Property hunt...

As many of you know, we are hoping to put up a processing plant for the pig project. Of course it will need land to be built on. This involves a process of finding land we like, getting it approved for our use by the Ministry of Environment, then finally, raising the funds to purchase it! So... we have been looking as we find time.

Yesterday, Magdalena's son was sick so she needed some time off. I decided to take advantage of the moment by going out to look at a piece of land I had heard about. Clifford and I tromped to the back border of the property, and it was perfect weather... not to hot and not raining. The place looks good, and has a reasonable price. One more piece to check out, then we will have three places to get the environment check on before we decide and start trying to raise the funds for it. Please pray for the Lord's direction!

On the property.

And some pretty ferns along the way :)

Everyday Life :)

A couple of years ago a girl came up to me after I finished speaking at a church. With a look of great wonder, she cautiously touched my arm. Delight spread over her face afterwards as she exclaimed, "Wow, I got to touch a real live missionary!" I smiled to myself, and think of that at the oddest moments... usually when I am doing the most mundane every day tasks... the kind of tasks that people such as that girl don't envision missionaries doing. After all, don't missionaries just go around preaching the gospel, getting people saved, and building churches? :) So... to prove that real live missionaries (aren't all Christians supposed to be missionaries?) do everyday mundane tasks... let me tell you about my day Saturday.

We had several days of chilly, drizzly weather, and Saturday morning dawned cool and crisp. However, the morning bore the promise of sun... so it was a good day for laundry: things would actually dry! So, I set the machine up on the porch and started off, using the rinse water from one load to wash the next load, then keeping the water to be used the third time to scrub down the floors of the house. I washed clothes, towels, sheets, blankets, and rugs... it was time for a good cleaning! In between loads of laundry I took the recycled water, poured it onto the cement floors, and got on my hands and knees with a brush to scrub out the dirt. Sandra helped me finish up, and by 11:30 laundry was finished, floor was clean, beds re-made, and the last of the laundry was basking in the warm sun. I even used some of the recycled water to wash the shower curtain and scrub down the bathroom. Wow, did the place smell and look sparkling clean! And did I ever feel exhausted!

The early afternoon was spent catching up on some paperwork, then we headed outside at four to get some yard work done. The lawnmower buzzed, the rake moved, and the machete whacked, until 6:00 when it was time for a well-deserved dinner. It was a good day of work!

So... besides everyday cleaning, cooking, and laundry, real live missionaries take some time for days of deeper cleaning as well. After all, we are just real people like everyone else!

I know you already knew that, but it is good to throw a reality post in every once in a while, lest anyone think we teach and write Bible studies every waking hour. :)

Poite Bible Study

Just thought I would share a picture from our Bible study Friday night:

Bible Study and other travels - God is good!

You should have been there last Friday for the Bible study in San Benito Poite, we had a blessed time! It had been raining Thursday and Friday, so I was a little concerned about turnout, since people would have to walk in the rain, but God graciously cleared the rain in the afternoon, so it did not present a problem.

I wasn't sure how many to expect for the study, but as soon as we got the generator running and a light hooked up, people began to show up, coming into the building in small groups. I like watching people come at night, the lights from their flashlights, like moving pinpricks of light in the blackness, winding their way across the village toward the church. I was surprised by the number who came... pretty much every bench was filled! The church building is under construction, so there are no windows or doors, but that didn't prevent us from having a wonderful time. Rick and Magdalena did an excellent job teaching, and although the people were a little shy at first, we had some good interaction after all. We look forward to see what God has in store for the future studies!

Saturday night I had the opportunity to speak at the Pastor Appreciation service in Maya Mopan. What a blessed time it was! I was blessed to see the people honoring the service of their pastor, my good friend Benito Tek. It was also a good opportunity to spend a little time with people there, since I don't get to go there as often as I used to. I was also blessed to be able to pray with one of my graduates, Anita, as she headed off to the hospital to give birth to her firstborn child.

Monday meant another trip to Poite, this time with Pastor Andres, to take care of an issue that I had been told about when I was there for Bible study. What a joy to see the truth of God's word bring peace in an otherwise difficult situation, and to see joy and peace replace the fear in Bro. Martin's (the local pastor) family. God is good!

