tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40685890461920856522024-03-18T20:34:22.629-07:00Jungle JourneysAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-41774925044424163662010-08-19T18:52:00.000-07:002010-08-19T19:20:12.982-07:00Day 3 - Monday - Leah on a hot tin roof!Hello all!<br /><br />On Monday, we got up at 6am, breakfast at 6:30, group devotions at 7, in the truck at 7:20 to be at work by 8am. Now, before all of you think there is NO POSSIBLE WAY that Rob would get up at that hour, keep in mind that Belize is 2 hours behind Columbus. The team leader, Carl, had to explain to him, "don't think about it as getting up at 6, think of it as getting up at 8!" Well, since that is Rob's normal wake-up time, he cheerfully replied, HEY I can do that!!<br /><br />Off we went, down the 7 miles of dusty, bumpy, gravel roads, to arrive at the main highway, also bumpy, but paved. That would be the Hummingbird Highway. We took that straight into Dangriga (about 15 minutes), around the traffic circle, turned right at the canal, down 2 "blocks" to the church at Dangriga. We had just been there for church the day before, so it was interesting to now know the people who would be enjoying the fruits of the labor. We knew who we were doing this all for - it makes a difference!<br /><br />We arrived, and the jobs were handed out. I volunteered to paint the roof. Don't ASK me what I was thinking when I raised my hand. I must have been already crazed from the heat, or slightly sleep deprived. Maybe I wanted a nice view, or a breeze, or maybe I thought it would be a lot of fun to use a saw on a roof to cut down a mango tree. Again, I am not sure why I volunteered for this!<br /><br />Up on the roof I went, with my helper, Tony. Tony is 10, and here with his grandmother from New Jersey. His grandmother, Carol, was here on my first trip to Belize when we built Ray and Becki's house. Tony loved using a hacksaw almost as much as I did, and I think for a minute we fought over who got to do the cutting. Naturally, as the adult, I won! No, not really. We each took an end, like those old fashioned logging saws, and cut away branches of the mango tree so that we could actually get to the roof to paint it.<br /><br />Now that I think about it, I think i only volunteered to cut down the tree (that meant I would be in the shade, right???), but then kind of got talked into painting by extension.<br /><br />I've been a little disappointed that I haven't seen any scorpions yet on this trip, but I think the NEST OF TERMITES in the rotted mango pits that i swept off the roof somehow made up for this. I have never seen anything quite like it, except for when you occasionally find a swarm of ants on the sidewalk in the spring.<br /><br />The next little surprise lasted about three days - something climbed UP the tree that I was pruning back! It shimmied up the tree in about two seconds, white teeth showing against the dark brown skin, and bright eyes smiling at me. Her name is Kayla, and Kayla said "this is my mango tree!" We talked about climbing trees, and how she likes to come over and hide on the roof of the church. It was funny, because Tony had told me the same thing - how one of his favorite places to hang out was on the roof. Don't these children have adult supervision??? Kidding - I told Kayla that my favorite place to be when I was her age was a tree house that we had built in the woods about a half mile down the street. That was MY place! I loved it! I still want a treehouse - just ask Rob.<br /><br />Anyway, Kayla wanted to help paint the roof, but I wouldn't allow that, but she did make herself useful in several ways throughout the remainder of our time at the church in Dangriga. I have NEVER seen anyone wring out a washcloth the way she did - i can barely get the boys in our house to SQUEEZE it, let alone wring it til it's twisted in knots and almost dry! I was very impressed. But here, if you don't squeeze it out, it may take awhile to dry, and then it will smell musty, like when you forget about a load of towels in the washer for a day.<br /><br />Kayla worked alongside us for the three days, always ready to do the next task we assigned. She stuck with it, did everything asked, and then some. My favorite was when she went to help out with the roof while we were having lunch. We think she might have taken a couple of turns with the roller, because I slipped a couple of times, and once went all the way down - falling on my side, sliding about three feet on my backside, and praying I stop before I hit the edge. Luckily, I did! <br /><br />Keep in mind that it was about 95 degrees, and the same for humidity. I thought i was going to die. Actually, I thought I was going to pass out. For me to quit and take a break is a BIG DEAL. Ask Rob about the landscaping I did in July. I took LONG breaks in front of a fan, with a big bottle of water about every 45 minutes. On one trip down the ladder, I was just shaking. I took a longer break, and ate a cookie.<br /><br />We finally called it a day around 5pm, and headed back home. Day 4 was pretty much the same, except hotter, if you can believe that.