or sponsors to continue their education or will they need to try to find work? Many of the students fortunate enough to have sponsors are sponsored for one year. This leaves these kids uncertain if they'll attend school the following year or not. The ones that are unable to continue their education wind up wandering the village engaged in drinking, sex and drugs.
So, this is where we come in. We, as in, us and you.
Our desire is to have a permanent structure in Buena Vista from which we could minister to the needs of the community and have a long term discipleship program as well. We're praying that the right property and resources become available for us to continue this work that He's begun in us and in Buena Vista.
So, while we continue to selectively find ways to meet the outstanding individual needs of the village, I'm asking that you please understand that if you have a sincere desire to help these kids, the real long term solution is in supporting the need for a base in the village for us to operate from.
Thanks for taking the time to read this in it's entirety.
Please feel free to contact Francie, or me, with questions, concerns or a desire for more information. I struggled to keep this as brief as possible.
As always, thanks to all of you who support us, both financially and in prayer.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
No Cost Too Great
Submitted by Jason;
After 16 months of being in Belize, I can honestly say that I feel a strong move of The Spirit gaining momentum. Like any heavy thing, having the laws of physics applied to it, it's been moving and increasing in speed and force. I can feel it in my spirit. I can see it in our church. I can feel it when my wife and I discuss and pray about things pertaining to The Spirit. Without it, we're powerless as we go about the Father's business. Powerless Christianity leaves people wondering if change is really occurring, if healing has actually taken place and if restoration is even possible. However, when a believer, filled with The Holy Spirit, connects with Truth and a body of believers unifies and rallies around Him, there's little doubt left in even the most skeptical of hearts regarding whether true change is in the air.
While much of our existence here, in Belize, is still very much unsettled, we're secure in knowing that the Lord has our lives in His timing. Yes, we, from time to time, allow ourselves to get our eyes off of Him and onto the mountains that are before us, but His promises are unchanging. No matter what we see in the natural, our hope is in Him. He doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't miscommunicate with His children. He's not worried and He never gets distracted from what He's doing in our lives. These truths allow me to concentrate more effort towards building momentum for His kingdom.
Building momentum in His kingdom revolves around hearing and doing. It's more about listening for instruction before we step out in any work than it is actually working in the name of just doing work. Doing work that He's not instructed you to take part in will bear fruit for a season, but it's not sustainable. I'm learning in my own personal prayer time to become a better listener to what He's communicating to me. For far too long, I've prayed with much too many words and, in many cases, without even listening for His response to these words. If He doesn't go before me, I don't want to go. I want to be led by Him rather than having Him tag along behind me to remind me when I make a wrong turn.
This is just a little glimpse into where I'm at in my walk with Him. Francie and I are becoming more and more determined to see Him work in our lives with power. People have heard of Him. They've heard of His works and power. We believe that the Holy Spirit was the missing element in the lives of the twelve disciples. Before "the comforter" came, they were powerless, but as soon as Christ went to the Father and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples, their lives, as they knew them, were wrecked and they spent the remainder of their days being led by The Spirit as they proclaimed the good news of the gospel from city to city regardless of the cost. They found a place in their lives where there was no cost too great to keep them from obedience.
So can we.
As I mentioned previously, we have been privileged to take part in an outreach in Buena Vista. When we began this outreach in Oct on Saturday nights, we had hoped to reach the teens of the village. Instead, we started drawing kids from the ages of 14 and down. Our Saturday night meetings have peaked around 70 and average somewhere around 50 in an average meeting.
We noticed that there were some teens that were coming out, but were a bit reluctant to join in on the meetings that we've structured to reach the younger kids. So, we started meeting out there on Wednesday nights for those that are 13 and up. We set up a volleyball net as the draw and last Wednesday, on our first teen night, we had over 30 teens come out. We were encouraged by the number of teens drawn out on the first night. We played volleyball for about an hour and then shared a short message with them afterwards as they enjoyed a light snack and refreshments.
Please join us in prayer for these young people. It's our heart to disciple those that are hungry and in need, not just an increase in numbers of kids in attendance. I've yet to have anyone disagree with the fact that Buena Vista is the poorest, most violent, most needy village in our area. These kids are desperate for hope and peace in their lives. We believe that long term discipleship is the only hope for a village like this. So, I ask for you to join us in prayer for the laborers, the direction, the ears to hear what The Spirit is saying and the obedience to walk without fear into the places that Christ says to go.
