Summer 2014 7/14/14 Day Four: Kaitlyn Cheng

Hello Friends and Family!!!!!!

Today was the first day of VBS and it was so so so fun. Richard Gao, Kody August, and I are crew leader to Standard 5 and Standard 6 which is like grades 7 and 8. Kody is one of the Belizean youth that hang with us and keep us safe. We’ve met so many really cute kids and they are genuinely excited about VBS, which just makes me super pumped. Jessie and I have such a laugh with the songs this year. But I can’t wait to go back tomorrow and start again. Belize has been such a growing experience and a great bonding experience with both churches as well as with the Belize youth. It’s been amazing to reconnect with friends that I haven’t seen in two years. Its like nothing’s changed and that’s the best part. I don’t think I have smiled or laughed this much in a REALLY long time. This has been more than a short term missions trip, I’ve made so many friends and so many jokes; you really get to know someone on a deeeeeeep level when you know their bowel movement schedules.

            After VBS we started construction on the church today. I was so impressed with everyone today, I saw them work so hard and sweat SO MUCH. I MEAN, THEIR SHIRTS = SATURATED W/ SWEAT. Shout out to Elissa, Emmett, Richard, James, Preston, Justin, and Jessie! I saw them work non-stop and sweat so much, but they never complained or stopped for a break. I can’t stop raving about them, they are such amazing hard workers and are all amazing with kids. Even when they didn’t feel well or were hurt, they just kept going. Honestly, I’m so amazed by everyone. They are such a joy to work with. Today I perched on the outer edge of the balcony and scrubbed mold off the side of the church building and then repainted the building. It was life-threatening fun! We have many photos to show how hard everyone worked. Praise God no one was hurt!

Prayer Requests:

1)   Pray that the members can love on all the kids coming through our VBS program

2)   Pray for safety as we continue to work on construction this week and for health

3)   Pray for more fun and bonding ^________^

Summer 2014 7/13/14 Day Three: Angel An (SCBC)

Good evening there! This is your temp DJ Angel An checking in! Hope your day went well?!

Today was a very eventful day for the LGCC/SCBC Belize STM team.  We received lots of love from the local Belizean church @ Lake Independence Baptist Church during our visit.  THEY LOVE HUGGYS!!!  Which I don’t mind at all.  It was POURING rain outside and it made the hugs temperature-bearable and made me feel at home.   The pastor gave a message that was almost like it was written specifically for us.  A memorable quote: “In heaven, there is not Chinese church or Belizean church, so why are we sitting separately?”  When I heard that, I looked back, I was shocked at the racial separation.  @.@  It’s true, we like to hang out with people we are familiar with, we like to hang out in our comfort zone.  But if Jesus hung out in his comfort zone, then how are we saved now?!  If we hang out in our comfort zone, then how are those who need our help be saved?  You can’t say “oh, someone else can do it”, but someone else is going to say the same thing and in the end nothing gets done.  So we mixed up our seating arrangement and got inspired.  During the worship, which btw was completely island style (great drummer, base guitarist and just a great set overall), I was DANCING! I couldn’t contain the joy that was inspired by the people at LIBC.  I can’t say I’m completely in love with Belize yet, but I’m def likin’ it!  People in general here are just real chill and joyful – Island style!

We then had a service at the church we are partnering with/living at (Belize Chinese Christian Church).  BTW, side-tracking a little bit, I don’t know if anyone mentioned the living conditions or food here in the previous blog posts, but IT’S GREAT!  I’m not low-maintenance, so trust me when I say IT’S GREAT! Parents at home, qing fang xin!  Well, esp for girls at least.  The fried chicken is soooo yummy!  OK, I’m back.  I did the worship set with Pastor Brian and Matthew Chang.  It was a great set in my opinion, esp. being the first time worshiping with these guys in front of a fairly new crowd.  Once again, I felt God’s presence and that warmth in my heart. 

In the late afternoon, we prepped for VBS that’s starting tomorrow and will last for the whole business week.  We spent hours learning the dance moves for the singspiration songs. Lots of pressure because Matthew and I are supposed to lead the moves without the actually videos and Matt is lacking.  LOL JK.  He’s a guy, so I cut him some slacks, but Come on Matt!  Ok I’m kidding again.  Love the guy.  Lots of preparation went into the making of this.  We brought all the supplies from home, from crafting pencils to room decorations. I’m ready for VBS, so is everyone else on the team.  The skits are gonna be awesome because we have some talented dramatic actors on the team – Austin, Emmett and BJ.  I’m excited. 