<br /><br />I have never been so exhausted in my life! But we made a lot of progress, things inside the church were getting prepped for the drop ceiling, and I was moving my way out to the portico of the church for painting. <br /><br />More on that tomorrow! Have a good night everyone!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-7172206481214438272010-08-19T18:35:00.000-07:002010-08-19T18:42:14.307-07:00Yes, I'm Tabor's MOM!!To continue my last post, this lady sits down behind me with her three daughters. I turned around to greet her, and she asked, "are you Tabor's mom?" <br /><br />When I saw her daughters, I remembered her right away too! I had taken Tabor to Belize on my second trip, in July 2008. We told stories in the village of Pomona, and this woman was there, in attendance. Her daughters, Myrna and Sandra, I think were smitten with Tabor, because her mother, Margarita, told me that Sandra had just been talking about Tabor that very week!<br /><br />I asked what they remembered most about Tabor, and they said that they remember him poking them in the forehead, and making a popping noise (think Donkey on Shrek 2 when he is making that noise on the way to Far Far Away). But they remember him!<br /><br />It was so encouraging to see Margarita in the service. The church in Pomona has had its share of struggles, and it was nice to see that someone there had been supporting the church for at least two years. I am sure there were others, but I hadn't met them personally. <br /><br />What are you doing to support your local church, and what are you doing to make a memory that will last two years? What are you doing to make a lasting impression? Is it a POSITIVE impression? <br /><br />Until next time,<br />LeahAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-62408456936566714822010-08-17T18:57:00.001-07:002010-08-17T19:23:48.783-07:00Day 2 - SundayI am behind in my postings, mostly because we have been so busy, we haven't had time to "hook up" to the satellite. I still crack up that you can get a wireless internet connection in the middle of the jungle!<br /><br />Sunday is church day! We went to service at the church that we are remodeling/repairing. We arrived not so promptly at 9:30ish, and we outnumbered the group that had assembled for Sunday service. Five great ladies were there to worship God, and we were invited to share with them. <br /><br />We sang. And sang. And sang! The fun thing about singing in belize that you will NEVER, EVER, be the worst singer there, so there is never any embarassment about singing loud and proud. If any of you have been to a Faught Birthday celebration, you will have a small idea of what it's like when the Belizians celebrate on Sunday morning. <br /><br />There are no clocks or timers on the Sunday services in Belize. I know in America, we have this expectation about what time service will let out. Not here. It's done when we're done. So we sing. And celebrate. We sang a "camp" song that Rob says he learned in 1975! Anyone else out there remember "It only takes a spark to get a fire going...."??<br /><br />Then came the service. If you've read any of my other postings, you may be familiar with the Bible Storying method. A passage is told, and then the faciliator asks questions. It is highly interactive, and always very interesting as we look at a passage, dive deep into it, and gain insight from others in attendance. Ray, the missionary here in Belize, told the story about how men are like grass, and their glory like flowers. Grass withers, flowers fade, but he word of the Lord stands forever. <br /><br />The part after that is what is really sticking with me - - THEREFORE, get rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and every kind of slander. Hmmm...every kind of slander...whether thoughts, spoken, or written, the things we say about other people that is negative. Get rid of it, because you are only here a short while.<br /><br />We talked about the longevity of God's Word. If it were junk, would it have lasted as long as it has? And because we are short-timers, we need to listen to the wisdom of something that has standed the test of time, and indeed, will always stand.<br /><br />It's a good service when you still remember what it was about 3 days later. Sometimes I can't remember by the time we've decided what restaurant we decided to hit.<br /><br />Speaking of Sunday dinner...we went to a plantation where a man from Louisiana invited us to lunch. He owns the place, its a shrimp farm, and his cook decided she needed a garden. Now, its about 400 acres of every kind of fruit tree imaginable, and includes some you've probably never heard of. Soursap, mollyapples, breadfruit, mangoes, carambola, and even a few pomegranate bushes! I love those things.<br /><br />He doesn't sell the produce, he just invites friends over to share the harvest! And when the shrimp are ready to be harvested, he invites everyone over, and tells them to bring their coolers and ice. It's one big party, and I asked for an invitation for next time. I want to go!