BELIZE 2022 MISSION JOURNAL
Tuesday, October 11 (final entry)
This was our last full day in Belize. Even though it’s been exhausting in many ways, God has cared for us so faithfully, and it’s been exhilarating to take in all the opportunities He’s provided for us to serve and share.
After our time of morning devotions, the dental team headed to the clinic in Forest Home and the school presentation team drove to TCC (Toledo Community College), the local high school, about five minutes from our hotel. The manager of our hotel, Patrick Jones, knows an administrator at TCC and made last minute arrangements for us to go and speak there. We spoke to six different classes of students and were very well received by all. We were able to present our teen message about healthy life choices with each class, share Scripture with them, and pray over them. The vice-principal, Darina Cayetano, escorted us to each class and wanted us to stay all day and share with the entire school! Unfortunately, we had an afternoon commitment and so we had to leave after lunch, but we already are looking forward to returning to TCC next year.
After lunch, we drove out to Jacintoville and spoke at the Toledo Christian Academy. The principal gathered the whole school for an assembly (about sixty students from 1st through 8th grades) and we shared our Nutrition/Dental Hygiene/Respect presentation. The students loved what we had to share and the principal already invited us back next year! God has certainly shown His favor on every aspect of ministry this year!
Kim Chew provided this report on behalf of the dental team of 3 dentists, 1 hygienist, and 5 support staff, who worked hard with limited resources. The patients were warm and grateful. As the team did patient intake and collected health history, they took the time to pray for each patient. After praying, a few patients even asked if they could pray for dental team members! They were able to see 145 patients, doing 55 fillings, 25 extractions, 87 cleanings and 27 other treatments. But numbers don’t tell the story, the conversations, the hugs, the gratitude, the people who walked out in less pain, the phone numbers and emails exchanged - those were the numbers that count!
After the school presentations and the dental team saw their last patient and cleaned up the clinic, we all met back at the hotel, and headed to our final dinner. We ate at a restaurant called “Grace’s” and enjoyed a traditional Belizean meal — rice & beans, chicken, plantains, and callaloo (Belize’s delicious version of spinach). We were able to have our evening devotion in the restaurant (spoiled by air conditioning!) and listened to the testimonies of many team members (some who hadn’t been able to share earlier in the week because of some scheduling issues). It was a sweet time, and moving to hear the spiritual journeys to faith from so many of our team members.
We walked back to the hotel and about a dozen of our young PG friends were waiting for us - and we had a party with them! We’d ordered cake from a local dessert shop, played games, talked, laughed, prayed, and took lots of photos before we took some of the kids home, and said our good-byes.
Jill Daniels, one of our team members who’s been on this trip many times, once said that when we come to Belize, God allows us to fill the love buckets of these kids and for most of them, that has to last until the next time we see them. Most don’t have a family to embrace them, tell them how special and important they are, and invest time in listening to them, or praying over them. We know that God ultimately fills and satisfies people with His perfect and eternal agape love, but for these kids, who endure so much (abuse, neglect, violence, etc.), being used by God to hug them, speak His truth into their lives, and stand beside them is one of the greatest privileges of our lives.
Please join us in praying for these kid/adults and their journey through life and hopefully closer to Christ. Pray for our new friend, Brian Soto, and the ministry of the church he pastors - that some of these kids might get connected there and and find a community of God’s love, truth, and support and for them. Pray for their healing and restoration, and a sense of hope in Christ that can’t be extinguished by the tragedies of their pasts, or the challenges of their future.
As always, we’re thankful to partner with you all in serving the risen King, in our church, in our community, throughout our nation, and around the world!
In Christ always,
The Belize Outreach Team
Monday, October 10th
This morning after our devotion time, the dental team drove to the clinic and the rest of the team drove to Mango Creek, the Creole name for a large village named ‘Independence.’ Since there’s no school today because it’s a national holiday (it was formerly Columbus Day, but now it’s Indigenous Uprising Day), we decided to go visit two of our kids who moved to Mango Creek — Clayton and Jamila. Both are two of the original kids we met in the early years of our outreaches in PG, and both are now parents of two kids themselves.