PRAISES TO GOD! For blessing us with SUCH a nice team.  I’m so glad and thankful for everyone on the team.  They make me think I don’t want to go home!  This is how comfortable I feel here. 

Please lift up the team though.  It’s been storming for the last couple of days, with today being the worst.  The roof is leaking as I’m typing right now, but it made the stay here so interesting.  This is to fully experience Belize.  The good news is, when it rains, it’s nice and cool.  But the bad news is boys.  LOL Ok, not just boys, but boys who like to dance in the rain.  I know it’s romantic and all, but come one, xxxxx xxxx, I would rather not give away any EmergenC if I have a choice.  So peeps at home, please lift up our health and our energy as we get into our main mission of the trip tomorrow.

Thank you for your continued prayers, love and care for us.  Until tomorrow, stay cool!

God Bless,

Angel An

Summer 2014 7/12/14 Day Two: Emmett Lee

Hello Friends and Family!

           

            This is Emmett giving an update of the happening here in Belize. Today is Saturday, July 11, 2014 and it is currently nighttime. Today was a packed day of prep work and set-up. We started the day at about 8AM with a very packed breakfast (may have woken up a few times in the night cause the AC was actually to cold…), which most notably contained meat pie, which is an extremely popular food. It can be best described as a miniature curry pies the size of an egg tart with a removable top that doubles as a spoon.  I made it a mission to eat a lot, which for those who know me that probably isn’t a surprise; I had 5 of the meat pies and other stuff, which you can ask about later.

            After breakfast we worked on prepping the church for VBS on Monday. Tons of streamers flying everywhere, cups being stabbed, skits being prepare, Being in charge of the Skit team was rather strenuous since it was sometimes hard to work over the sounds of Disney music and other random singing, but we managed to get it together in the end and it should be fine for our dress rehearsal tomorrow night. When we were almost done with the skit preparation we were bombarded with a huge downpour of rain that lasted for maybe 5-10 minutes, supposedly it had been the first rain in quite a long time and many of us took the time to run out into the rain to cool off. 

            Once the rain was done we went inside the church to enjoy our next meal lunch, in which I actually eat less cause I had a ton for breakfast. The main course of this meal was the grilled chicken. Thankfully the rain hadn’t affected it and we were able to enjoy it without much interruption. 

            Following the meal was by far I think the most interesting events. We split up into two groups and worked our way around the neighborhood meeting families and kid whom we invited to our VBS and the basketball tournament that would be happening during the week. The neighborhood itself didn’t feel all that strange to me. I was not supremely startled or afraid of anything new or unusual but I did feel a little out of my element in terms of my comfort aka being more social with strangers and talking to them as we approached. The one thing that really surprised me was the social dynamic of the housing in the area surrounding the church; in the areas that my group toured you could tell the difference in wealth of those around you.  Some were a bit run down and tattered but then right next door you could see what would be considered a very modest housing with three cars in the driveway, the way the economic status were so closely intermingled was the strangest thing in comparison to our own neighborhoods at home. At home we would usually see a bigger divide between the economic classes but in Belize there was little to keep them apart except for just not going over to their neighbor and talking to them. It makes me wonder how that gap can be filled here and a home and it gives me hope that as we go through the week of VBS and the basketball tournament we might be able to bring that gap to a close as those from both can be bridged as members of the same group or team. I pray that the VBS would be more than just a safe place but something that can make the neighborhood a safe place in general. This was really the first experience for me outside the church, which in its own way is such a confined environment (Oh yeah and I haven’t mentioned but this is my first time to Belize) and I wonder how much more I’m missing.

            At the end of the day and after dinner we all had our fun during the debriefing and listening to the stories of the wanderings of both teams I hope and pray that we can just continue to make a positive impact in the life of the Belizeans. I thank all of those who pray and give continued support and pray that we can continue to make an impact here in Belize. I’m not sure what else to say so this is Emmett Lee signing off and saying goodnight.