<br /><br />We had an odd assortment for lunch, roasted chicken, lasagna, zucchini cakes, spring rolls, and okra (Louisiana, remember??) It was so GOOD!! And Miss Emma kept our glasses full of mango punch, and kept asking "you don't like it?" Miss Emma is from the Phillipines, and had a career in the Chinese Embassy here as a cook. She is very proud of her cooking, and rightfully so!<br /><br />I had to explain that I couldn't eat any more, because I was STUFFED already, and if she was going to bring out anything else, I wanted to have room for that, instead of eating 2 more spring rolls - and they were some of the best I've ever had!! She understood, and said she wasn't bringing anything else out, besides MANGO CHEESECAKE!! Ray, bless his heart, said if I couldn't eat it, he would take mine. Uh, no.<br /><br />After dinner, we played puzzle games, like those horseshoe things at cracker barrel, or the nails that have curly q's in them that you have to take apart. After laughing at my inability to engineer a solution to one puzzle, the "boys" showed us "girls" how it was done. Grrrrrr..But once you know the answer, OF COURSE it's easy!!<br /><br />Then came the wonderful tour of the plantation, the trees, the fruits, the flowers (real gardenias) and the shrimp ponds. It was so cool, and we got to pick as much as we wanted. I have never seen this much star fruit in a trip to Meijer at home. We probably have 50 of them. <br /><br />That night, we went to church in Pomona. I sat down, and the lady behind me asks, "are you Tabor's mom?" WHAT???<br /><br />More on that next time!<br />Hugs,<br />LeahAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-70566381181738782232010-08-16T19:02:00.001-07:002010-08-16T19:20:30.419-07:00Good ideas, bad ideasToday is day 3 of our trip already, which is hard to believe! We traveled with no problems from Columbus to Belize, and no issues from Belize City to the Dangriga airport. We travel within the country on a little airline called "Tropic Air". <br />We were jockeying for position in the lines at customs, because our Tropic Air flight was supposed to leave at 11am. The customs lady said she could not move us to the front of the line, but if we asked someone if they would let us cut in, that would be okay. So, in my typical shy, backward fashion, I announced to the 20 people in front of us, DO ANY OF YOU HAVE FLIGHTS YOU ARE TRYING TO CATCH? And if not, can we get in front of you??<br />A very nice woman motioned us in front of her, and I called Rob up from 5 people from the end of the line. We got through the line, said we were staying with friends, and all of a sudden she says "Oh, you are staying with friends? Did you bring any gifts for them?" Assuming she did not mean the package of Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie mix, I said "No, because they know we would have to pay duty on them if we did!" Well, apparently she hadn't heard that one before, and she had a pretty good laugh, and passed us right through!<br />In typical Caribe fashion, we hurried through customs, tipped a guy $8 to carry our bags 20 feet, then checked in with the very nice people at Tropic Air, who told us the flight was going to be at 11:15, not 11. Good thing, because it was now 5 minutes til, and we had to go stand in another line! This line was for departing flights, which includes not only the in-country flights, but also flights back to the US - usually Miami and Houston. If you are leaving the country, this is also the point where you pay exit fees of $40 each. If you think security lines are long where you are, Belize only has one metal detector, and no big grey tubs to put your shoes, belts, purses, loads of pocket change, and chanel sunglasses in. <br />We finally got through all of this, skipped over to the Tropic Air desk, and in REALLY REALLY Caribe fashion, were told it would be "oh, 5, 10 minutes." We checked back 15 minutes later, and were told (oh, come on, GUESS!!). Finally, somewhere around noon, our 11am flight took off, and deposited us 12 minutes later in Dangriga for our week of fun in the sun!<br /><br />We went straight to the church where we are working this week, and dug right in to help. We painted benches, mostly, and cleaned up for the church service for the next day. I spent more time than i care to admit sweeping sand off the concrete floor, but the place did look nice!<br /><br />We headed back to camp around 5, had a dinner of spaghetti and salad, which was pretty good, took showers, and headed to bed exhausted. <br /><br />Rob and I came on this trip to celebrate our first anniversary, among other things. He was surprised to find he would be bunking "dorm style" with two pre-teens, and Carl, the missionary's brother. He is adjusting to things much better than I expected, though. He continues to amaze me!! He has forgiven me for packing a pillowcase, but no pillow. What a sweet man!