We had a great time visiting with them, reminiscing about all the fun and special, meaningful times we had in the past. We ended up loading the van with some of their extended family (19 in total!) in Mango Creek and took them to a small, roadside cafe for lunch. We ate stewed chicken and rice & beans with them, then took them home, prayed with them, and drove back to PG. We had some spare time to use the hotel’s kayaks on the sea before we all got cleaned up, and then met the dental team at the home of Gideon and Maylin Richards for dinner. They are partners in ministry with us here and they always enjoy inviting us to their home each time we visit to enjoy a meal with them. Maylin is an extraordinary cook and she prepared conch ceviche, conch fritters, coconut rice, stew chicken with carrots and potatoes, naan bread, and coconut cream pies for dessert. It was a feast! Most of us probably ate way too much, had wonderful conversations with their family, thanked and prayed for the Richards, then headed back to the hotel.
There were a bunch of our kids waiting for us at the hotel and we shared snacks with them, played games, and one of the kids (Henry) who has become a barber brought his hair cutting gear and he cut several people’s hair! We took the kids home, thanking the Lord that we continue to reconnect with many of them and that they still see us as His servants, here to bless and encourage them. Tomorrow (Tuesday) is our last day here in Belize. Pray that we will use our time wisely, share Christ boldly and effectively, care for dental clinic patients compassionately and prayerfully, and make any preparations necessary for our departure. It’s gone by so fast, but we look forward to this last full day of ministry to this special village, spending time those whom we’ve come to love so dearly, and meeting new people with whom we can share the hope of Christ. In Matthew 20, Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem and to face the cross. He encountered two needy men on the roadside who cried out to him for help. Instinctually, he stopped and asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” Pray that during our final time of ministry here, we can discern how we can be of greatest spiritual assistance to those we encounter. There are so many needs and we can only do so much, but pray we’ll be faithful to ask God to show us how to serve Him and care for others.We love and appreciate each of you! Thank you again for partnering with us in prayer.
- The Belize Outreach Team
Sunday, October 9th
Today was one of the most memorable days we’ve ever had in Belize. God moved powerfully through three conversations with three Belizean friends that revealed how He’s been at work in ways that went far beyond anything we could have ever imagined.
The first conversation was with Roberto & April Echeverria, two Belizean friends we’ve known for many years. Roberto has taken us on many adventures in the jungle and out in the Caribbean, and April has fed us countless meals at her cafe (The Snack Shack), as well as provided us with wise counsel and guidance in ministering to the Belizean kids we love so much. We providentially saw the Echeverria’s riding their bikes in front of our hotel and they stopped to greet us and talk for a few minutes. We shared how excited we are to be here but how it’s been bittersweet to not have as much time with the kids we love so dearly. April was quick to remind us of some things we needed to hear.
First, she explained that our consistency with these PG kids/adults over the years has not only been exemplary, but extremely significant in their personal development. She commented that no one group has ever come back with such regulatory and devotion to the people in this community - especially the street kids - as our group, and everyone here in PG knows it. She said that the kids are always talking about us, and remember things that they’ve been taught and how they always receive the same love and care, year after year from us. She also reminded us of the importance of not giving up on them! Even though many of them are young adults now, she said in many ways, they’re still kids on the inside and need us.
We needed to hear that. It’s been rough not being able to spend time with our PG friends like we usually do because many of them have their own lives now, with new responsibilities, and some even have their own families. But April’s reminder helped us to remember that we need to stay the course, keep loving and praying for these kids, and continue to return to PG as long as we’re able.
The second conversation was with one of the kids we’ve known for years, Zidane or Z as everyone calls him. He needed some dental work and so he came by our hotel to get a ride to the clinic. It was so great to see him and we enjoyed catching up with him on the drive out to Forest Home. As we neared the clinic, he said there was something he wanted to share with us. He said that he and his friends would never forget us. He said they’d never forget how we told them about Jesus, and spent time with them, and took them swimming in the sea, and were like family to them. He said that some of his own brothers have made decisions to become criminals, but he said he’s committed to make good choices and keep his life on track. We’ve hoped that this would always be the outcome for our investment in these kids but none of them have ever confirmed it to us!
Our third conversation was with a new pastor in town, Brian Soto. When we were on Ambergris Caye earlier this week with our friend, Clive Welsh, he told us he wanted us to meet Brian. Little did we know that Brian was one of the pastors who had already invited us to speak at this church in PG. He contacted us through Gideon Richards, the pastor contact we know in Forest Home, and set up a meeting with us this afternoon to discuss the Sunday service with us.