I'm also working with a ministry to 10-17 year old "men" called Men Of Honor. This is a ministry from Texas that has partnered with Fountain Of Life Church in Spanish Lookout, Belize to transform the lives of the young men in Belize. I have heard a recent statistic that 80% of Belize's population is 25 years of age or younger. There's a real struggle here for young people to find their identity in Christ. Like many youth across the world, they look to the wrong influences for their identity if not discipled. Men Of Honor commits to show young men what it means to be a godly man. This is a pivotal time for this ministry. Your prayers for this ministry would be greatly appreciated as well.
In January, I had the joy of hosting my sister, mother, and father-in-law, who had visited to attend the wedding of my oldest daughter, Kayla. I was able to share with them the magnificence of Belize. We visited the Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech, went horseback riding at Banana Bank, visited the Belize Zoo and spent a few days in the beautiful, coastal Caribbean town of Maya Beach (Placencia) where Kayla's wedding took place on the beach.
Thanks you in advance to all of you who commit to support us in prayer and finances. Thank you to those who encourage us in time of need and a special "thank you" to my mother, Sue for all that you've done for us.
After 16 months of being in Belize, I can honestly say that I feel a strong move of The Spirit gaining momentum. Like any heavy thing, having the laws of physics applied to it, it's been moving and increasing in speed and force. I can feel it in my spirit. I can see it in our church. I can feel it when my wife and I discuss and pray about things pertaining to The Spirit. Without it, we're powerless as we go about the Father's business. Powerless Christianity leaves people wondering if change is really occurring, if healing has actually taken place and if restoration is even possible. However, when a believer, filled with The Holy Spirit, connects with Truth and a body of believers unifies and rallies around Him, there's little doubt left in even the most skeptical of hearts regarding whether true change is in the air.
While much of our existence here, in Belize, is still very much unsettled, we're secure in knowing that the Lord has our lives in His timing. Yes, we, from time to time, allow ourselves to get our eyes off of Him and onto the mountains that are before us, but His promises are unchanging. No matter what we see in the natural, our hope is in Him. He doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't miscommunicate with His children. He's not worried and He never gets distracted from what He's doing in our lives. These truths allow me to concentrate more effort towards building momentum for His kingdom.
Building momentum in His kingdom revolves around hearing and doing. It's more about listening for instruction before we step out in any work than it is actually working in the name of just doing work. Doing work that He's not instructed you to take part in will bear fruit for a season, but it's not sustainable. I'm learning in my own personal prayer time to become a better listener to what He's communicating to me. For far too long, I've prayed with much too many words and, in many cases, without even listening for His response to these words. If He doesn't go before me, I don't want to go. I want to be led by Him rather than having Him tag along behind me to remind me when I make a wrong turn.
This is just a little glimpse into where I'm at in my walk with Him. Francie and I are becoming more and more determined to see Him work in our lives with power. People have heard of Him. They've heard of His works and power. We believe that the Holy Spirit was the missing element in the lives of the twelve disciples. Before "the comforter" came, they were powerless, but as soon as Christ went to the Father and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples, their lives, as they knew them, were wrecked and they spent the remainder of their days being led by The Spirit as they proclaimed the good news of the gospel from city to city regardless of the cost. They found a place in their lives where there was no cost too great to keep them from obedience.
So can we.
As I mentioned previously, we have been privileged to take part in an outreach in Buena Vista. When we began this outreach in Oct on Saturday nights, we had hoped to reach the teens of the village. Instead, we started drawing kids from the ages of 14 and down. Our Saturday night meetings have peaked around 70 and average somewhere around 50 in an average meeting.
We noticed that there were some teens that were coming out, but were a bit reluctant to join in on the meetings that we've structured to reach the younger kids. So, we started meeting out there on Wednesday nights for those that are 13 and up. We set up a volleyball net as the draw and last Wednesday, on our first teen night, we had over 30 teens come out. We were encouraged by the number of teens drawn out on the first night. We played volleyball for about an hour and then shared a short message with them afterwards as they enjoyed a light snack and refreshments.
