Service.

"Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptor but a hoe." -Bernard of Clairvaux

I am learning so much. It's kind of hard to process all of my thoughts. Before I came here, I really prayed and asked God to stretch me. I want to be made into the image of Christ and to live out God's love with every breath. I And he is definitely being faithful to answer my prayer. I am learning that I must rely on him more and more. And that to love means to serve and to labor. This week we are re-roofing a church, doing a VBS with the kids of Belize City, and clearning debris (hardcore!) from a yard behind the church where the pastor's house will be built.

I forgot how much I loved Belize city. Belize city is rough. But that's how it should be. The kids are loud, they're crazy, the push you, they test you. But every time they push me, the also love me. For everytime they disobey, they are forgiven. For everytime they cheat, they learn something. God redeems what we don't see a lot of value in. Putting on God's eyes is hard, because you see pain, but amazing because you see the way that God wants to redeem people and situations.

God is a God who redeems. He has redeemed me. But he redeems us for himself. For service.

Learning!

Hello US! I hope that all of you are well!

I am sorry I have not updated sooner! The internet here in BZ can be a bit unreliable at times! ;-) So, I arrive in BZ at 3 in the afternoon on Thursday the 18th. I was so excited to be here. The air, the people, the way things are in BZ is just awesome. There is a huge emphasis on relationships with people. It's great. Thursday, immediately after flying in, I got a quick tour of certain parts of the country that I will be working in a lot. And man, oh man, the driving here is CRAZY. There are only four paved highways here...and road signs...yeah...there might be a few...I just haven't found them yet!

Friday, a church from the States donated money to purchase a motorbike for a family living in Red Bank in the south part of the country, a three hour drive south! So it was delivery time for us! I got to see the mountains and the rainforest which are just breath taking. But I also got to see several poorer, rural mountain communities. Heartbreak, coupled along with awe.

Saturday, I started my first trip. I am working with two other leaders and leading a group of 41 people. We are working in a small village called Crooked Tree! Yesterday, however, we took the group to do orphanage work, and elderly home work. The residents at both of the homes were blessed blessed blessed by us being there. he kids in the children's home just need love! And the elderly here, wow. What amazing stories they have to tell. We also were able to really help meet some needs with donations. Today we spend the day in the village, really just walking thru Crooked Tree getting to know everybody. It was awesome. We connected with the people and checked out our plans for the week. We will be teaching at a local school tomorrow. And then moving on to painting and construction projects coupled with children's programs in the afternoon! I'm so excited.

But let me tell you, I have been learning a LOT.

On my flight day, I spent a good seven minutes sprinting thru the Miami airport to find my INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT, because my previous flight was UBER delayed!!! AHHH! I was flipping out. But, guess what passage of Scripture I read that morning?? John 14:1-Do not let your hearts be troubled! Trust in God, Trust also in Me.

Today has SO many interesting learning opportunites. From broken buses, to my bed getting SOAKED (tropical rain...let me tell you...), to fire ant attacks... to poisonous fruits eaten by my group. Yes. I am learning to TRUST God. The people of Belize have been so welcoming and assuring. I just love them. And I am trusting God to show me how to love them even more.

I miss all of you in the States and I've been praying for you. Please keep prayign for me. Days are long anda lot of work. But God is good. Stuff happens. Nonetheless, TIB. This is Belize.

Ten Days To Go!

Welcome to my Belizean Blog! For those of you who don't know, I'll be interning with Praying Pelican Missions (check 'em out at http://www.prayingpelicanmissions.org/) for the summer in the beautiful Central American country of Belize. While Belize is a beautiful country attracting many tourists, it is also poverty stricken. I found kids without shoes, homes steeped in their own waste, people living in conditions unfathomable to the American mind. These people I found were created by a living and loving God, in his own image. They bear a stamp that says that they are valuable to God, so valuable that God himself took on human flesh to die for them. If this is their value to God--if this is my value to God--then these fellow human beings are of immense value to myself.

Injustice in the world is easy to ignore. Unless of course, you have met Jesus. If this is the case, passion for his name, love for people, and compassion towards suffering is impossible to shake. These things become the rhythm of your life. They are becoming the rhythm of mine. I invite you to learn with me as I learn from God while serving him and the people of Belize this summer.

"The opposite of faith is not heresy, but indifference."

With His Love,
Hannah*