Sunday, June 29, 2008
Winding down
Nancy writes:
Sunday breakfast wasn't until 8:30 so everyone got to sleep an additional 90 minutes later than usual (wooh00!) before our last walk to Holy Cross.
After work yesterday. we snorkeled at Mexico Rocks and Tres Cocos, and saw beautiful coral, fish, and stingrays. This was the first time snorkeling for some of us, and the beginners did great, considering the strong current and big waves.
We returned to Caramba's Restaurant for dinner since we liked it so much Friday night, and the frozen custard shop IS so convenient to it!
Our topic for our evening discussion after debriefing was handing over our fears and worries to God, who is our shield. Everyone is exhausted, but in a good way - a sign that we're pushing ourselves to the limit. No one is complaining despite extreme heat & humidity, bruises, and a few scrapes (to be expected). In fact, I keep hearing how much fun it is!
Today we had a worship service at Holy Cross with the Wilsons and the workmen. It was a time of meditation and prayer as we considered how God had placed us in this incredible place at this incredible time to accomplish incredible things through the power of our Lord who is working miracles in San Pedro. Matt and his wonderful guitar playing led us in song. Jimmy related how this mission trip fulfills our baptismal vows. Vernon and Francis blessed us with their story of how they ended up as missionaries in Belize, seeing in the end how God was directing every precarious step of the journey.
We recognized the school cooks during lunch who made stupendous meals for us, right up through today's Belizean onion soup and key lime pie dessert.
Time to finish up this afternoon - lots more wood had been delivered that we stacked under the cafeteria, the deck on the library/computer lab will be completed before we leave, another library wall is about to be finished, more painting is going on while I write, further organization of closets is happening, and there's even a soccer game going on for the neighborhood kids. Chris H is putting molding up around windows. The last thing that we'll do before going back to The Tides is to donate our shoes to Holy Cross, and maybe some of our clothes too - the needs are so great here.
Our hotel has graciously offered to give us a complimentary beach BBQ on our last night, which we won't turn down. Our group will meet as a whole after dinner and we'll talk about what we'll take back to Texas with us as a result of our efforts here, and perhaps how our lives have changed.
Sunday breakfast wasn't until 8:30 so everyone got to sleep an additional 90 minutes later than usual (wooh00!) before our last walk to Holy Cross.
After work yesterday. we snorkeled at Mexico Rocks and Tres Cocos, and saw beautiful coral, fish, and stingrays. This was the first time snorkeling for some of us, and the beginners did great, considering the strong current and big waves.
We returned to Caramba's Restaurant for dinner since we liked it so much Friday night, and the frozen custard shop IS so convenient to it!
Our topic for our evening discussion after debriefing was handing over our fears and worries to God, who is our shield. Everyone is exhausted, but in a good way - a sign that we're pushing ourselves to the limit. No one is complaining despite extreme heat & humidity, bruises, and a few scrapes (to be expected). In fact, I keep hearing how much fun it is!
Today we had a worship service at Holy Cross with the Wilsons and the workmen. It was a time of meditation and prayer as we considered how God had placed us in this incredible place at this incredible time to accomplish incredible things through the power of our Lord who is working miracles in San Pedro. Matt and his wonderful guitar playing led us in song. Jimmy related how this mission trip fulfills our baptismal vows. Vernon and Francis blessed us with their story of how they ended up as missionaries in Belize, seeing in the end how God was directing every precarious step of the journey.
We recognized the school cooks during lunch who made stupendous meals for us, right up through today's Belizean onion soup and key lime pie dessert.
Time to finish up this afternoon - lots more wood had been delivered that we stacked under the cafeteria, the deck on the library/computer lab will be completed before we leave, another library wall is about to be finished, more painting is going on while I write, further organization of closets is happening, and there's even a soccer game going on for the neighborhood kids. Chris H is putting molding up around windows. The last thing that we'll do before going back to The Tides is to donate our shoes to Holy Cross, and maybe some of our clothes too - the needs are so great here.
