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.

Belize: The Initial Thoughts

I left part of my heart in Belize.
As I sit at my computer, now back in the quietness of western Michigan, thousands of miles away from Progresso in the Corozal district of Belize (3952 miles round trip by our flight route and driving), thoughts beyond count are spinning through my head. I'm grateful for what God has given me here at home and the mission field we still have here and how we can minister to our family, friends, and neighbors and strangers, but I already miss everyone so far away. It is because of our shared faith in Christ and serving together that after this week... our guides from Thirst Missions, Angel, Lorelly, and Luda are my friends. The people at La Iglesia Templo Hermosa are my friends as well.

I didn't know who they were a week ago. Today... I miss them already.

I can't help but think of how much has changed in such a short time and in some ways, I'm not surprised and in other ways, I am.

How far we came in our week.

Where we were emotionally, spiritually, etc. before we arrived.

What we learned.

What we hoped for or hoped might not happen.

What we agonized over during the week.

What we prayed for before the trip and during and saw answered in incredible ways.

In some ways, I wondered if I'd get attached and want to leave a part of myself in Belize. I'd never been to Central America or tropical climates, didn't know life there, didn't know a soul there, etc.

Our hosts and church in Progresso, La Iglesia Templo Hermosa... they welcomed us as their own and not just as fellow church members but as part of a family. They loved us without holding back.

There is much need we were able to meet, but we also learned much, loved deeply and were also loved deeply in return and taught how to love even better. For even that, I am grateful beyond words.

I already wonder when I can return and do something else.

And now... the trip itself.

Belize: I'm in WAY Over My Head

As I bring myself back to writing again, I can't help but marvel at the adventure that lies before and,

1. How God has brought me to this place over the past three months, and
2. How He even provided for me to go. I don't understand a lot of this but... here I am!

Leaving on a missions trip, much less to a foreign country (Belize!) still doesn't feel quite real. In some ways, I'm excited and ready! I can't wait to go with these students, share the joy with them in serving others, and grow together in a way that only unique opportunities like a missions trip affords (and as they've rightfully said, find ways to take that heart back home with them). Plus... traveling is fun and these kids are awesome! Some of my favorite memories from pretty much ever were show choir trips, Chapel Choir tours, and the big family trips to Europe. Travel is hard to beat when it comes to having a blast and making memories. And I believe God is going to do something good on this trip.

Like I said, in some ways, I feel ready! I'm excited...

But... in other ways, I don't feel ready or qualified in the least. Why me? Why am I one of the leaders on this trip? I've had this sense that I'm *NOT* the right person. "Someone else! Let them go with the kids! Anyone but me!" I've had this sense of inadequacy that hit me last week and in some sense, I haven't known what to make of it, and in other ways, I think I know exactly why I have it.

So what do I see or hope for? That despite not feeling ready, the butterflies, and not feeling up to the challenge, I will hold fast to Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Paul accomplished much while serving, despite the "thorn in his flesh" he had, his own sense of inadequacy, and pleas to God to remove. I hope and pray that through it all... I will go forth courageously, be a blessing both to and with my kids and to the Belizean people as we serve together and that we can all grow together in Christ.

I cannot wait. 

God as a Friend?

Typically, I hate that analogy.

God is our Creator, Father in Heaven, Savior, and Holy Spirit that lives in us.

To reduce all of that to "friend" seems a like it really misses the point.

However, I heard some great perspective from the evening service tonight at church. I've worked with the high school youth group for almost six years now and I was reminded one of the greatest reasons why: we grow as Christians together (in the soil of HOPE, as Trygve taught me some years ago while I was a student at Hope College).

The youth group just arrived home from their missions trip, serving at camp, and one of the offered some incredible perspective on how God is ACTUALLY our friend.

*Paraphrased*

"I've always known that God loves me and that He's my Savior and King. That part I've always understood and made sense to me. What really got me is how incredibly personal He is, like a REAL friend. I've never really understood until now and it's incredible."