            Prayer Requests:

1.     That the church can continue to be a safe and welcoming place to all those who come during our stay and after we leave

2.     That all those that we have asked to come to the VBS will be able to come and bring all their friend and family

3.     That our team will remain healthy and mosquito bite free (I only know that Uncle Craig has one so far)

4.     That God would show us more ways that we can positively influence the people of Belize

5.     That we won’t be held down by grudges or things back home and can just trust God to take over in our live and keep us strong through all our activities showing your grace and every one of our actions here in Belize

Summer 2014 7/11/14 Day One: Traveling & Tiredness

We are finally off to Belize, as we speak we are on our flight from Dallas to Belize City.  I apologize for my bad grammar, but we all are tired and have lack of sleep. This will be my 6^th year going to Belize, and every year we have started pretty similar. We never knew how each trip would start , but we always depended on God to help guide us and to get us to God safety. If I have learned anything from the past several years is that God provides. He has helped us when we are in trouble and has provided us when we didn’t know we needed his help. One year he gave us more energy by making us miss our flight to Belize. It helped a whole lot, because we were all really tired and helped us prepare for our projects that we were to do in Belize that year.

As for this year, I feel that God has provided peace and a good team this year. God giving us time and logistics planning almost done was something that we can give him praise. As the week goes on while we are working with the Belize Chinese Church, I hope our team and the youth there will continue to remember that God will be there and we are to remember that he provides.  Thank you all for following and praying for us.

UPDATE: Not much happened when we got to the church. We met some of the church members and had a delicious dinner. After that we hung out with some of the youth group kids, and played some games. Overall it was a really relaxing day and I came out of it with a full tummy and creating new bonds and strengthening relationships with God and the people here.

Prayer Request:
1) Our team will get enough rest, to do God’s work in Belize.
2) VBS goes well.


-Jonathan Hsu

Summer STM 2013: Justin and Jonathan Zhang Reflections 7/19/13

Jonathan and Justin Blog Day

First off, on behalf of the entire team, we apologize for the negligence in keeping up with the blog.  The past few days have simply been a frenzy of activity and arduous effort from every single member in order to finish our murals on schedule. As always your prayers are greatly appreciated even in light of the lack of updates.

It has truly been God’s miraculous will that we have been able to finish our three murals before Friday and devote this last day completely to the people of Pickstock. Too many times, mission teams fail to recognize that the ultimate root of evangelism is for the hurting people of the nation. Drawing on a wall and waiting for the next lucky missionary to repaint it accomplishes far less than the sowing of seeds and the nurturing of the locals to create strong leaders and warriors for God. Of course, our sweat and blood, mixed with paint and slathered on the walls, testifies to an obvious growth of pride in both the youth of the Youth Hostel and the members of Pickstock. And of course, there exists a deep level of accomplishment and hope for the future of Belize with our symbols of peace and faith. However, the relationships that we build with the kids and adolescents of Pickstock are able to carry far more influence in the furthering of God’s kingdom.

In truth, during the week, my time was unduly spent far more on the materialistic side of mural painting than the building of relationships among the people. Therefore, Friday allowed for an opportunity for me to focus solely on the true purpose of our mission. My acquaintance with Tristan and Stephan began in an almost ironic and nostalgic reflection of teenagers meeting in the Silicon Valley: through an iPhone. I was able to simply talk with the two as they were entranced by this foreign piece of technology that the poverty of Pickstock is unable to afford. Through this conversation, which began on very simple questions, I was able to hear about the widespread violence in the area, the dissatisfaction that their generation had towards Belize but also the work that God was doing in their lives and in their community. I pray that the teenagers of this age that will soon take on the responsibility as leaders of their city and their nation will be able to fully give their lives in service to the Lord. Only through His grace and power can the broiling hatred and tension be transformed into a powerful peace and joy. The teenagers here have truly opened my eyes to the power and need of God.

            Justin: Friday morning was a morning full of anticipation for our team; it was a day of closure and goodbyes. Everyone was excited to see the people they had been sharing with for the past few days, but it was also the last day to show and spread God’s love directly to the kids. For me, I focused on my relationship with a young boy named Tyler. It was the first time I felt I had any influence on anybody. He treated me like an older brother as he took my hand wherever he walked. This was the point in the entire trip I had learned the most from. This was when I had realized that this was the type of adoration and admiration God wants from us.  

Summer 2013: 7/16/13 Day 5 - Kevin Mo

Belize STM- Day 5 July 16, 2013

Both teams amalgamated and joined forces at pick stock today! Before we set out today, I thought I already knew what to expect since the team two years ago held a block party there. But God really had something different in store for me today than what I expected. Our team's goal for today was to start on the murals led by the brilliant Belizean local artist, Bri. While some of the team helped paint, others were able to play with the cute little kids heheh. My reflection doesn't have much about how the awesome art on the walls magically appeared or how painting is so fun because frankly, I actually didn't do any of that hard work LOL. But it does consist of a story about a six year old adorable boy by the name of Antoine and an equally adorable (okay, maybe not) seventeen year old by the name of Kevin.

