Collin in Tabacco Caye

How our week goes

Many have asked how our schedule is.
Monday and Tuesday we study, shop for groceries, go to immigration ( if needed) or schedue a trip somewhere.
Wednesday is door to door service in the morning and bible studies in the afternoon. We also have a Wednesday meeting.
Thursday is a long service day, Friday is a cycling day to the next village then to the Maya village in the afternoon.
Saturday is service local in Hopkins. Sunday service in the morning and then to the Meeting.

Sundays

Sundays at our house is a busy day. Since most of the group are new studies and single parents they need assistance with the many children that they have. Our family has 5 kids who are 9 years and older come to our house to do the WT. Before we did this the meetings were a little distracting. Halfway through the meeting the kids would get antsy and start talking. Mind you that we have probably 20 kids there.

Todd thought it would be good if we could get them all to participate. It worked!! Most of the WT is now answered by them. smile...

We study from 11 to 12:30 then they swim in the sea for a half hour, come in and eat, get dressed and off we go. Often times we had such a good day that they come back after the meeting to swim again.

Just to share a good experience. We visit a Mayan Vilage not far from Hopkins there I am blessed with calling on 6 different people. One named Adriana is about 60 years old. She has 14 children who most live with her. Her house is concrete with hammocks hung. The kitchen is the old fashioned hearth- she is fortunate to have her hearth in the house with a higher ceiling to let smoke out. Her husband is very involved with the Baptist church--BUT the Baptist have to share a preacher and service is not regular. Her husband agreed to let her study with us so that a regular bible study would happen.
The Mayan have strong faith. Are desperately concerned with current events and their meaning as well as where are the dead. Adriana speaks Mopan and cannot read english. She listens and asks questions. Her youngest daughter vanessa would come home from school and ask if her mom had her study. IF she did she would say " why can't she wait until I get home". She now has her own study. Adrianna, Vanessa and many grandchildren came to the memorial.
Yesterday when I went to the study she gave me a Mayan blouse. She wants a bible in Mopan or Cetchi? (not sure how it is spelled) She is just understanding what Gods kingdom is and a little confused how heaven fits in to what she already believed. Her older children come and ask questions often so the study is slow but very regular. Often I go twice a week.
Then there is Mellie. A 17 yr old with two children. Her family is Garifuna and strongly believes in Ancestor Worship. She however, not so sure. She does believe that if you dont go along with it the spirits harm you. She has had an Aunt killed by the spirits and her grandmother got very ill because she did not do what was expected of her.
She would often come by our house or call to me on the street. Of course, what do we do when that happens?-- she is now a very regular study. She wasnt sure if she believed the bible. She thought it was man's book. That has changed. Once she started studing regular the demons harrassed her for several days. She had a mans voice calling to her in her head until she got severe headaches and saw visions. I saw her cry three days straight. We went over the brochure Dead Spirits Can the Harm or Help us. She started attending some meetings. She hasnt come into the building yet. She doesnt want to be seen(very typical in Garifuna culture) Our building is an open aired thatched roof. She hides in the shadows. She came to Memorial and the demons have left her for now. She is also reading her Bible Teach to her uncle. Love this study

housing in Belize

Housing here is varied. We first lived in a Wood house on stilts--the draw back is that the village looses water at least twice a months for several days. Houses on stilts without a pump are first to have no water. The Wood houses have tin roofs and simple board walls. No interior extra paneling to make it nice Just the boards from outside. No glass in the windows-- just slats of wood that open and close.

We are now in a concrete house... nice painted walls and no tin on the roof---But we have scorpions. They like the damp concrete.... ugh! Our house is right on the sea and the view is increditable! I get up every morning at 5:30 and watch the sun rise over the Caribean Sea. I love the mornings.

We ride our bikes everywhere--our main mode of transportation. We all feel good physically from the extra exercise. Belizeans are all slim and healthy. They live a very simple life and love people.

Spear fishing

It has been three months in Belize and we are still having a great time. Clancy and Collin have spearguns and are learning to catch our food..... Some o

f the locals thought it funny to convince Clancy to catch the fish on the left. No meat on it at all!! But it was beautiful. Sad we killed it.... He had to free dive 35 FT down to the reef to get it. A big test to his lungs. He is a strong swimmer. We try to snorkle once a week so that the boys get some recreation.

Belize trip

Well, it is finally happening. We are going to Belize... Yahoo.... It has taken several months to collect funds and make the contacts needed to have a safe and rewarding trip.

We fly from Pittsburg to Houston then to Belize City. Once in Belize City we have 45 mins to get through customs and on the next flight. We are told that this is not a nice place to be as a foreigner. Petty crime is very high and not controlled by the police. The best adivce we got is dont be there long. We were given several phone numbers of local brothers if a problem should arise. We then get on a very small plane to Dangriga Town where a nice couple will pick us up for the 45 min ride to Hopkins. There we have reserved a private cabana on the beach to unwind.

This cabana is on stilts has one large room with a porch that over looks the carribean. Doesn't sound bad, HUH? We will be there for three days, after that we have to move to a house on the beach--- darn?! ; ) then we will have a kitchen to cook. Apparently the only time this place is busy is the middle of January! Divers come to dive on the barrier reef and bird watchers come this time also. It is right after the hurricane season and all is very calm here. AND>>> it is cold and snowy in the States driving sun lobers to the south. SOOO, after 6 days of rental houses we were invited to house sit for a couple. Their house is AGAIN on the BEACH!! but now we will have internet. The best part is that we get all the bible studies this couple has for two weeks!! Field service is from their house-- nice since we will have to travel on bicycles. They told us we will have a true Belizean experience-- one to remember

I truely hope that Clancy and Collin see another side to life. A simple one. One that can lead them to serve Jehovah and feel the peace and freeness that whole souled service can give. The blessings are sure to be piled high and we will all feel refreshed when we return.