We met him at our hotel and as soon as he started talking, there was an instant connection. He knew almost all the same kids we have known for years, and some of them are now attending his church! He said he had such a heart for these kids/adults because of their life circumstances, family backgrounds, abuse, and neglect. All of the sudden, we realized that Brian was a specific answer to our prayers! For years, we’ve been praying that God would provide a local godly leader who would not only be a pastor, but a champion for these kids who are so special to us - and that’s exactly what he is! The more he talked about his heart for PG and the people of this town, the more in awe we were about God’s provision through Brian. We explained that we’d been praying for him for years, without even knowing him, and that God has answered our prayer by bringing him here and raising him up to pastor and shepherd these young people. He was so excited to hear all that we had to share and it only made us more grateful for the connection that was being made between us.
We prayed, embraced our new friend, Brian, our co-laborer here in PG, and after he left, we all just sat there in disbelief at what had just happened. How faithful is God?! How perfect is His timing?! How specific is His answer to our prayers?! We were overwhelmed with such a wonderful sense of gratitude and excitement at all God was doing to confirm that our investment here was producing fruit for His glory and the benefit of the folks in this community.
After dinner, we were invited to share at a Nazarene Church in PG. Jill, Alina, and Jeff Norton shared, I helped lead the singing (a cappella), and Patrick Byrne preached. It was a wonderful evening of ministry and praying with all the folks there (mostly Mayans). They were so thankful we were there and encouraged by what we shared with them.
By the time we got home, some of the kids we hang out with were at the hotel and we talked, played games with them, and eventually took them home. It was the perfect ending to an encouraging day.
Please pray for our team to continue to seek out ways to serve and share and use our time to fully glorify God. We love you all and thank God for the partnership we share in the gospel!
Bonded with you forever in Christ,
The Belize Outreach Team
Saturday, October 8th
Today was one of the most memorable days we’ve ever had in Belize. God moved powerfully through three conversations with three Belizean friends that revealed how He’s been at work in ways that went far beyond anything we could have ever imagined.
The first conversation was with Roberto & April Echeverria, two Belizean friends we’ve known for many years. Roberto has taken us on many adventures in the jungle and out in the Caribbean, and April has fed us countless meals at her cafe (The Snack Shack), as well as provided us with wise counsel and guidance in ministering to the Belizean kids we love so much. We providentially saw the Echeverria’s riding their bikes in front of our hotel and they stopped to greet us and talk for a few minutes. We shared how excited we are to be here but how it’s been bittersweet to not have as much time with the kids we love so dearly. April was quick to remind us of some things we needed to hear.
First, she explained that our consistency with these PG kids/adults over the years has not only been exemplary, but extremely significant in their personal development. She commented that no one group has ever come back with such regulatory and devotion to the people in this community - especially the street kids - as our group, and everyone here in PG knows it. She said that the kids are always talking about us, and remember things that they’ve been taught and how they always receive the same love and care, year after year from us. She also reminded us of the importance of not giving up on them! Even though many of them are young adults now, she said in many ways, they’re still kids on the inside and need us.
We needed to hear that. It’s been rough not being able to spend time with our PG friends like we usually do because many of them have their own lives now, with new responsibilities, and some even have their own families. But April’s reminder helped us to remember that we need to stay the course, keep loving and praying for these kids, and continue to return to PG as long as we’re able.
The second conversation was with one of the kids we’ve known for years, Zidane or Z as everyone calls him. He needed some dental work and so he came by our hotel to get a ride to the clinic. It was so great to see him and we enjoyed catching up with him on the drive out to Forest Home. As we neared the clinic, he said there was something he wanted to share with us. He said that he and his friends would never forget us. He said they’d never forget how we told them about Jesus, and spent time with them, and took them swimming in the sea, and were like family to them. He said that some of his own brothers have made decisions to become criminals, but he said he’s committed to make good choices and keep his life on track. We’ve hoped that this would always be the outcome for our investment in these kids but none of them have ever confirmed it to us!