It had rained quite a bit over the weekend, and again on Monday, so there were some patches on the road to Poite that had some fairly deep mud. We were so thankful for new tires that actually have some tread on them! We had no trouble at all. God is good!

San Benito Poite Bible study - tomorrow! Want to come?

Last Thursday we went to San Benito Poite. Those of you who have followed my blog/newsletters for a while, you might remember that Poite is a long drive away - three and a half hours on the public bus, two hours driving (average). It isn't that it is so far away, probably approximately 35 miles, but the road is rough. Well, Rick, Maggie, their two children, Clifford, Sandra, and I bounced along the road to Poite last Thursday, arriving late in the evening.

In keeping with true Belizean hospitality, we were fed hot corn tortillas, eggs, and pepper (fiery hot pepper :), even though we were unexpected guests. While eating, we discussed plans for Bible study. Pastor Martin was delighted. He promptly promised to not only announce it in church, but go and invite others as well. It is a blessing to feel like you are truly meeting a need.

The evening was filled with a little humor as well. Poite is a Kek'chi village, and only Rick and Maggie speak Kek'chi, so we were dependent on them to communicate back and forth with Bro. Martin, who doesn't speak English or Maya. However, Clifford tries a little Kek'chi here and there, so he experimented with a new word he learned with some of the children. Maggie, overhearing him, nearly choked on her food, but managed to keep herself fairly composed. However, once we were all safely away in the pickup, the word was brought up, and in the midst of great peals of laughter, Rick and Maggie assured Cliff that the word didn't mean quite what he thought... Ah the joys of learning another language! And no, I amnot going to elaborate on the word. :)

As a result of last week's trip, tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock we will head out to Poite again to kick-off the new Bible studies there. We are excited about it! We do have a few details to solve... do we haul the big generator from Bro. Martin's house every week, or do we buy a Coleman lamp? One is inconvenient and the other is expensive, but we will figure out something. Please pray for us as we go. Magdalena will be doing most of the teaching since she speaks Kek'chi and has been doing the translation work, but we all hope to share some with a little help with translation. Would you like to come along?

Knowing God

"He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy;
Then it was well
Is not that what it means to know Me?
Declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 22:16

God used this verse back in April to speak to me about the pig project. I was sitting on the side of a dusty road in the hot sun, filthy, smelling like a pig, and trying to figure out how to get a 280 lb pig back in the pickup. I asked God exactly why I was in Belize chasing pigs in the bush… He gave me this verse. The pig project is here because right now, that is the way that God is asking us to know Him... by caring for the needy here in Toledo in this way.

But knowing God means loving the way He loves.

That means being willing to poor out yourself for others...

regardless of the cost.

and sometimes it is joyous

other times it is deeply painful

but as we learn to know God in those ways, we develop a relationship with Him we never dreamed of.

If we limit our knowing of God to nice little Bible studies and sermons at church, we only know Him in the same way we might our neighbor... kind of superficial. But when we start to know Him by loving the way He does.... crying over the things that hurt Him...

then we know Him in greater ways

and we don't have to go to another country to know Him that way

we can know Him that way by simply reaching out to those around us.

showing love when we don't feel like it

getting dirty

sometimes we know Him by chasing pigs in the jungle

sometimes by rejoicing with baptisms....

sometimes by getting hit on the face by those whom we are pouring our life out for!

other times by being accused of the things we would never imagine doing

and feeling the sting of being branded as a "sinner"

but then we truly begin to understand the fellowship of His sufferings.

Knowing God is far more than listening to sermons, singing songs…

It stretches us…

It causes us to grow…

It changes us…

It is a relationship.

It is beautiful.

How does God want you to grow in your knowledge of Him today?

Lord, help us to never cease to thirst to know You more.

Food preparation entertainment - ala Rebecca :)

Yesterday was the annual harvest service in Big Falls. This of course means work, and lots of it on the part of the hosting church. Saturday was spent with preparations. Clifford was in demand early with the pickup to help carry things to the church, which included bringing a pig that was destined to become part of the feast.

