Belize: The Arrival

It became real today.

We left behind a frigid Michigan far below the freezing mark and arrived at the airport (it reminded me of a big airfield-descending the staircase made me feel like a senator!) in Belize City to warm, humid temperatures, border agents efficiently checking us through, and a baggage carousel. Would our luggage also make it?

Thankfully, it did! And then, customs. Thankfully, the guard allowed us to get through as a group and then... we hoped Thirst Missions would be waiting for us.

Three strangers with Thirst shirts were waiting for us. A man named Angel, a woman named Lorelly, and another fellow named Luda were excitedly waiting for us and hurried us away from the doors. We didn't know them from anyone and little would we know what kind of friendship we would cultivate with them over this week.

Our first introduction to life in Belize came in our journey to Progresso, Corozal. Luda and Lorelly gave us water in bags, which you tear open with your teeth and squeeze out. It was refreshing in the heat. While riding, it became apparent that traffic laws in Belize are more like guidelines (I frequently made jokes about "the pirates' code" from Pirates of the Caribbean, which seemed appropriate). Also, the miles of forests with the occasional controlled burn to make way for more sugar cane fields (it's sugar cane, sugar cane, sugar cane everywhere!), per Mike's explanation, was eye-opening. The meal at Slims, the roadside stand, not only hit the spot (grilled chicken, rice and beans, potato salad with a uniquely-flavored and tasty dressing, and Coke!), but it was a wonderful prelude to our culinary experience in Belize.

And then we arrived at La Iglesia Templo Hermosa. Home and our ministry location for the week. It was a simple, two building affair with a cement church building (more like a chapel by American size standards) and second previous congregational building including kitchens. Pastor Vitalino, his wife, Ida, and their families were there to greet us quickly and what a warm welcome it was. Within an hour, the kids were already wanting to play, show us things, see what we had, and the older ones were yanking down coconuts and hack them open for us (yes, we had coconut trees growing on site-such a neat experience!) and talk as much as they could with us. They wanted to meet the Americans they'd heard about for so long and clearly they had been anxious.

Dinner was a simple affair, but still reflected the love we'd see in our hosts throughout the week - freshly-made flour tortillas, beans, eggs, and cheese. "Do you want more? I can bring you more" would become the generous refrain throughout the week at mealtime.

Our combined opening service welcomed us well and showed us how La Iglesia meant to love us this week. We saw how they worshiped and in turn, the testimonies shared by Nick, Bailee, and Lawrence impacted in their own congregants in a way we never saw coming. It taught me once again that regardless of location or even language and translation, our shared relationship with Christ and how He has used and grown us still speaks to all of us and these things transcend all.

And thus, the groundwork was set for our work this week in Progresso.