Our hotel has graciously offered to give us a complimentary beach BBQ on our last night, which we won't turn down. Our group will meet as a whole after dinner and we'll talk about what we'll take back to Texas with us as a result of our efforts here, and perhaps how our lives have changed.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday
Nancy writes:
We worked a half day yesterday, but it was very productive. The deck progressed until the lumber ran out. Electrical work was done. There was further cleaning & organizing of teachers' storage spaces. Cathi and her crew completed the room in which the security guard/computer tech will live. Library walls were taped, scraped, and sanded. Some of our athletic missioners occupied students who had come to "help clean" with a very long soccer game. As always the cooks at Holy Cross had a magnificent lunch for us before we took off to shop or snorkel or just relax, which we have had very little time to do.
Dinner was the best yet at Cocina Caramba with dessert next door to the restaurant at a shop serving homemade custard and sorbets. Back at the ranch, we discussed having a humble heart and teachable spirit when serving in a different culture.
Today will be another half day of work at Holy Cross because we're all snorkeling this afternoon on the magnificent coral reef a mile from Ambergris Caye. After a blustery rain shower before breakfast, the sun is shining!
So far this morning, a lot of freshly delivered lumber and plycem were hauled, another library wall was sheetrocked, floating and taping and scraping and sanding and painting were done, outside classroom building walls were washed, uniforms were sorted - all while we smelled our chicken lunch being grilled.
We worked a half day yesterday, but it was very productive. The deck progressed until the lumber ran out. Electrical work was done. There was further cleaning & organizing of teachers' storage spaces. Cathi and her crew completed the room in which the security guard/computer tech will live. Library walls were taped, scraped, and sanded. Some of our athletic missioners occupied students who had come to "help clean" with a very long soccer game. As always the cooks at Holy Cross had a magnificent lunch for us before we took off to shop or snorkel or just relax, which we have had very little time to do.
Dinner was the best yet at Cocina Caramba with dessert next door to the restaurant at a shop serving homemade custard and sorbets. Back at the ranch, we discussed having a humble heart and teachable spirit when serving in a different culture.
Today will be another half day of work at Holy Cross because we're all snorkeling this afternoon on the magnificent coral reef a mile from Ambergris Caye. After a blustery rain shower before breakfast, the sun is shining!
So far this morning, a lot of freshly delivered lumber and plycem were hauled, another library wall was sheetrocked, floating and taping and scraping and sanding and painting were done, outside classroom building walls were washed, uniforms were sorted - all while we smelled our chicken lunch being grilled.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday update
Nancy writes:
I'm late writing today because a terrible storm last night knocked out power, water, and the Internet! But we're back in business, by late morning, although it feels more humid today if that's possible. At the conclusion of yesterday's day on the job, more plycem (like sheetrock, only heavier) was hung, the deck around the library/computer lab was started, many spacer boards were drilled to run re-bar through, tar paper was hung on outside of library's storage room, more floating & taping was done, the outside of a classroom was washed in preparation for the annual necessary painting, the walls & ceiling of the security guard/computer tech's living area next to the library was fully coated, teacher's storage closets were cleaned out, AND 2000 pounds (I'm not exaggerating) of re-bar was hauled into the library that will be used in the ceiling. I guess that's why some of our group slept through the pounding winds and thunder during the night! Vernon cannot believe that we're ready to install the ceiling!
Dinner was at El Fagon, a traditional Belizean meal - fish fritters for appetizer, chicken, rice & beans with coconut, potato salad, and coconut pie for dessert.
Compline was our end of day worship, although a rousing game of Catch Phrase followed.
I'm late writing today because a terrible storm last night knocked out power, water, and the Internet! But we're back in business, by late morning, although it feels more humid today if that's possible. At the conclusion of yesterday's day on the job, more plycem (like sheetrock, only heavier) was hung, the deck around the library/computer lab was started, many spacer boards were drilled to run re-bar through, tar paper was hung on outside of library's storage room, more floating & taping was done, the outside of a classroom was washed in preparation for the annual necessary painting, the walls & ceiling of the security guard/computer tech's living area next to the library was fully coated, teacher's storage closets were cleaned out, AND 2000 pounds (I'm not exaggerating) of re-bar was hauled into the library that will be used in the ceiling. I guess that's why some of our group slept through the pounding winds and thunder during the night! Vernon cannot believe that we're ready to install the ceiling!
Dinner was at El Fagon, a traditional Belizean meal - fish fritters for appetizer, chicken, rice & beans with coconut, potato salad, and coconut pie for dessert.
Compline was our end of day worship, although a rousing game of Catch Phrase followed.
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