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-31534495863757606362009-06-29T06:13:00.000-07:002009-06-29T06:40:53.885-07:00Ahhh...finally back!!After three trips in a single year, it was hard to wait nearly 8 months to return to Belize. I've done things a little differently this time - I am out at Ambergris Caye, an island about 35 miles offshore. <br /><br />All of my flights went very smoothly, although I was VERY concerned about the flight from Columbus to Houston. In the boarding area, there were LOTS of children, which always makes for an interesting flight. I was tired, and didn't want to start my vacation with all that howling. If you've flown frequently, you know what i mean.<br /><br />Imagine my level of discomfort when i arrived at row 23 (of 24) and found not one, but TWO children in my row, and their mother. And I had the window seat. Trapped. I asked if it was too late to upgrade to first class, but no luck on that.<br /><br />The four year old next to me was checking out the seat back pocket - his mom told him to quit and sit back. Most of us would bring stuff to entertain, but not this mamma. She was all business. She headed to the head (hee hee) and left him there...with me. He started through the seat pocket again, and his auntie across the aisle, shouted across five seats for him to leave things alone. I asked, "have you ever been in a limo?" She hadn't. But when I was in college, my sister and I were given a night on the town, which included a limo to see "Cabaret". Our roommate got in, and played with every single switch, light, button, and gadget. She even made a call on the "car phone" - this was still back in the day when only the very, very rich had such devices - and they were the size of a bargain price box of cornflakes. I explained to auntie that he was just checking things out.<br /><br />The feeling of dread left me, and compassion took over for this mom, traveling with two small children. Other family members were with them - auntie and her two children, and several other family members all toward the front of the plane. Among the 12-15 or so of them, there was not one father present. As I learned at the end of the flight, they are all from California, and came back to Ohio for a family reunion. You have to admire that. Maybe the dads stayed home because of expense, or because it was a girl thing, or because who would want to hang around that many in-laws all at once for that long!! <br /><br />Anway, back to the flight. The little guy slept through most of it, even through beverage service and the in-flight meal - a muffin. He woke up again at one point, and was trying so hard to sit up, but he just couldn't. Mamma was trying to make one blanket cover the three of them. I positioned the pillow against my lap, and offered to let him lie down on my lap, and he did. I put my arm across his little body to maybe keep him a little bit warm in his worn blue tanktop. <br /><br />We traveled that way together for about half an hour, his head in my lap, my arm around him. I asked God to forgive me for my initial attitude, which wasn't very Christian-like. It was filled with thoughts of self, and my own personal comfort, and my own 'space'. I thought, I am going to minister to others in Belize, but what am I doing now? Opportunities to be missionaries are right outside our doors. You don't have to get on a plane to share God's love, but today, that's where it was needed.<br /><br />Hugs,<br />LeahAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-22752385948207564902008-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:002008-11-24T08:42:12.577-08:00Back to the Jungle!Tabor and I left the cold and snow of Columbus at around 5:30 on Friday morning. I finished packing at around 2 am, and managed about 45 minutes of sleep before it was time to head for the airport!<br /><br />The flights were uneventful, and perfectly timed so that we had no difficulty between flights. The exception was my fascination with blankets at Brookstone, and the time flew by. I realized that at 12:25 we probably should be on our plane - the one headed to Belize at 12:40. We got to the gate just as they were making the final boarding call for the McLaughlins. Oooops.<br /><br />After four flights, and dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Dangriga, we headed to Ray and Becki's house. Quite interesting to sleep in the house I helped build. Of course, I'm noticing all of the drywall work, and wondering if I should have made it just a little smoother. All in all, it looks pretty good for an amateur!<br /><br />Saturday brought some tropic thunder, and a rainy day. It was perfect to catch up on sleep! I had a wonderful afternoon nap, and guess what we had for dinner - rice, beans, and chicken! Tabor and I helped by making the tortillas, which are now 'passable' for the authentic. We found we probably need to let them rise a little longer to get the puffier version that the Mayan women are experts at. (yes, I ended with a preposition. Forgive me).