Partners Seminar and Final Thoughts
During our time in VOP, Tim organized two different meetings for the VOP Partners to get together and discuss the work taking place in the valley. At the last meeting, basically two things were decided: First, the recipient of the next house (which The Word at Work already has funding for). Second, the partners would host something they had been talking about for a while (and just in time before we left), a seminar for all six families who have been recipients thus far of new houses in VOP. It has been pretty apparent since the beginning of the work in VOP that we can build these people a home, but unless someone comes along side of them and teaches them about proper sanitation, health care, family planning, saving money, and childcare, they will continue to be poor, just inside of a nicer house. Also, there has been a huge desire to invest more in the families in terms of discipleship, like having a local church adopt each family. The seminar was a start towards those ends.
On the night before we drove out of VOP, we held the seminar entitled “De Casa a Hogar” (which translates “From House to Home”) at the Catholic School. It was geared toward imparting some healthier life skills to these six families, and we basically did all of the planning and preparation work for this monumental event. All families were able to attend, and special activities were planned for all ages. Adults listened to speakers cover topics such as “The Value of Education," “Family Values,” and “Budgeting and Saving Money.” Many of them were amazed when John Carr (owner of Banana Bank) showed them how a family of five children each saving one shilling a day (which most of them spend at school on sweets) could add up to $450 over a year’s time (a lesson we could all stand to learn). Older children were taught about how to take care of their bodies and the things around them. They made some nice artwork of their current house and what they wish that it could look like. And they conducted a science experiment backing up the importance of wearing shoes: they took samples of water from different puddles around the school and looked at the water under a magnifying glass to see all of the bacteria wriggling around in there! Younger children were treated to much of the same teaching, with the addition of time to practice proper hand-washing and sanitation skills. But the seminar was just the start of something special . . .
Collecting a sample from a water puddle.
Clean hands!!
Proud of their pictures (and their houses).
At the conclusion of the seminar, we arranged for all six families (keep in mind, these are six of the poorest families in VOP, adding up to more than 40 people) as well as all the partners to be transported by bus to Banana Bank Lodge for dinner and dessert, followed by a special presentation and a time of prayer and sharing. This was probably the most special experience we had during our entire stay in Belize! First of all, the partners decided to be the ones to serve the meal to the families. Then we got to watch them eat just as much as they wanted of a very nice turkey dinner, prepared by the wonderful Banana Bank cooks. Ginger sat next to a little girl whose dress had to be unbuttoned so that she could eat more because it was too small and too tight, though perhaps the only one the family owned that came close to fitting her and suited the occasion. After the meal, Benjamin Amaya provided our focus for the evening: Basically (from what we could understand with our limited Spanish) he emphasized that, though these people have a new house, if they do not have Christ they are no better off. The partners then encircled each family individually and prayed for them. Then we presented the head of each household with their very own Spanish Bible. Finally, we gave the house recipients the opportunity to share and offer feedback. Several stood and sang songs or read scripture to offer thanks to God. We left feeling certain that no labor of our hands could have produced such a focused or momentous occasion, with Seventh Day Adventists praying over Catholics, and Catholics and Assemblies of God alike praying over the poor, with 30 young children still and quiet, many weeping with joy and thanksgiving, singing songs together; but such could only have been evidence of the Spirit of God working in and through all of us.
Banana Bank fed 58 that evening!
No more room for chocolate cake!
Tim singing Christmas carols with John and Carolyn Carr.
Mr. Garcia, very proud of his new Bible.
Many of the partners, as well as their spouses and some teacher volunteers.
We left the Valley last Sunday with very mixed feelings. First off, we were terribly sad to leave some very special people. We also placed our dog, cat, and Christmas lights with a new family (see picture below!!). But we could not suppress our joy about not having to drive that awful road again (at least, not for a while--it seems that we nearly jolted every screw loose on our truck because of the bumps and bounces)! But we also left with the realization that we, because of who we are and where we were born, will always be rich compared to these people, and they will always perceive us as such, no matter how much we try to convince them that, really, we’re broke! So, we learned that living among the poor did nothing to alleviate the guilt we feel for the things we have as white Americans. That’s something we’ll have to deal with no matter where we are. And we learned so much more, about how much we need spiritual discipline in our life to grow in any substantial way and make progress towards furthering God’s Kingdom, and about how our desire to know what we want to do with our lives is largely selfish, wanting to know the will of God like a fortune teller would know the future, so that things will be easier. And we learned that we really could live like this, with these people, if God calls us to do it. But, we kind-of regret to say that at the end of three-and-a-half months, we still sense no calling to work in Belize (though we’re no closer to sensing a calling to anything else, either). We’re still just committing to try our best to follow God one day at a time, and we don’t know if that will lead us back to Belize or not. Please, keep praying for us, and we will be sure to update you, faithful companions throughout this time, on what we choose to do. One thing is for sure: we no longer wonder about what it would be like to live and work with the people of Belize . . . we feel that we have experienced that fully!