His grandmother, (who lives next door to me) was up early working on projects she was going to take to the church. She made the most delicious buns... but it involved opening and grating several coconuts and making milk from them to include in the buns. What a lot of work! She baked them over an open fire... a skill I have not yet mastered (not to mention the fact I haven't even attempted).

Sandra and I were busy as well, we baked several cakes and made some cookies, besides doing normal Saturday washing.

Around 4:30 we walked to the church to help with the activities there. Sandra went in to help the youth decorate the church,while I stayed in the kitchen with the ladies. Outside the men were busy roasting the freshly killed pork and making chicharon (fried pig skin), while inside the ladies were busy cooking the liver and feet, making poch (a sort of meatless tamale to be served with the pork meat the next day), and making corn tortillas.

I observed the rhythm of the work for a while, listening to the cheerful banter and weighing the best opportunity to take my turn at the low table where the tortillas were being whirled out by practiced hands. Making corn tortillas is an art, and requires the successful completion of several steps. The corn must be cooked just right with just the right amount of lime. Then it mus be ground fine enough for soft tortillas. The resulting "dough" (masa) is then kneaded to the right consistency with water before being placed in the center of a small, three legged wood table about 18 inches high. Around this table are even lower benches, perhaps six inches high. Small amounts of the masa is taken and placed on a circular piece of thin plastic, and crafted by the fingers into a thin, round tortilla which is then placed on the hot comal (metal disk placed over an open fire). At the right moment, it is turned over by hand, then again to the first side, where it puffs up and is removed, placed carefully in the waiting vessel, where they are kept until being devoured.

I can make tortillas. Really, I can. From the first step to the last (even the devouring part). I was taught by a dear old lady who is now with the Lord. I make them on a regular basis in my home. However, most people don't expect a white lady to be able to do so, so it can cause quite a stir. I know this and was prepared for it on Saturday. It was the first time I have joined the circle around the table in Big Falls, so I knew I would provide the evening's entertainment for a while. Finally, I took the plunge... walking over to one of the ladies at the table, I offered to take her place so she could rest, her face registered surprise, but she got up, giving me her seat. I smiled inside as there was instant notice by everyone in the room. Those who seemed so absorbed in their various tasks were suddenly focused on one thing in the room - me. I pretended not to notice, even though I knew all eyes were on my hands, and I wished fervently that I could understand Kek'chi (I only speak Maya) so I could hear what was being said. I worked the masa under my fingers, thankful for all the practice I have had, finally handing the completed tortilla to the next lady to place on the comal... the murmurs rose a little louder, I could hear approval in the tone, and pretty soon they all settled back to work. I provided entertainment several more times as others came in, or as men passed through, but continued whirling out tortillas until someone tapped my shoulder and offered to give me a break... and so the cycle continued.

I was thankful for the opportunity to be a small part of preparation for the harvest service. Making a few tortillas probably didn't make a big difference in the long run, but I was blessed to be part of the family, one of the body, working together to accomplish the job too big for any one by his or herself.

Some day I will have to get some pictures so you can see the process yourself :)

Our new coworker is busy with her Kek'chi translation. She seems to be doing well so far. Her husband and children went with us this past Wednesday for the Bible study in San Jose. They can't understand Maya, but we wanted them to have the opportunity to see how we usually conduct them, since they will be the ones teaching in Kek'chi.

We hope to make a trip to San Benito Poite this week to talk to the pastor about starting Bible study there in Kek'chi. It will be a big sacrifice... Poite is a loooong way away on a rough road... but since it is one of the further villages, they do not get a lot of help. We would like to encourage them, if we can. Please pray for all the details, especially as the road is bad and we are needing new tires!

And the work goes on...

Last night was the second Bible study we held in San Jose at the new time: during the Wednesday night service. So far this time has worked out really well. We have more people involved, and even have a number of men, whereas it was only women before. Clifford continues to do an outstanding job of presenting the truths in a clear way, and we have been encouraged by the interaction in the class. One dear older lady has been our most faithful attendee, and she always has something good to share. She is such a joy to have in class, because she delights so much in discovering truths! Please continue to pray for this Bible study, especially for the new ones that are attending, that they would continue to come and would gain understanding as they do.

