Above are (from top left) Mark & Melody Rhode, David Sunde, Roy & D’Aun Goble, Vicki Cantley, Judy Rehfeld, Derek McNeil, Adie, Joe Rehfeld, and Mark.
The busy first 4 days included meetings with local leaders as well as some time to appreciate the wonders of God’s creation. Breakfast on day one was followed by a tour of the facility at Jaguar Creek and a chance to meet and chat with the staff. We then went on a hike to (and into!) St. Herman’s Cave in Blue Hole National Park.
After lunch, we jumped in the car and headed into Belmopan to meet with Jack Barnes from Marla’s House of Hope (a children’s home). We were able to tour the home, meet some of the staff, and then discuss some of the goals of the home and the challenges facing children in Belize.
Day two (a VERY busy day) started off with a walking tour of Armenia Village. Job, a recent addition to our staff, was able to arrange for us to visit several homes in the village.
The tour ended at Armenia Government Primary School where we talked with Mr. Carlos Uck, the principal. He shared with us some of the joys and challenges of running a rural school in Belize.
Michael Thoeresz, a local Peace Corps volunteer, shared his experiences of living and working in Armenia Village with us during lunch; and then we headed out to meet with Mr. Norman Willacey, the principal of Belmopan Baptist High School.
Before heading back to Jaguar Creek for dinner, we stopped by to visit and tour King’s Children’s Home. It’s always a joy to share time with Leonie.
Dinner was followed by a meeting with several members of the Armenia Village Council where we were able to hear about the growth of the village and the challenges facing the residents.
Above are Roy & D’Aun (left), Adie & Mark (right) and four members of the council, Armando, Pedro, Job, and Augustine.
After falling into our beds (beneath mosquito nets, of course) and sleeping, we were ready to tackle another day. The Belize Zoo was the first stop. It was a fun visit enjoyed by all – even though Scotty, the tapir, did try to pee on us!
Lunch was followed by a meeting at the University of Belize. The Univ. President and the Dir. of Development met with us and shared the goals of the university as well as a discussion about education in Belize. This is where we learned that roughly 70% of children in Belize will complete primary school, around 35% will complete high school, and only 7% will go on to any kind of tertiary education.
For many, dinner on Day 3 was the highlight of the trip. There are currently 14 teenagers from Armenia Village who are attending Belmopan Baptist High School through the Jaguar Creek Scholarship Program. Those 14 students and their parents joined us for dinner and a time of fellowship. How sweet it was!
The next morning, it was time for the group to say goodbye to Jaguar Creek. We loaded up the van and drove west to Xunantunich. There’s nothing like a tour of Mayan ruins to give you a new perspective on “old.”
After lunch in San Ignacio, the group settled in at Chaa Creek for a short time of relaxation, hiking, and reflection. Saturday afternoon we all gathered to try to discern some direction from the last several days of sharing and learning. We were encouraged to receive affirmation about the work we are doing in Belize, and appreciated the feedback and advice that was offered. One major result of the discussion was the new name for our U.S. based ministry – PathLight.
Hmmmm…….. was that our idea - - - - or God’s?
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