Please join us in prayer for these young people. It's our heart to disciple those that are hungry and in need, not just an increase in numbers of kids in attendance. I've yet to have anyone disagree with the fact that Buena Vista is the poorest, most violent, most needy village in our area. These kids are desperate for hope and peace in their lives. We believe that long term discipleship is the only hope for a village like this. So, I ask for you to join us in prayer for the laborers, the direction, the ears to hear what The Spirit is saying and the obedience to walk without fear into the places that Christ says to go.
I'm also working with a ministry to 10-17 year old "men" called Men Of Honor. This is a ministry from Texas that has partnered with Fountain Of Life Church in Spanish Lookout, Belize to transform the lives of the young men in Belize. I have heard a recent statistic that 80% of Belize's population is 25 years of age or younger. There's a real struggle here for young people to find their identity in Christ. Like many youth across the world, they look to the wrong influences for their identity if not discipled. Men Of Honor commits to show young men what it means to be a godly man. This is a pivotal time for this ministry. Your prayers for this ministry would be greatly appreciated as well.
In January, I had the joy of hosting my sister, mother, and father-in-law, who had visited to attend the wedding of my oldest daughter, Kayla. I was able to share with them the magnificence of Belize. We visited the Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech, went horseback riding at Banana Bank, visited the Belize Zoo and spent a few days in the beautiful, coastal Caribbean town of Maya Beach (Placencia) where Kayla's wedding took place on the beach.
Thanks you in advance to all of you who commit to support us in prayer and finances. Thank you to those who encourage us in time of need and a special "thank you" to my mother, Sue for all that you've done for us.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Casa De Esperanza
Submitted by Jason:
It's been about 4 weeks since our last post. This period of time has undoubtedly been an interesting stretch of our time here in Belize. On a personal level, we celebrated the one year anniversary of our arrival in Belize, Francie & my 19th wedding anniversary, our son, Joey's 14th birthday, our daughter-in-law, Asia's 22nd birthday, our 16 yr old son, Andrew's completion of an intensive 3 week discipleship course called LCI (Life Change Institute), and our oldest daughter Kayla's wedding engagement. In this time, we were also introduced to the "not so glamorous" side of the mission field with whooping cough, high fevers, staph infection and the departure of our American friends, the Reeds, who after 10 months in Belize, returned to South Carolina to regroup.
While the details of all of these circumstances and events crammed into a 4 week period of time could certainly provide enough material for an entertaining and informative look into our lives here in Belize, I would prefer to focus your attention on the ministerial side of what is developing here.
I've been continuing to lead the Men Of Honor group for our Fountain Of Life Church here in Spanish Lookout in the absence of our pastor, who has been ministering in the states for the last 5 weeks or so. I'm encouraged by the commitment level that I've seen from the "men" that have been attending the meetings to date. I'm thankful to have an opportunity to be a part of what I believe will be a major movement among the young men in Belize, particularly the Cayo district.
There is another ministry work that we've been invited to take part in that has me equally excited. A couple of American friends here, one of which has lived in a small, needy, Spanish village called Buena Vista just on the outskirts of our current hometown of Spanish Lookout, for over 5 years as the hands and feet of Christ to that village, have invited us to join them in a Saturday night outreach to the youth of that village. These men approached us with on open invitation to join them as they prayed and planned the logistics of this ministry.
Our friend who lives in Buena Vista has been purchasing, storing and administering medical supplies to this village for several years now. With many of the villagers living without their own transportation, he often gives them rides to the local hospital at all hours of the day and night, whenever the need arises. He has told me of how he has driven people to the hospital after drunken machete fights and gunfights.
He has currently put several thousands of dollars of his own money to build a modest sized cement block building with a concrete foundation on a small parcel of land, which he recently acquired, adjacent to his property and calls Casa De Esperanza (House Of Hope). His vision for this building has multiple purposes. He would like to use this building as a more sterile, clinical environment from which he could continue to medically minister to the village. He has a passion to see the drug addicts recover and hold regular support meetings here for them. He would also like to use this building as a means to separate the wide age range of youth that have attended the Sat night meetings.
