A welcome sign?

I'm finally getting settled in at the place where my toothbrush and deodorant will always be in the place I put it last night.  I mention this because now I can finally get to the place to document what has been happening so far in this blog.

I'm trying to document how life is here and the most easy and difficult things to do.  I'm not a writer but I must say that I'm enjoying putting together some pictures and words to not only share with family and friends back home, but for me to review just how to get things done here and how I saw God move.  Believe me, being here in Belize and being from Kansas it takes on a whole new meaning to the caption below...

This isn't feelings it's reality

So, what I'm trying to do it keep the posts chronologically so I don't forget (much) and it's Thursday and I need to post about Monday before too much time goes by.  Here it goes...

So, we make it through the double doors where you exit customs and there greeting you are all the wonderful people of Belize (~25) and taxi drivers (~5) anxiously awaiting the arrival of your flight.  Typically, they can't stack the landings on top of each other because the plane has to turn around the same runway to get to the terminal.  As I mentioned before, the Belize Airport is really small and a snap to navigate, easy to be picked up.  Your Belizian adventure starts right after you make your contribution to the GDP.

So, we are looking for our dear friend with all the luggage in tow and across the street I hear "Brother Rodney!"  It's Josee, what a beautiful young lady she is turning out to be and a wonderful sight for these two weary travelers.  We pack up and head in to Belize City to stay at the mission.

A welcome sign leaving the airport

Josee is on staff with The Belize Camping Experience, I'll post on them, their mission and how they are making a difference separately in the next post.  As you might remember, Hurricane Earl had made landfall 3 days before our arrival with a direct hit just south of Belize City

Earl huffed and puffed Category 1 style

For the most part, the damage at the airport was non existent.  As we traveled closer to the peninsula of Belize city we saw more evidence of Earl showing up with his foul mouth and dirty laundry.  We saw twisted billboards, bent back roofing tin and toppled tops of palm trees.  Lots of cable TV type cable strung across the roads from the power poles and the below result of a 4 foot storm surge.

Earl decided this boat belonged on the road

We went by the area where all the shanty's are built and without a doubt, God spared those people.  There was no real visible damage, roofs in tact, a few houses tilted (but that's normal).  We drove into the base camp of Belize Camping Experience and really didn't see any real damage to trees or the basic structure of the main house, girls dorm and boys dorm.  God spared them as well.

Zoomed out location of Belize Camping Experience

Specific location courtesy of WiFi connection at BCE

We pulled up, got out of the truck and within minutes the strong backs of the young men of BCE had moved all of our luggage up a flight of stairs into our room.  In a previous post about Belizian hospitality I spoke of their willingness to give their very best.  Since there was a 4 foot storm surge, the ground level guest room that we stayed in in late May reserved for visitors was trashed by Earl.  The Administrator and his wife insisted that we take their room for a much needed nap and rest for the night.  In this room, we find a very welcome appliance in the upper portion of the west wall.

The view from the house to an empty truck, thank you dudes of BCE!!

Air conditioned room!

Beautiful Rosewood floors

The bed was made and ready for us to crash.  The day before we had stayed up til 1am, woke back up at 4:15am then traveled all day.  We reached BCE base camp by 4:30 so it was a full day.  My phone was already connected to the WiFi (from previous trip) so I called home on the Skype phone and spoke to some key people back home for a few minutes each.  Called Mr. Van to let him know we were safe in country on the Belize SIM in the iPhone and touched base with Mr. Jeff that everything is going well.  Before turning in for our nap, Josee said she would get us some fried chicken to have when we wake up.  We got a good hour plugged into the sleep outlet and recharged our batteries for the evening festivities.

We came out into the living room from our nap to find 24 of the most well behaved young men and women watching a movie (Secretariat) together.  Frankly, I was not expecting to see anyone in the living room because it was so quiet.  All of this changed after we joined the group.  These energetic youths and young adults clearly love each other and the ministry they are committed to serving.  But, they knew they had tired guests on the other side of the wall and nothing else needed to be said to let us rest in peace.

Literally what it looked like when I opened the door of our room

Sat down at the table and within minutes appears fried chicken over a bed of french fries and of course, an ice cold Coca-cola in a returnable bottle.  Boy, talk about hitting the spot!  Josee says "Too Hot brother Rodney?", "just perfect" I replied (because it was).  We sat at the kitchen table for the balance of the movie.  It was interesting watching a movie about a horse race that happened in Kentucky in a Belizian living room.  After the movie, there was a time of general announcements in which we were introduced to the group.  Very organized, very well oiled machine at BCE.  Incredible thing to witness these folks in chill mode.  Especially in hindsight after seeing them in action, but that's the next post.

In Hebrews Chapter 10:25 The Bible says "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."  When I've read this passage, I've always thought of it as when the church doors are open.  Not so much.  These folks at the Belize Camping Experience to a ton of work and in order to do a ton of work, they need to get along.  In order to get along, I think we need to gather and give time to have something in common (maybe it's a church service, maybe its a movie about a horse race in 1973).  When we gather together, it gives us time to see that we are all human and we all pretty much like the same things.  I'm telling you, these 24 cogs in the gear of BCE work well!  I think we can all learn something about true fellowship from each other just by consistent gathering.  Some workplaces try to force the issue of consistent gathering, but if your heart isn't in it, you're not there.  This verse ends with "as ye see the day approaching."  Anyone want to take a stab at what "the day" is?