Today I found some time to write. Not the way I would prefer—I accidentally
stepped on a nail while helping to finish up the digging for the parking
area. Fortunately it was a new nail, not
a rusty one, and although it went through my shoe and pretty far into my foot,
it looks like it’s healing nicely. But
pray I’ll be able to get on (both of) my feet shortly!
Right now, the team is out doing VBS. This is our 8th LGCC summer team
and my personal 6th summer STM.
I have to say, thus far, this team has been one of our best. They have proven to be flexible, focused and
self-sacrificing. Not only that, but
they have a contagious energy and joy that has helped us integrate the BCCC
youth, the Belize Camping Experience counselors and the Alabama team into our
group and allowed us all to work together amazingly well. Our team of 24 has added on 8 BCCC youth, 25
BCE staff and 8 Alabamans in the last week and we have been like a family. The family of God is so big and diverse! When I look at all of us, we are Asian,
Black, Latino and White. People are
speaking to each other in Creole, English (sometimes with a Southern drawl), Cantonese,
Mandarin and Spanish. There are people
from the poorest parts of Belize City, the suburbs of Alabama, the Mennonite
farming communities of northern Belize, and the wealth of Silicon Valley. Yet none of our differences matter. They are there, but the differences cannot
overcome the unity we have in Christ.
The true beauty of this unity is that, put into action,
there is almost nothing that can stop us as the body of Christ from making a
huge impact on the community around us.
Because we’ve worked together this week, because we’ve cared for each
other selflessly, because no one needs to be obsessed about him or herself
knowing there are 50 other people watching out for him/her, we can serve
through heat, bug bites, constant schedule changes, Belize time (which is even
later than Chinese time), all discomfort and tiredness, to complete the mission
God gave us when He called each one to join this team.
Today we finished the construction a day early. Much of the credit goes to the Alabama team,
who had a lot more expertise than we do in the kind of carpentry, landscaping
and painting projects we worked on this week.
They were truly a God-send. But
everybody worked hard to get the work completed and tomorrow we’ll get a bit of
a break. Then one more day of VBS and a
full day off on Saturday, when we’ll go cave-tubing and to visit the Quan farm
for a day of swimming in the river.
Already, this trip is almost over!
I want to thank you personally for your prayers, your
financial support, your trust in us taking your kids on this mission trip. I think each one has grown by being a part of
this team. I have seen tremendous acts
of compassion, toughness, encouragement, and love from each person on this team
as they’ve lived, worked and played together.
And they’ve made memories that will last them a lifetime and
beyond. Please keep praying for us as we
endeavor to finish well!
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