Monday will be an exciting day - we will have a new coworker! Several weeks before I moved, Clifford had suggested someone as a possibility, but I didn't think it would work as it would be inconvenient for her to travel to the Center every day. God had a plan... he moved me to her village! When I spoke to her and her husband about the possibility, God had been preparing their hearts, because they didn't hesitate in giving a positive answer right away! She speaks K'ekchi, and has actually done a little translating before, so it should work out well. Her and her husband will both go with us to teach Bible studies, and her husband will be able to provide more manpower next time we have an adventure with the pig project! We are excited about being able to begin work with K'ekchi again. I will try to get a picture and introduce you to her later.

Thanks again for your prayers!

God is good!

Thank you all for your prayers. The hurricane went north of us, and we only experienced a little breeze, a slight drizzle.

The storm did hit north of us, so we are waiting to hear what the damages are. My dear friend was by herself with her children (her husband is a policemen and was on duty), and a small section of roof came off where they were, but they just got wet, nothing worse. We have heard reports of housed being blown down up there. That is about three hours north. Please continue to lift people there up in your prayers.

Hurricane Richard

Please pray for Belize as a hurricane threatens within the next 36 hours!!

Busy Days

Things have been busy here, as we have worked to get the new place setup up for Sandra and I, as well as the office. Shelves have been built, a loft put in, shower and sink... it has been a project! There are still a few things to finish up, but for the most part we are settled in and getting used to the place.

Tonight we will have Bible study in San Jose. They moved it to the Wednesday night service, so that will be different. We are looking forward to it, and hope that the Lord uses the changes in schedule to help others hear the truths of His word! Please pray for safe travels and the Lord's presence in the service/study tonight!

Moving!

Greetings once again, everyone!

Sorry again for the long delay in posts! Things have been busy since the break-in: there was a pastor training seminar here, so that took some time, but also a decision was made for me to move. This has not been an easy decision. The Nazarene campground has been my home for the last eight years and holds many wonderful memories for me. The Teck family was staying here when I first came, and helped me adjust to so many things. Of course I have many memories from the students at the school I used to run, but also from teams and pastors and other local people who come in for seminars. My family built my apartment for me, and I have been very comfortable and happy here. However, I have been praying about being more involved in a village, so I guess this will be a good change, albeit rather unexpected and sudden. Also, not quite the direction I had planned on moving, but God knows what He is up to!

I will be living in a K'ekchi community, so that will be a new challenge for me, since I speak Maya, and not K'ekchi. However, we have been praying for a K'ekchi co-worker, so this may be God's way of bringing that about.

I am partially moved, and hope to complete the process in the next couple of days. I'll be back with an update soon! Thank you for your continued prayers!

Great is His faithfulness!

Greetings everyone!

I am sure some of you have been wondering about the absence of a new update. This week has been an interesting one, and makes me stand back and thank God for His great faithfulness. He never fails us.

Monday and Tuesday were spent up in the capital checking on some details for the pig project. We came back Tuesday night to no electricity, making the place very dark. Sandra and I lit some candles and made the best of it. Electricity was still off Wednesday, so in the evening, we went to Big Falls to recharge computers and phones, and let Sandra iron her school uniform. We enjoyed Wednesday evening service there, as well as a cup of coffee and good conversation with Pastor Andres after service.

When Sandra and I arrived back home, we discovered my apartment had been broken into. In fact, the robbers must have been inside when we arrived, as they left many of their things behind, including the tools they had used to enter. A long night followed, I went to get the police and Clifford, and they searched unsuccessfully for the suspects.

The only things found missing were my lighters (for my gas stove), an envelope with a small amount of Guatemalan currency, and several pieces of chicken out of the pot on the stove. They had just been in the middle of searching my things when I arrived, minimizing the loss.

The next day, Clifford and Sabastian, the caretaker, followed the footprints to a house not far away. Once again they retrieved the police, and he detained a young man for questioning. That is the last information we have heard.

Sandra and I have spent the last few nights away from the Center, just to be on the safe side. However, most of all we are thankful for God's wonderful hand of protection... that we were gone when they came, but came back in time to scare them away. That they didn't take much, and we were even able to bless them with chicken!

Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf. God is faithful to answer them. Please continue to lift us up before the throne of grace.