The Pop family with their new dog and cat!
Sunset in the valley (we'll miss that, too).
On the night before we drove out of VOP, we held the seminar entitled “De Casa a Hogar” (which translates “From House to Home”) at the Catholic School. It was geared toward imparting some healthier life skills to these six families, and we basically did all of the planning and preparation work for this monumental event. All families were able to attend, and special activities were planned for all ages. Adults listened to speakers cover topics such as “The Value of Education," “Family Values,” and “Budgeting and Saving Money.” Many of them were amazed when John Carr (owner of Banana Bank) showed them how a family of five children each saving one shilling a day (which most of them spend at school on sweets) could add up to $450 over a year’s time (a lesson we could all stand to learn). Older children were taught about how to take care of their bodies and the things around them. They made some nice artwork of their current house and what they wish that it could look like. And they conducted a science experiment backing up the importance of wearing shoes: they took samples of water from different puddles around the school and looked at the water under a magnifying glass to see all of the bacteria wriggling around in there! Younger children were treated to much of the same teaching, with the addition of time to practice proper hand-washing and sanitation skills. But the seminar was just the start of something special . . .
Collecting a sample from a water puddle.
Clean hands!!
Proud of their pictures (and their houses).
At the conclusion of the seminar, we arranged for all six families (keep in mind, these are six of the poorest families in VOP, adding up to more than 40 people) as well as all the partners to be transported by bus to Banana Bank Lodge for dinner and dessert, followed by a special presentation and a time of prayer and sharing. This was probably the most special experience we had during our entire stay in Belize! First of all, the partners decided to be the ones to serve the meal to the families. Then we got to watch them eat just as much as they wanted of a very nice turkey dinner, prepared by the wonderful Banana Bank cooks. Ginger sat next to a little girl whose dress had to be unbuttoned so that she could eat more because it was too small and too tight, though perhaps the only one the family owned that came close to fitting her and suited the occasion. After the meal, Benjamin Amaya provided our focus for the evening: Basically (from what we could understand with our limited Spanish) he emphasized that, though these people have a new house, if they do not have Christ they are no better off. The partners then encircled each family individually and prayed for them. Then we presented the head of each household with their very own Spanish Bible. Finally, we gave the house recipients the opportunity to share and offer feedback. Several stood and sang songs or read scripture to offer thanks to God. We left feeling certain that no labor of our hands could have produced such a focused or momentous occasion, with Seventh Day Adventists praying over Catholics, and Catholics and Assemblies of God alike praying over the poor, with 30 young children still and quiet, many weeping with joy and thanksgiving, singing songs together; but such could only have been evidence of the Spirit of God working in and through all of us.
Banana Bank fed 58 that evening!
No more room for chocolate cake!
Tim singing Christmas carols with John and Carolyn Carr.
Mr. Garcia, very proud of his new Bible.
Many of the partners, as well as their spouses and some teacher volunteers.
We left the Valley last Sunday with very mixed feelings. First off, we were terribly sad to leave some very special people. We also placed our dog, cat, and Christmas lights with a new family (see picture below!!). But we could not suppress our joy about not having to drive that awful road again (at least, not for a while--it seems that we nearly jolted every screw loose on our truck because of the bumps and bounces)! But we also left with the realization that we, because of who we are and where we were born, will always be rich compared to these people, and they will always perceive us as such, no matter how much we try to convince them that, really, we’re broke! So, we learned that living among the poor did nothing to alleviate the guilt we feel for the things we have as white Americans. That’s something we’ll have to deal with no matter where we are. And we learned so much more, about how much we need spiritual discipline in our life to grow in any substantial way and make progress towards furthering God’s Kingdom, and about how our desire to know what we want to do with our lives is largely selfish, wanting to know the will of God like a fortune teller would know the future, so that things will be easier. And we learned that we really could live like this, with these people, if God calls us to do it. But, we kind-of regret to say that at the end of three-and-a-half months, we still sense no calling to work in Belize (though we’re no closer to sensing a calling to anything else, either). We’re still just committing to try our best to follow God one day at a time, and we don’t know if that will lead us back to Belize or not. Please, keep praying for us, and we will be sure to update you, faithful companions throughout this time, on what we choose to do. One thing is for sure: we no longer wonder about what it would be like to live and work with the people of Belize . . . we feel that we have experienced that fully!
The Pop family with their new dog and cat!
Sunset in the valley (we'll miss that, too).
posted by Tim+Ginger at 1:35 PM
3 Comments:
beautiful work
i was so encourage by your very honest thoughts on what you have learned...seems like you both came away with a very realistic idea of what it means to live among the poor and that the Lord will use that in your decision making in the future. I am inspiring by your willingness to even attempt this life and feel confident that God will give you a strong sense of calling to what it is that you are to do..and where you are to go. Thank you for letting me understand more about living among the poor vicariously through you.
What a wonderful conclusive narrative of your time there!
much love,
Cindy
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