For now, as we await the necessary finances to complete Casa De Esperanza, we have erected a temporary structure consisting of a wooden framed room with a tarped ceiling, screened walls and a shipping container serving as the backdrop of the structure. In our first two meetings, we had over 40 youth in attendance on each night. The space in this temporary structure is already somewhat limited and we've only just begun to evangelize Buena Vista. There has been an older demographic of youth that has been a little reluctant to come in and join us. They stand back in the shadows of the night and watch from a distance just outside of the reach of the light. With more room to minister, we're confident that we could split the meeting into age appropriate groups that would encourage the growth of this work there.
We're working with interpreters as we gain a better understanding of the Spanish language. While English is the official language of Belize, there are many small Spanish villages that comprise of Guatamalans, Hondurans, El Salvadorans, etc. spread throughout Belize. Because of this, we are learning that most of the adults, who have not been through a Belizean school where English is taught, do not have a good understanding of the English language. So, for the most part, only those who have at least been in school for a few years have a fair understanding of English.
It's been a joy thus far as we build relationships with the children, as well as the adults, in this village. The joy on the faces of these people as we minister with the word, activities and snacks speaks volumes to us about the affect that we're already having on the community there. These people are looking for love, hope and joy in a village where these things come less frequently than in most places that I've ever been to.
On one occasion, one of our ministry leaders recounted something that he saw during one of the meetings that changed his perspective on what these people are dealing with in the village. He told our ministry team during a mid-week planning meeting of how he watched a couple of the children consume the wrappers of the candy that was given to them during a snack time. He said that he watched the candy and the wrapper go into their mouths and never come back out. He was personally humbled as this event put his "needs" into perspective.
On a separate evening, one of our leaders had planned an "ice breaker" game in which he blindfolded three kids and had them taste something and afterward predict what they were tasting. He made it a bit interesting by covering the items in Hershey's chocolate syrup. One of the items was a chocolate covered pickle. When it was the boy's turn to tell us what he was eating he said that it was a chile. After the meeting, I was discussing this with another leader and he told me that the kids in this village don't even know what a pickle is. They've never eaten one before. So, the boy guessed the closest thing that he thought resembled what he was chewing.
These are just small examples of the cultural differences that we have from these beautiful people that have come to our attention in our first two meetings. I'm sure that there will be many more that will arise in the upcoming weeks, but one thing remains the same. The same Holy Spirit that moves in and through us across the whole earth has no language barrier. He has no cultural barrier. There is no division among social classes when it comes to Him.
This is why we have given ourselves away. We're called out to abandon everything. The riches of this world have nothing to offer compared to the riches of walking in the purpose for which you've been designed for by your Creator. This is why every man or woman who has ever stepped out into a strange land in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ have sacrificed in different ways. The heart of every missionary is to be about the Father's business. It's in these moments that we are able to look into someone's eyes who is experiencing the freedom that can only come from the price that Christ paid on the cross and feel every bit of our being aligned with His purpose for our existence.
Thank you in advance for prayerfully consider partnering with us and Casa De Esperanza, the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to Buena Vista, Belize. We're looking for prayer partners, financial partners and missions minded laborers to join us for short term missionary trips.
It's been about 4 weeks since our last post. This period of time has undoubtedly been an interesting stretch of our time here in Belize. On a personal level, we celebrated the one year anniversary of our arrival in Belize, Francie & my 19th wedding anniversary, our son, Joey's 14th birthday, our daughter-in-law, Asia's 22nd birthday, our 16 yr old son, Andrew's completion of an intensive 3 week discipleship course called LCI (Life Change Institute), and our oldest daughter Kayla's wedding engagement. In this time, we were also introduced to the "not so glamorous" side of the mission field with whooping cough, high fevers, staph infection and the departure of our American friends, the Reeds, who after 10 months in Belize, returned to South Carolina to regroup.
While the details of all of these circumstances and events crammed into a 4 week period of time could certainly provide enough material for an entertaining and informative look into our lives here in Belize, I would prefer to focus your attention on the ministerial side of what is developing here.
I've been continuing to lead the Men Of Honor group for our Fountain Of Life Church here in Spanish Lookout in the absence of our pastor, who has been ministering in the states for the last 5 weeks or so. I'm encouraged by the commitment level that I've seen from the "men" that have been attending the meetings to date. I'm thankful to have an opportunity to be a part of what I believe will be a major movement among the young men in Belize, particularly the Cayo district.
