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?