Belize Mission

Coming soon pictures of Progresso's new church as it progresses !!

Don starts the new church at Progresso

Greetings, well I guess all of you wonder what has happened to us. It has been a while since I have written. Don worked until everything was completed with the hurricane relief and finishing the fence for the school at San Lazaro. He and the men worked night and day until all was done. It was sad to leave. The people from the village had us over to eat and say good-by. The church at San Lazaro gave us a good by party. There were many people that came to say good-by. After tears and good-by as many of you already know we returned to Arkansas. We left Belize Sept 18^th to drive through Mexico with our things. We took Galo with us to help us move driving through Mexico with two trailers is no easy task. We really needed Galo to speak the language for us and help if we had trouble. It was the first time he was away from his family and a new adventure for him. We needed Galo a lot as we were stopped by soldiers countless times on our way to Arkansas. It was an exciting adventure to say the least and I am afraid it was a lot farther than Galo had ever though. We finally reached the border and had even more adventures but at last we crossed over into the states. Galo was amazed to see how large the country was. Everything was so different and so big. He had never seen so many cars and trucks in all of his life. The motorcycles were just amazing. We took pictures by many of them. It was truly a new world for him. He was eager to get our things off the trailer and help as he had sat for days in the van. He was ready to do something. We carried him to Wal Mart, and all the stores we could and all the places to eat we could think of. We wanted him to see everything he could while he was here. He was real impressed with our church. He saw ways he could help to improve his own. He was given a chance to share his testimony and it was a great blessing. Lettsworth, La. Church wanted him to come and visit while he was here. So we carried him to Tammy’s church. He was excited to see the different personalities of the churches people attended in the states and where they live. Then we carried him to Brother Billy Frank Gerald’s and saw his world. It was all just amazing to Galo. We also carried him to see the Wesley Biblical Seminary. He was so impressed. He had met several people that had attended there. He was also impressed to see the Belize flag sitting on the stage with other countries. In a little while he also saw come of the youth that had come to Belize. It was very exciting for all of us. We tried to show Galo all of the states we could before he had to return home. But finally it was time to go. We carried him back to the border where he would ride with a truck driver from Sand Hill that makes the run every couple of weeks. He would deliver him back home after many days travel. Galo was a great blessing to us and we will always be grateful to him. As he started to leave he told us. He never understood before all that the missionaries give up to come to Belize and live there. It is a great sacrifice to leave home and go to a different land. He also understood more about the summer missionaries and how it is hard sometime to adjust to a different culture. I think we all learned a lot about each other’s worlds. By this time Galo was getting very homesick. He was anxious to see his wife and little girl. In the next few months there will also be another little one. We are anxious for its arrival. We shall miss all of them.

When we left Belize Don was left field director and will run things from the states for now. He will fly back every few months to check on things. Our church at Union has been very willing to let Don go back and forth. Mrs. Gloria will still be manager over the schools. He would talk by phone and see there are no problems. If there is money in our share account then they will help with plane fares if not Don will pay for it himself. The Lord has always proved for his workers. We do appreciate all that has been done in the past. It took what was in our account and more to move us home.

Don and Frank Robinson flew to Belize on Nov. 30. Don had made a commitment to build the church at Progresso and the Louisiana conference has supplied $7,500 (I think) to build it. Don flew down to lay the foundation and put the walls up. Tony Russell’s team will come sometime in Feb. to put the roof on and the doors and windows and Don will also be a part of that. Don will return tonight and I will post as soon as I hear all that has been done and I hope with pictures. Pray for us as we seek the Lords will for our lives. We are in Strong and Don is pastor of the church at Union here. We love our people and it is good to be home but we also miss those we left behind. Let me know if you are reading the blog. It helps when I hear comments. Thanks again for your love and support.

Progresso after Hurricane Dean

Praise The Lord

Thanks you for all the prayers! We give special appreciation for those who jumped right in to help our brothers in Progresso in there time of need. Special thanks go to Springfield Methodist Protestant Church, Union Methodist Protestant Church, Casle Chapel Methodist Protestant WMS, and Tammy Clark from Lettsworth La. Brother Don has already carried a load of tin, boards and more food to them, There are several families from the church that are also still in desperate need. We are going back today and carry more supplies. Brother Donovan was in Progresso yesterday trying to help his brothers. Continue to pray for our people as they try to get their life back under control. We pray that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out the blessing of God to those who reached out to his children in there time of need. Praise God for your generosity!!

We just received an e-mail from Brother Billy saying that more churches had donated funds for Progresso. We don’t know who they are yet but thank you for your love and generosity.

Progresso Report

Brother Don went to Progresso to check on them he found it a total mess a lot worst than San Lazaro. All the trees were blown down and a lot of roofs off. Brother Mauricio’s house was down everything was wet there was no food, and 3 of the children were sick. Theresa half of her roof was gone and she had no food and everything was also wet she is sick with rheumatic fever. Don went and got $200 worth of food for them and carried the children to the Dr. and got medicine for them. They expect nothing from the government so far even in San Lazaro the party’s are giving out a little food a pound of flour and a few beans to people that aren’t even effected that is all the ones that need it are getting nothing! We have tried to give a little flour, beans, rice, baking power a long with a little bread. It is really a shame the way the government is run in this country they take it all and leave nothing for there people. There are a least four family’s in San Lazaro that have lost all there roofs, everything is wet including there food, they have dirt floors and are wading in mud, and now there is no work and they have a house full of children. They have lost everything. We are helping where we can. Pray that the people’s needs will be met and they will see that the Lord has taken care of them in there time of need. Continue to pray for us also as we try to help.
There is also a blessing when Don went to Guinea Grass he is pleased to report that there is no damage there, even to Brother Santos house, and also there is no damage to Fireburn or the churches. Praise the Lord!!