We were told that this was an incredible (and emotional) discussion and I loved hearing about it. I don't like the idea of reducing God simply to a friend, but when it's put in the perspective of that close friend who gets you on the deepest level and loves you like another family member (as opposed to acquaintances that we might label "friend" but not really truthfully)... that I certainly agree with.

Proud as can be of these kids. Looking forward to the rest of summer and what it holds with them.

Over My Head

Great thoughts from the guys in Starfield (not my work at all)

The wonder of all You've made,
Foundations Your hands have laid,
Bringing me back to my knees, to my knees...

I'm lost for the words to say,
Lost for another way,
Bringing me back to my knees, to my knees.
I'm lost for the words to say,
Lost for another way,
Ruined for anything other than Your love.

I'm desperate to know You, Lord,
Desperate for what's in store,
Finding my hope in only You, in only You.
Take me beyond this door,
Lead me to something more,
Open my heart up for more of You, more of You

From a Friend

I received an e-mail tonight from a friend; a very close friend.

He shared some wisdom that hit me between the eyes in the best way possible.

"...when I am serving or thinking about others and not myself, I am filled up with God's peace and joy and those things actually benefit me, my heart, my soul. I don't want to waste my time here by living selfishly in a way that is neither beneficial or constructive to me or God's kingdom."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

What an awesome goal.

Reawakening

I haven't written in forever, and I have missed it a ton. Here's to hopefully more regular postings, whether anyone else besides me reads these or not.

I loved writing about life happenings and life musings and include the occasional weird side posts. When I looked back over four years' worth of college journals, it was truly fascinating (and cringe-worthy) to see how my writing gradually evolved, though. But I digress.

As I look to start writing more regularly, I can't help but think of one of the consistent themes that I wrote on a lot while at Hope: community & prayer. I look back on my four years and some of the most profound were the late nights with the Bible Studs as a group or meeting with one or two of them about whatever, small talk or deep, whether prayer was involved or not.

I'm reading Following Jesus in the Real World right now (among the prodigious list of things on my reading list, which I'll never clear, especially at this rate - I am a poster child of 積ん読 tsundoku, it seems). Although I've been out of school for six years now, some of the stuff Richard Lamb talks about really have been hitting home really hard, notably finding the balance of community with work and how we often come to value that so highly in college and then having to figure it all out again after. I admittedly predicted I wouldn't have much to figure out after moving home after college. I knew everyone, or most everyone! Having eventually finding a good job where I grew up after working at camp for five years, I'm fairly settled now back at home, but this particular issue has been a major surprise. I definitely have been fighting this very thing myself after starting at my new work. I truly enjoy my job and learning so much, but I can see it's challenging figuring out the simple fact of fitting in everything that matters with a job even five months later hasn't been easy.

But back to the community and prayer aspect. I was reminded of last weekend while visiting Ross last weekend. He and I are still both pretty fresh out of college and Ross is even newer at his job than I am and works even more hours than I do. That takes some courage to even work the kind of nutty schedule he has. Yet in our talking, I was duly impressed with how he's made it his business to find time for things that matter to him, one big one becoming involved with Ada Bible Church's music ministry and young adults ministry (UNION), playing music on his own again and being in the Word. I can't visit Ross nearly as often as I would like, but being reminded of that, not to mention seeing my best bud, was something I badly needed, especially after a major transition very late last year.

As for more recently, I experienced that a bit more deeply this past week both at work and with Nate this past week. Although I can't write much about this, I am reminded of a few things. Obviously, I can't recreate my Hope years of living closely among 3200 others and having my friends all within five to ten minutes' walk or drive away and available at the drop of a hat for most anything. Those four years were difficult, but some of the best I could have asked for.

That all said, the relationships and community we share in various arenas, both inside the church and outside and how we all minister to one another (and are ministered to in return) in ways we might never know except in ways God provides very quickly are still just as vital and significant now.

I haven't had such a deeply, personally incredible week in a long time.