<br /><br />Saturday was restful and low key. Sunday was church - almost all day. Remember that nothing is close in terms of time here. It took an hour and a half to drive to church, maybe 40 miles. There is ALWAYS a surprise when you go to church in Belize. Yesterday, it was Harvest Day. Several churches gathered at one location for the service, and each family brought an item to represent the harvest. Some brought oranges, others brought flowers, cakes decorated wtih fruits and sprinkles, papaya, grapefruit still on the branches, corn in the husks, and get this - coffee beans and cacoa pods - the stuff chocolate is made from!! Did I mention several live chickens? <br /><br />The children and youth paraded the stuff in, and helpers placed it all in a market - type stall outside. After the service, you could buy anything that the people brought, and the money was used for the church. <br /><br />I only know a couple of Mayan words, but one of them is bo tik. Bo tik means thank you, and I heard it so many times yesterday, that I knew without a doubt that every one of the people in the church yesterday was truly thankful for all that God has provided.<br /><br />As we think about our Thanksgiving week, and where it all started, it probably wasn't far off from the vision I had yesterday. People from the community, bringing what they had, and celebrating the goodness of God together. <br /><br />If you are reading the blog, and enjoy it, please send an email to us: <a href="mailto:leahkm@ameritech.net">leahkm@ameritech.net</a>. Last time, we felt like we were posting things for no reason, only to find out much later that people felt like they were right here with us. Your encouragement is very much appreciated!!<br /><br />Leah and TaborAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-80654189566074203792008-07-23T16:10:00.001-07:002008-07-23T16:25:16.213-07:00Great Girlfriend Giveaway!Hi all! <br /><br />Yes, it's been a week since I posted anything. My mom is due back from Belize any minute now, and I am anxious to hear the perspective of a 70 year-old woman, traveling to the west. She did "train the teacher" training for people from all areas of Belize, and stayed in the cities of San Ignacio, and then Belize City, so she did not get to experience the fun of the creek, or the fun of the swarming bugs!<br /><br />She did, however, manage to find a house out west that I could easily afford. Some developers are trying to entice Americans there, offering subdivisions that rival southern Florida, for around $250K (starting prices). LOTS cheaper than Naples, but that's not the kind of house I can easily afford. The one she picked was around $25,000. Can't wait to see it! I wonder if it has indoor plumbing!!<br /><br />OH - You are probably wondering about the title "Great Girlfriend Giveaway." I am attempting to downsize (to a $28K in west Belize???) and have way too much stuff to accommodate. Rather than having a garage sale, I would much rather give it away to my friends first, then I'll donate what's left. If you ever wanted a coconut monkey, I happen to have one, up for grabs!! <br /><br />Call me, or just show up Saturday, July 26th at 6pm!! 614-783-5529<br /><br />Thanks everyone!!<br /><br />One more thing - Many of you know how passionate I am about childhood obesity, and the dangers it presents to the next generation. Obesity is one of the leading causes of heart disease, and we are seeing a marked increase of young adults with high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. I am raising money for the American Heart Association to assist in the campaign for a healthier generation. My goal is to raise $2000 to Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation of $25?<br /><br />Visit the link below, and thanks so much for considering it!<br /><br />Leah<br /><br /><a href="https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=258537&lis=0&kntae258537=B8933C36A99B4670932A6195446A5CFA">https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=258537&lis=0&kntae258537=B8933C36A99B4670932A6195446A5CFA</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-6839948330112655322008-07-15T19:34:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:48:08.846-07:00The VIDEO you've been waiting for!!Hi All!!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We found the very unusual connection cable to the pink camera, and have managed to transfer the Sensitive Plant video. I like this first one much better than the second, although I wished I had "macro" on for this one for getting better resolution with the small leaves.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hope you like it!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Leah and Tabor, your host!</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxQZ7uOn1U351BCw4e5wavWl2oOL31RZjuHHphehufM1ASIFvLTO8mWQvC6E6nQgEbp71udtYkIlYVxnxusxg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-33406639540810202772008-07-10T19:18:00.000-07:002008-12-10T07:39:16.872-08:00The Mayan Ruins<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUw7Z0bVylVI8MvRQPo4qSf5sCYc-rMWWugQ8udm3_blQL2B0CSxedmLW8uNbsmCXZBvAaTeBKwTb3rV3086z6-ABtP8E3tbQa-8xOoEMhfxyEQF1wKFOTj-fP5G0b_emsPKEshE-6Xll/s1600-h/DSC00794.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221592946585088658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUw7Z0bVylVI8MvRQPo4qSf5sCYc-rMWWugQ8udm3_blQL2B0CSxedmLW8uNbsmCXZBvAaTeBKwTb3rV3086z6-ABtP8E3tbQa-8xOoEMhfxyEQF1wKFOTj-fP5G0b_emsPKEshE-6Xll/s320/DSC00794.