Hurricane Dean,

I just wanted to thank all the people that prayed for Belize because of your prayers I believe the people were spared. There has been no report of loss of life in this country!! The eye of Hurricane Dean hit about 30 miles from us. At San Lazaro Mission we only lost about 4 coconut trees, the mayflower at the front door may pull through but most of the limbs are gone and a large tree in the back also a few flowers. Other than that we had no damage. The thatch building the men had built for the teams leans a bit but that can be fixed but other than that it survived. We got no water in the house at all. When the front porch was fixed that helped with the water. It was a long hot night with all the windows boarded up and not knowing what was going on. While it was still storming Don was out in it trying to save the thatch building and checking on all the things to see the damage. We were relieved there was no roof damage! The village people some lost roofs and a lot of trees are down, the crops are ruined but the young cane may come back. Mr. Hillie lost all his corn and fruit trees the corn was on the ground he was here this morning he said maybe he could pick it up when it dried and still salvage some of it. Armando the man that is a day helper lost most of his roof. A lot of people are suffering in the north end of the country. There are several houses in the village that have no roof at all. It is so sad. People here before the storm hit you could hear them way into the night trying to nail the wooden shutters closed and board up the best they could. Some tried to get tin from us but there was none to be had anywhere even at ten and eleven o’clock they were still out looking for something to cover there windows. No one stayed here they were trying to protect what they had in most cases that is very little. The fruit crops in this end are destroyed and that will mean there is no work for a lot of people. We are only 5 miles from Mexico. We got power back yesterday afternoon and water it is from a generator from Orange Walk at first they said it would be only a hour a day to fill to water tank but so far it has held out I hope it does until the power can be restored from Mexico. There were trees all on the roads and we couldn’t get into Progresso. The radio said the government would help but so far we have only seen one helicopter fly over and some men in trucks. The army made some of the people leave their homes in low areas and go to shelters in the schools and churches. The next day though they told them to go home! I am sure they will declare this end a disaster area and they may get some money from other countries but I don’t know when or if the people will see it! There needs are now what I heard on the radio was asking there family’s to help them. They were asking for food and tin for the roofs. Before the storm hit you couldn’t buy it and what you could was priced ten times what it should have been! There were people from the south however offering tin and food and wanted to come to help so I guess they did. There are needs everywhere. They were wanting to know who was in charge.
Brother Don got a call last night from Progresso and Brother Mauricio Sadausie (the pastor) house blew down and he, his wife and nine children are in the small parsonage that Tony and Kenny’s team rebuilt this summer. They have no toilet or kitchen. Theresa the church leaders’ kitchen blew away but the house stood. The church part of the front tin blew away. Don has gone to Progresso to check on the damage and see what we can do for them. We haven’t heard from Guinea Grass as yet but when Don leaves Progresso he will go there. Brother Santos never was able to finish his house so he lives in a little stick house with cardboard covering the holes. I am sure they went to the church for shelter. They have a large family. We also haven’t heard from Fireburn. The churches in Sand Hill and Hattieville were not hurt by the storm as it went north thank goodness. Don was down there yesterday checking there was no damage. We are trying to do all we can to help, as soon as the rain-stopped people were trying to beat out old tin and put it back up and clean as much as they could. They are doing all they can to get things going again and helping one another. I will post more later when Don returns on the amount of damage to our people and churches. Continue to pray for us and thanks again for the prayers.

HURRICANE DEAN

WELL WE ARE PREPARING FOR HURRICANE DEAN. IT IS SUPPOSED TO HIT TONIGHT AT A CAT 5. THE WINDOWS ARE BOARDED UP NOW AND IT IS HOT AND DARK. WE HAVE ALL THE SUPPLY'S WE NEED. THE SCHOOLS WILL BE OPENED AS SHELTERS. THE CHAIRMEN OF THE VILLAGES ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A COMMITTEE TO FEED THEN. WE WILL SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT. THE GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CHARGE. THE PEOPLE DON ‘T LIKE LEAVING THERE HOMES BECAUSE OF LOOTING THAT WILL HAPPEN AFTERWARD .THE FIRST THING HERE THAT WILL GO IS THE LIGHTS AND THE WATER OVER THE ROADS. THE MEN PUT THE ICE BOX AND FREEZER AND CHESTS UP ON BLOCKS SO THEY WILL BE OUT OF THE WATER DOWNSTAIRS. JUST PRAY FOR US, THE PEOPLE OF BELIZE, MEXICO AND OTHER COUNTRIES THIS MONSTER WILL EFFECT. DON AND THE MEN ARE ON THERE WAY TO SAND HILL NOW TO PREPARE FOR THINGS THERE.