Our third conversation was with a new pastor in town, Brian Soto. When we were on Ambergris Caye earlier this week with our friend, Clive Welsh, he told us he wanted us to meet Brian. Little did we know that Brian was one of the pastors who had already invited us to speak at this church in PG. He contacted us through Gideon Richards, the pastor contact we know in Forest Home, and set up a meeting with us this afternoon to discuss the Sunday service with us.
We met him at our hotel and as soon as he started talking, there was an instant connection. He knew almost all the same kids we have known for years, and some of them are now attending his church! He said he had such a heart for these kids/adults because of their life circumstances, family backgrounds, abuse, and neglect. All of the sudden, we realized that Brian was a specific answer to our prayers! For years, we’ve been praying that God would provide a local godly leader who would not only be a pastor, but a champion for these kids who are so special to us - and that’s exactly what he is! The more he talked about his heart for PG and the people of this town, the more in awe we were about God’s provision through Brian. We explained that we’d been praying for him for years, without even knowing him, and that God has answered our prayer by bringing him here and raising him up to pastor and shepherd these young people. He was so excited to hear all that we had to share and it only made us more grateful for the connection that was being made between us.
We prayed, embraced our new friend, Brian, our co-laborer here in PG, and after he left, we all just sat there in disbelief at what had just happened. How faithful is God?! How perfect is His timing?! How specific is His answer to our prayers?! We were overwhelmed with such a wonderful sense of gratitude and excitement at all God was doing to confirm that our investment here was producing fruit for His glory and the benefit of the folks in this community.
After dinner, we were invited to share at a Nazarene Church in PG. Jill, Alina, and Jeff Norton shared, I helped lead the singing (a cappella), and Patrick Byrne preached. It was a wonderful evening of ministry and praying with all the folks there (mostly Mayans). They were so thankful we were there and encouraged by what we shared with them.
By the time we got home, some of the kids we hang out with were at the hotel and we talked, played games with them, and eventually took them home. It was the perfect ending to an encouraging day.
Please pray for our team to continue to seek out ways to serve and share and use our time to fully glorify God. We love you all and thank God for the partnership we share in the gospel!
Bonded with you forever in Christ,
The Belize Outreach Team
Friday, October 7th
Greetings in the name of Christ our King! We all woke up this morning to the sound of heavy rain, something most of us haven’t heard in California in quite a long time. There’s a tropical storm headed this way. We’re not sure how serious it will be but the worst day is predicted to be this coming Monday. Fortunately, the rains didn’t hold us back from anything on our schedules today.
The dental team conducted their clinic and met with lots of patients. They shared with the rest of the team how they’d had many opportunities to treat patients in pain and discomfort, and how they were able to care for each person’s needs, both dentally and spiritually through conversation and prayer.
Because the clinic doesn’t charge any fee, some patients have been returning with gifts to express their gratitude. All the dentists and hygienists have been so moved by these gestures of kindness from their patients. It’s not that people aren’t thankful for dental care in the States, but many Americans take it for granted because of insurance or provision by their families. Here, visiting a dentist is a luxury that not many can afford so when they receive treatment for dental care, they’re overwhelmed with thankfulness that the dental team isn’t used to seeing from their patients back home.
The school presentation team spent the morning preparing for a church youth group that we’d be leading tonight. We also spent some time walking around town and were able to pray for a worker in a local shop. We picked up lunch for the dental team, and dropped it off at the clinic, then left for a school presentation at Little Flower Roman Catholic school in Forest Home, a village near Punta Gorda. The principal was grateful for our willingness to share and the kids were engaged and attentive to the presentation. Again, we were able to speak about Jesus and pray with them - we never cease to be amazed at the freedoms we’re given here!
After an early dinner, we drove out to another village, Jacinto, where we’d been invited to visit the youth group at Toledo Christian Fellowship. There were about thirty teens there and they were all very responsive to the messages we shared. Jill Daniels led us in an icebreaker to get to know each other, then she, Alina Brack, and Elisha Clerigo shared their testimonies with the group. The youth group led us in singing some songs before I (Tim) came up and shared a message from Ecclesiastes. Then our entire team spread out and prayed with all the kids in small groups at the meeting. It was a wonderful time to hear from them, better understand their needs, and pray with them.