When we first got to pickstock (I'm gonna skip the part where I complain about the sauna-like weather and the burning sun on my skin because everyone already knows about that) we were unloading the things onto the basketball court and I found a small, metal cylinder with a keyhole in it. I thought it was interesting so I put it on my pocket for the time being. We began to settle down as the kids started to come out and this beautiful little boy caught my attention. As I walked over, I noticed that he was holding a lock, and we soon found out that the piece I picked up earlier actually turned out to be the key to his lock! You can say it was destiny, but I'm going to say it was God's wonderful will. Antoine and I instantly connected (also literally, thanks to the lock) and before long, he found his way onto my back and had made me his handsome horsey. The next couple hours became a brilliant blur and although at times I had to leave Antoine so that the other kids could have a chance to play with me, we always ended up looking for each other when we had the chance and we always found our way back to one another. I still remember that whenever I came back, he'd point his tiny finger up at me and exclaim "I looking for you!" I noticed that Antoine wasn't like the other kids--others were very aggressive and forceful, but God helped me teach Antoine about sharing and selflessness. Towards the end, this little ball of energy somehow got tired, and he sat down in my lap as we rested in the tent. Antoine fell asleep cuddled up next to my chest, and as I looked at this sleeping beauty, I began to think about how much I adore him, care about him, love him. And this was when God said, "Kevin, this is how I look at you." I started to tear up a bit as I was able to learn a little more about God's wonderful love. 
He used Antoine as a reminder to me about the unconditional love that He has for all of us, and allowed me to better understand what his love and compassion for us means. And as a missions team, we are called to mirror this love. I'm confident this isn't the end to this story, and I don't even know if I'll even see Antoine again, but what I do know is that I'm not the writer of this story--God is, and I'm just a character called to plant a seed in little Antoine that God is going to grow. Please add this little boy to your prayers! :)

God is the best,
Kevin Mo

Summer 2013: 7/16/13 Day 5 - Jimmy Wong

Belize STM- Day 5 July 16, 2013

(Read this in a Kriol accent) It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through our trip! Our entire team went to Pickstock today to continue working on the culturally inspired mural. Going into the day, I didn’t remember too much of Pickstock. The only time I’ve ever been there was the very first time I was in Belize, five years ago. Pickstock was also the place where I had infamously stepped into the open sewer system. I have tried to forget that day ever since… All jokes aside, I was excited to go back and paint. Right as we arrived there, it became apparent to our team that not all 24 of us needed to be painting the wall at once. We were encouraged to go out and play with the children there! Over the next seven hours we spent there, our team gave at LEAST a million piggyback rides, the most ridiculous face/arm/leg paintings, and sang the craziest renditions of “Boom Chicka Boom” I have ever heard. However none of this could even compare to the look of joy and happiness I saw on the faces of the children there. God has really blessed our team with people of so many different personalities and talents. This has allowed us to connect with these kids on so many different levels. I watched as my teammates were able to spark some meaningful and intimate friendships with the kids there. By the end of the day, it was almost as if we had been there all of our lives, some of the children and our team were nearly inseparable.

I was especially thankful for the way God was able to use me today. I was extremely joyous to be able to share my talents in a country that actually used the term “football” correctly. Throughout the time in Pickstock, I was constantly on the basketball court, playing soccer with the kids there and they were all so thrilled to play soccer with “Jet Li”! I had the privilege of meeting so many of the kids that way, and as I started talking to them I found out the commonalities we shared. A kid named Edelle pulled me aside and the conversation went:

“Sir, what team you like?”

“Madrid, Real Madrid!”

“Me too!”

Hala Madrid.

Shortly afterwards, I found myself sitting next to one of the first boys I met at Pickstock that day, talking about his favorite team, FC Barcelona (Also the world’s worst team). We talked about various soccer stars from around the globe and about the different matches he saw on TV. He even got around to showing me his brand new Puma soccer cleats, the exact same brand my prized cleats were. I was blown away by how this common ground we shared transcended all of the differences we had. That was when I realized that God gives us these exact personalities, interests, talents, abilities, for this exact reason: To be able to connect and reach out to His children. Our team returned back to the hotel safely, tired, but with renewed hearts.

Thanks for your continued prayer and support,

Jimmy Wong