Belize: Give Us Rest

Caye Caulker!

A very early morning and we were wished the very best by Pastor Vitalino, Ida, and his family. Saying goodbye was a bit rough, but in the early hours, we could still see evidence of all that we had done even with the new benches we had sat on hours earlier and the cheerily-painted church. We came and accomplished something, and now... our job is to pray for God to increase the harvest of this place and to consider if we are called to return, whether sooner, later, or not.

In my own heart, I hope and believe we are.

In the meantime, some rest is welcome, and Caye Caulker is just the spot. A long bus ride to Belize City and we reached our port for the water taxi. While waiting, and hearing the mix of calypso, merengue, and reggae music playing made me understand what Ben meant when he said Belize is such a unique place. It felt like we were in a completely different country, a bit like Jamaica or somewhere farther east into the Caribbean.

Our porter sounded the call for our time to board and Angel signaled us over. Thankfully, we all made it onto our craft. Clearly, we were headed for a tourist destination; I spotted people from several different countries, heard a number of different languages, dominated by English, and most everyone looked ready for their vacation. I was ready to mostly rest, but also just for the chance to stop working. As much as I missed my friends in Progresso already, I was reminded again of finishing a week of camp. The chance to rest was welcome and to just take it all in sounded great. Though I was surrounded by others, I was grateful for 45 minutes just to myself, to think, to pray for a bit... to just BE.

And then we arrived. Caye Caulker! A lovely, long, little place that reminded me, in its way, of Mackinac Island, if you stretched Mackinac, gave it some motor vehicles, clever rope speed bumps, and some motor vehicles in place of the horse-drawn wagons.

A quick detour to drop off luggage, throw on some sunscreen and take just the essentials, and it was time to snorkel. Thirst evidently worked out a slick deal with Anwar Tours - Andrew, our guide, was quite familiar with groups with Thirst. I really enjoyed his passion for the reefs, the wildlife, and generally showcasing his home to everyone. Seeing the coral, a rainbow of fish and everything from the littlest of them to shy moray eels, elusive sea turtles, stingrays, nurse sharks, and even barracudas in a blue and green sea was truly unforgettable. Hearing from Andrew about the lionfish hunts, the good eats, and life in general Caye Caulker was just as much fun. Part of the fun, as I've discovered just in traveling, is meeting people and hearing their stories.

Post-snorkeling, I enjoyed the time to relax. The scents from all the different places to eat made me wish I had several days just to sample it all, but our Caribbean-style lunch was a great start. A bit of wandering and finding Angel booked us at a beachside resort with hammocks and beach chairs in a place that looks like something straight out of a cruise brochure made me feel incredibly spoiled. Either way, I was grateful for the opportunity to just take it all in after an incredible, but exhausting week. The beauty in the sea in front of me was something I've never quite beheld.

Night fell and we gathered for yet another wonderful meal, this time buffet-style (my first salad in a week!), again compliments of Thirst, and then we were taken to the rest of the group's hotel for a rooftop gathering under the moon for our final meeting. Luda walked us through our week and had us reflect on what we thought. The initial meeting with him and the others. Riding the bus past the sugar cane fields and the meal at Slims. Seeing Progresso. Meeting everyone. Soccer. Painting. Maya ruins. Breakdowns. What did we think? How did we feel? What struck us and stuck with us?

We heard of great soccer players. People who had grown old, weak, and even sick but still held on because of their faith in Christ. Children had never heard the Gospel but because of coming to play soccer and listening in small groups, they knew God loved them. Seeing answers to prayer both from our new friends and in our own group in our work. New friendships. Potential defeat. Bonding together at mealtimes. Laughter. Learning Spanish, sometimes by accident. Heartbreak and triumph. It was a bit of everything. Loving, being loved, and leaving behind things that are real reminders of God's faithfulness.

Finally, we were asked to pray. Pray for Templo Hermosa back in Progresso. Pray for Thirst. Pray for our group as we head home and to carry home the spirit of service, love, and what we began in Belize.

And on this evening, if it wasn't already clear, it came into sharper focus.

I might be ready for home because there are places, friends and strangers to serve, and things to do there. That's completely true.

But part of my heart will remain behind, and I'm already hoping and praying for a way to return to serve with (and also see) my friends here with the spirit and passion of the Belizean church.

I am forever thankful for the chance, against all odds, to come, to serve, love, be loved, and see how large and expansive the Lord's love is.

Yes, Belize has stolen part of my heart.