We returned to the hotel and spent some time playing games and reflecting on the day. It’s definitely a different experience for us to be here without all the kids we used to see every night being with us. Now that so many of them have grown up, they have different priorities and responsibilities. But we’ll continue to reach out to them, remind them of our commitment to love them and seek God’s best for them, and search for new ways to serve this community with so many needs that we love so dearly.
Pray for our day as we serve in the clinic, meet with local pastors, clean a church building, and remain open to any way God may want to use us!
We love you all and thank God for your constant support!
The Belize Outreach Team
Thursday, October 6th
Today was a full day for our team in Punta Gorda, Belize! After breakfast and our morning devotions, the dental team headed to the clinic in Forest Home (about ten miles away) and the school presentation team headed to the Forest Home Methodist School for elementary school aged kids (literally next door to the clinic!).
The dental team had a steady stream of patients from the time the clinic opened until they closed this evening! Dozens of patients came in for cleaning, fillings, and extractions. The dental team was so kind and compassionate to each patient - from the smallest child to the most senior adults. They took time to listen to each one’s personal story, understand their dental needs, provide them with dental care, then pray with them based on any needs the patient mentioned, and however the team member was led by the Holy Spirit. Each dental team member shared an account of what they called a ‘God siting’ throughout their day of serving at the clinic, where God had moved, provided, blessed, inspired, or left them in awe in some way.
The school presentation team spoke to all the children in the entire school about the amazing gift God has given to us through our physical bodies. Jill Daniels designed a creative presentation about nutrition for the children, and the dental team helped us put together an engaging presentation about dental hygiene. All of the kids were laughing and learning from the memorable and instructional presentations. We were then able to share with them that the best gift of all God has provided is Jesus, and his sacrifice for our salvation. We were able to pray with all the kids and spend some time talking to them afterwards before we joined the dental team for lunch.
Tonight, we also had a reunion get-together with some of the PG (Punta Gorda) kids who we’ve been meeting with for years (some of whom are now in their 20’s and have kids of their own!). It was wonderful to see so many of them. Some have flourished in their faith and are serving in local churches, and becoming productive members of this community. Others are still trying to figure out a lot of questions in life, but they know we love them and are available to support them in their pursuit of God’s best for their lives.
Tomorrow, the dental team will continue to see more patients and the school presentation team will share at another elementary school (Little Flower RC School). Pray for our energy, attentiveness to each person we encounter, discernment to know what to share and how to share it, effectiveness in sharing the gospel, and the opportunity to lead others to Christ as their Savior.
We thank God for all of you, and your supportive prayer while we’re on this assignment.
In Christ,
The Belize Outreach Team
First Entry
Wednesday, October 5th
The VBC Belize Team is now all assembled in Punta Gorda, Belize! Four members of our team (Jill Daniels, Alina Brack, Shawna Fuller, and Tim Barley) arrived in San Pedro, Belize last Sunday, a few days before the rest of the team, at the invitation of one of our Global Mission Contacts, Clive Welsh. Clive is a Belizean pastor who serves in ministry as the director of Lighthouse Christian Radio, and an active community member. He arranged for us to speak at a parent assembly at the local high school (San Pedro High School) on Monday night and the parents were so engaged and grateful for our presentation about tools for post-pandemic parenting. We were able to pray at the end of our presentation and remind them of the hope of Christ and the resources they have in their community (through churches and Christian leaders).
Tuesday and Wednesday, we spoke to students in their classrooms - about 300 kids in total at the end of the two days. The students were extremely receptive to our message about creating a life story that they would be proud of, in which they strive to minimize regrets, make healthy choices, and ultimately, live life with their trust and hope of Christ. We were able to share Scripture and pray for each class which still amazes us that we have that freedom!
The other eleven members of our team flew into Belize yesterday and we all gathered at our hotel for the week, the Sea Front Inn in Punta Gorda. The hotel is owned by John & List Gott, two Californians who serve in ministry here as well. After getting settled in our rooms, eating dinner at a local restaurant, and being reunited with some local friends, we had our first devotion time together before heading to bed. We needed a good night’s rest because the dental clinic will be opening today and our first round of school presentations will also begin!
Please pray for lots of opportunities to care for our old friends, share the gospel with new friends, and take advantage of every opportunity the Lord provides to pray, learn, grow, and share the love & hope of Christ!
We love you all and thank you for your constant support!