Belize Mission

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Spanish Revival
April 28th

It has been a great week here. The Spanish area has been in revival from April 23-April 26th. The Congregational Methodist Protestant Church supplied the evangelist Rev. Juan Lopez a Spanish man from Mexico. He builds churches in Mexico and has been a tremendous help with our Spanish pastors. Preaching in Spanish and knowing the culture here has made a difference. Juan is a Blessing to be around he is a quite man but full of laughter. I would call him the perfect houseguest I have to admit when he was brought to the house with Jerry Jones and Sandego and they left. I was little nervous about what he would eat and worse how we would be able to commutate with him. He speaks only Spanish later he did speak a little English when he felt comfortable with us. I did not have to worry. Don and him had their way of commutation and Ernesto and Galo were always around to translate when needed. The people here fell in love with him. We thought there would be two evangelists and were a little disappointed at first when we found only one had come and the revival would be changed. It turned out to be a special blessing. This way all the churches could be together. I think the revival has been help. It was attended very well. All nights. The churches were full and overflowing. I love the Spanish Music they sang at least an hour and maybe a little more each night We also carried two vans from here at San Lazaro every night. We told them anyone could go as long as there was room. One night we had 22 in the van. I don’t know how many Ernesto had but it was all it would hold and more. . We road about an hour and a half every night on roads you would consider impassable. There were two people that couldn’t sit down and stood all the way. The people here don’t have cars. They have to hire a ride and that is very expensive. The people are poor and all that came made a great sacrifice to be there. The alters were also full. The greatest blessing to me was to see all the preachers at the alter together at the alter on there knees with there arms around each other in fervent prayer for there churches. I truly feel this has brought the churches together. In unity. Even Bro Donavon and Lisa came each night all the way from Hattieville .to help encourage. them. The Guinea Grass Band was also there every night and the people love them. The nights went quick and it was about midnight when we arrived home. Some of the churches had food after the service and sometime they had food before the service. The people in San Lazaro hated for them to leave they had him in their homes and spent many hours talking to him. They hated to see him go and there was a desire for him to stay with them. The last night hearts were heavy. I thought of Paul they didn’t know if they would see his face again. Things all come to a end and this season has passed. He will not be forgotten as he returns to his world. I hope he can come back in a few months. Thank you Jerry Jones for sending just the right man.

Easter

We had Sunrise Service here at the Mission house. There were about 25 in attendance before it was over. It was truly a Blessing. Sitting outside on Easter morning. Don preached the Easter Message. Giving praise to our Lord and Savior and lifting our voices toward heaven. Afterward we all ate together I fixed Bacon and Eggs. They fixed Johnny Cakes. what a treat.. We had communion at San Lazaro on Easter night The people here take off four days for Easter the Holy Days. They don’t work after Thursday noon until Tuesday. Morning The children are out of school for two weeks..

April 15th we had a wedding at August Pine Ridge Church . It was a beautiful day. The people couldn’t get in the church. There were well over 200 people there. The bride and groom were dressed in there finest. It started late for our standards. They were busy gathering all the tables and chairs in the village as soon as the wedding was over they would feed the people. They had rocks buried in the ground to cook the pig. It was covered over with dirt. They had rice and beans all cooked. It was the best pork I have ever tasted. The pastor’s daughter worked all night to fix the cake. The cake isn’t cut at the party. In some places they wait 7 days. It is too beautiful. They are a very humble couple. He is the chairman of the village. They have three beautiful children. It is very common here to live together until you can afford a big party. However you can’t work in the church. This couple wants to work in the church. They had the Guinea Grass band that played for them. They always do a great job. The people came in cane trucks., road bicycles or walked. There were many gifts given. We bought the cokes and I decorated the church for them. That was our part. But we really had a good time.
The Band played until we left at about 5:00 PM. We had been there since noon. They were still going strong at that time. I don’t know when they quit.
Bro. Donovan pastor of Hattieville Church married them. He did a great job. After the wedding the grandmother were throwing rice and coins! She didn’t throw the Bouquet. She wanted to keep it as it was so beautiful. Late in the afternoon they brought there children to the party and the little boys didn’t know her. The baby girl wouldn’t even go to her!. They had never seen her dressed up before. It was a great day and I pray the Lord will bless this marriage.

The preschools had a parade all around the village wearing costumes that the parents had made on what they wanted to be in life. The teacher is Galo wife Claudia. She works hard with the children and has 15 in her class now. The little girl policewoman is theirs. They looked so cute.

We had Pastors Meeting at Progresso the ladies cooked for us. Hellieburto Santos has decided to take the church and we are excited about that. We are in the process of finding a place for him to stay. The parsonage will be vacated in a couple of weeks The ladies cooked for us that was a special treat. I know great things are about to happen there.

There has been a lot of work on the August Pine Ridge Church. It looks great with the new paint job. There is also one new pew for the pastors. It looks great. We are getting ready for a wedding Saturday. They are expecting 200 people!! I am going to town Monday and help get some decorations. What fun!.

Don had a good Birthday. People from the village came to wish him a Happy Birthday. Merella came and cooked lunch for us. We all ate together. Then late in the afternoon several came and they had made a Birthday cake for him. There was a little mix up on the age in English but that didn’t seem to matter. Don is NOT 72. The language is always a struggle and you can be misunderstood very easy. Its good to have a sense of humor everyone seem to have a good time. They worked all day to have a surprise party and they did a good job of it. After good Fellowship everyone went home.