Beth Grider 
After six months of preparation and fundraising, we were ready to serve in Belize. Reflecting on this time of service, revealed several questions to consider.
As we exited the plane, I could already feel the smoldering heat of the June day. We were picked up from the airport by the Praying Pelican missionary. He was welcoming and drove us to get lunch, which we then ate outside. After eating, we piled back into the van and headed to the church. Once we arrived, we set up our air mattresses. I was exhausted from the 3 am flight and the heat was getting the best of me. But I could see so much beauty in the country.
On our first day, I journaled:
We made it to the hot, hot country of Belie. The air is hot, really hot..the flowers are bright…I love the orange/red tree (flamboyant) and the people are sweet. Everyone welcomed us into their group of friends/family. I understand why Amy and the others come back here regularly. Jocelyn seems to be doing well. Already playing with the small kids…we settled into the church on our air mattresses.
Sunday morning, we attended church and I was very encouraged. I went in to speak with a couple of the ladies prior to the start of the service. They were studying the Bible, so I asked what they were studying. They told me they were working on their memory verse and that the pastor would ask. And just as they said, at the beginning of the service the pastor asked each person to share a memory verse or a verse that had spoken to them over the past week. Each person, including teens and children, shared a verse of Scripture. Then, with Holy Spirit filled hearts, we worshiped the Lord through singing. The church was welcoming. When church was over and the people prepared to leave, they hugged one another. After church and lunch, we walked through the town inviting kids to the Vacation Bible school that would be held during the week. Then, we prepared to go to the evening church service.
On Monday, we began serving in various ways that continued throughout the week. The work began early in the morning, on the construction project. I awoke early every morning to the sound of an unusual bird outside the opened window. The church had asked us to build a concrete fence to keep the children safe from the road. The first part of this was mixing the concrete to hold the poles into the ground. Rock and other materials were shoveled into a mixer and then concrete was poured into the wheel barrows and rolled to the fence area. I was disappointed that I couldn’t help with this work. I knew that I couldn’t physically help with this project and I had to be okay with helping where I could.
On Tuesday, Praying Pelican shared some Belizean history with us by taking us to the Lamanai ruins. This was a fun time of exploring some of the Mayan Ruins and learning about the conquest and how it effected the nation and people. Belizeans have various cultural practices. Many in Belize speak three languages: English, Spanish, and Kriol.
On Tuesday, we also bought and packed food to take as we visited several people from the community. This was work I could do and my favorite part of serving in Belize. We brought food and visited people in their homes. Many of those we visited had poor health, but great faith. Although, they didn’t know we were stopping by, we were welcomed in for a visit. The hospitality was unbelievable! We offered encouraging words and after talking for a bit, we offered to sing a hymn or praise song with the family. The gratitude and response of each host was overwhelming and unique. At the first home, we sang and tears streamed down the face of the gentleman we were visiting. But at another home, a woman sang the hymn loudly and joyfully in Spanish. And still another lady chatted and visited like we had known her for years and years.
In the late afternoons, we led Vacation Bible school for kids, which consisted of singing, teaching a Bible lesson, creating crafts, and playing games. I wrote a Bible lesson and taught kids who were 3 to 14-years old. On the last day of VBS, I offered a time for kids to come forward for prayer. They could come and accept Jesus as Lord of their lives or come for prayer for whatever they needed. An 8-year old girl came forward and asked me to pray that she would be bold in her faith. Her desire to demonstrate the love of Christ was inspirational!
As I reflected back over this trip, I was challenged in several ways. The following questions allow me to see how I’m growing:
- Do I focus more on my comfort and circumstances, than on God’s beauty and what is going on around me? Am I more inward focused or outward focused?
- Am I accountable to memorize Scripture as they did at the church in Belize? Am I consistently working on this?
- Am I as warm and inviting at church as my sisters in Belize? Can I step out and be more loving to new people?
- Do I recognize my limitations or do I try to do everything?
- Is there someone I could serve by delivering food or other necessities? Are there people I could visit and encourage with the love of Jesus?
- Do I have inspirational faith? Am I willing to pray for others to be bold in their faith?
Regardless of if you’ve taken a mission trip or not, you could reflect on what I was challenged and see how you’re growing. If you’re interested in serving in Belize, contact PPM at: https://www.prayingpelicanmissions.org/mission-trip-dates?location=eaa2131eec5e11e58b0128ec26f76516
If you’re planning to attend a mission trip to Belize, check out Mission Trip to Belize, https://encouragingtruth.com/mission-trip-to-belize/
I would love to hear from you! Which challenge above have you overcome? Is there one you are working on?
I’m so excited to go there this June!