There is another ministry work that we've been invited to take part in that has me equally excited. A couple of American friends here, one of which has lived in a small, needy, Spanish village called Buena Vista just on the outskirts of our current hometown of Spanish Lookout, for over 5 years as the hands and feet of Christ to that village, have invited us to join them in a Saturday night outreach to the youth of that village. These men approached us with on open invitation to join them as they prayed and planned the logistics of this ministry.
Our friend who lives in Buena Vista has been purchasing, storing and administering medical supplies to this village for several years now. With many of the villagers living without their own transportation, he often gives them rides to the local hospital at all hours of the day and night, whenever the need arises. He has told me of how he has driven people to the hospital after drunken machete fights and gunfights.
He has currently put several thousands of dollars of his own money to build a modest sized cement block building with a concrete foundation on a small parcel of land, which he recently acquired, adjacent to his property and calls Casa De Esperanza (House Of Hope). His vision for this building has multiple purposes. He would like to use this building as a more sterile, clinical environment from which he could continue to medically minister to the village. He has a passion to see the drug addicts recover and hold regular support meetings here for them. He would also like to use this building as a means to separate the wide age range of youth that have attended the Sat night meetings.
For now, as we await the necessary finances to complete Casa De Esperanza, we have erected a temporary structure consisting of a wooden framed room with a tarped ceiling, screened walls and a shipping container serving as the backdrop of the structure. In our first two meetings, we had over 40 youth in attendance on each night. The space in this temporary structure is already somewhat limited and we've only just begun to evangelize Buena Vista. There has been an older demographic of youth that has been a little reluctant to come in and join us. They stand back in the shadows of the night and watch from a distance just outside of the reach of the light. With more room to minister, we're confident that we could split the meeting into age appropriate groups that would encourage the growth of this work there.
We're working with interpreters as we gain a better understanding of the Spanish language. While English is the official language of Belize, there are many small Spanish villages that comprise of Guatamalans, Hondurans, El Salvadorans, etc. spread throughout Belize. Because of this, we are learning that most of the adults, who have not been through a Belizean school where English is taught, do not have a good understanding of the English language. So, for the most part, only those who have at least been in school for a few years have a fair understanding of English.
It's been a joy thus far as we build relationships with the children, as well as the adults, in this village. The joy on the faces of these people as we minister with the word, activities and snacks speaks volumes to us about the affect that we're already having on the community there. These people are looking for love, hope and joy in a village where these things come less frequently than in most places that I've ever been to.
On one occasion, one of our ministry leaders recounted something that he saw during one of the meetings that changed his perspective on what these people are dealing with in the village. He told our ministry team during a mid-week planning meeting of how he watched a couple of the children consume the wrappers of the candy that was given to them during a snack time. He said that he watched the candy and the wrapper go into their mouths and never come back out. He was personally humbled as this event put his "needs" into perspective.
On a separate evening, one of our leaders had planned an "ice breaker" game in which he blindfolded three kids and had them taste something and afterward predict what they were tasting. He made it a bit interesting by covering the items in Hershey's chocolate syrup. One of the items was a chocolate covered pickle. When it was the boy's turn to tell us what he was eating he said that it was a chile. After the meeting, I was discussing this with another leader and he told me that the kids in this village don't even know what a pickle is. They've never eaten one before. So, the boy guessed the closest thing that he thought resembled what he was chewing.
These are just small examples of the cultural differences that we have from these beautiful people that have come to our attention in our first two meetings. I'm sure that there will be many more that will arise in the upcoming weeks, but one thing remains the same. The same Holy Spirit that moves in and through us across the whole earth has no language barrier. He has no cultural barrier. There is no division among social classes when it comes to Him.
This is why we have given ourselves away. We're called out to abandon everything. The riches of this world have nothing to offer compared to the riches of walking in the purpose for which you've been designed for by your Creator. This is why every man or woman who has ever stepped out into a strange land in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ have sacrificed in different ways. The heart of every missionary is to be about the Father's business. It's in these moments that we are able to look into someone's eyes who is experiencing the freedom that can only come from the price that Christ paid on the cross and feel every bit of our being aligned with His purpose for our existence.
Thank you in advance for prayerfully consider partnering with us and Casa De Esperanza, the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to Buena Vista, Belize. We're looking for prayer partners, financial partners and missions minded laborers to join us for short term missionary trips.
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