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>On our last full day in Belize, Ray took us on a cross country tour. Pretty funny that you can do that in a single morning! </div><div></div><br /><div>We made a couple of stops, first stop was at this Amish place for breakfast. We had heard it was great food, but had never had the chance to stop. We read the breakfast menu and decided on breakfast burritos. Yeah, can't get enough tortillas! I was thinking of McDonald's breakfast burritos, and thought two of those for breakfast should be good. $7 for breakfast. That's $3.50 to you and me! Oh, and the burritos - not quite the size of Chipotle, but definitely 2-3 times a McDonald's one! Tabor and I shared one plate. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Next stop, Pastor Marcos' house. He is the pastor of the Nazarene church in the village of Armenia. I kept thinking "Albania? Argentina? Algeria?" It was humbling to be in his home. We walked down a path barely worn in the grass, past the mother hens and their offspring, running the other direction. We entered through the low door, into a two room home. The concrete floor was swept clean, and the two chairs looked comfortable, but well worn. The hammock was tied up toward the ceiling in an overhand knot, and the the thin mattress was against the wall for the day. We stepped down into the kitchen area. Against one wall, there was a small stove, and for a pantry, two short wooden shelves with some oil, seasonings, and a few items on the shelves. Out one door was a low shed - probably the chicken coop - and out the other, a small yard. Kittens dashed in and out, while Tabor held the mamma cat on his lap, stroking her contendly.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div>In this 'kitchen' area, there was no table. But, in the middle of the room, was another hammock, cradling the smallish frame of the pastor, in black pants and blue short sleeve shirt. He has had a fever for five days, with death a real possibility. Justa, his wife, told us of how she spent the night watching him, and then at 1:30 in the morning, he began to shake with chills. She covered him with her body, to try to warm him. There were no blankets in sight. I could sense her helplessness in recounting her night of "in sickness and in health." </div><br /><br /><div></div><div>We prayed with Pastor Marcos before we left, and trusted for God to heal him, whether by supernatural intervention, or by a doctor's hand. He needs two surgeries - one for a cyst on his liver, and another to have gall stones removed. The doctors won't see him until he pays for half of the surgeries up front. He doesn't have the money. $10,000? No. $5,000? No. $1000? No. Four hundred dollars. Two surgeries for $400. That's less than what I would have to pay for surgery for my dog. Or even a root canal. Or some weekends at the mall. That's some food for thought.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div>Next stop - Belmopan and the Art Box. The art box is a shop run by Christians, so we are encouraged to support them. BEAUTIFUL handcrafted wood products are a highlight. You can check out their website via Ray's blog - he gets a percentage of sales if you click through from his - <a href="http://www.neusnews.blogspot.com/">http://www.neusnews.blogspot.com/</a></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>Ray had to stop in Belmopan to get his cell phone activated, then we were finally on our way to the 'main attraction' of the day - Xunantunich - a Mayan ruin just 8 miles from Guatemala. What a spectacular site! I love old architecture, so this was right up my alley. And did I mention, it was also quite a workout!</div><br /><div></div><div>We went to Benny's for lunch, an outdoor place that has great food - looks funny, tastes great. We stopped by the camp where my mom will be spending next week, helping to train teachers for children. We swung by the local naz church where they were working on the ceiling, then headed back to Belmopan for ray's phone. And some bolts. Tabor and I explored another market. Gas is so expensive, you have to cover lots of errands in a single trip.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIIPoytTCmkES_8FCCEOjKLvwEaz0KLUPjiTZBMkhb4SIMeeKKxV-yJ0icdjh33KMbF6igAAuxfj-7kCo8Us5AY2MaL6aLVF7zr-wtgo9S8rlv1-4p3I8uFVFZRTHiba1M7hd3YIkj_6F/s1600-h/DSC00818.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221591849891417138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIIPoytTCmkES_8FCCEOjKLvwEaz0KLUPjiTZBMkhb4SIMeeKKxV-yJ0icdjh33KMbF6igAAuxfj-7kCo8Us5AY2MaL6aLVF7zr-wtgo9S8rlv1-4p3I8uFVFZRTHiba1M7hd3YIkj_6F/s320/DSC00818.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>We went back through Armenia to see how Pastor marcos was doing, and he was at least in the chair, which we took as a good sign. He had received some antibiotics the day before, so they were beginning to help. We were also surprised to see the church next door teeming with 75 children there for vacation bible school!! It was exciting to see the volunteers, and to hear them speak of how great God is. One of the ladies is from Florida, and came to help her daughter and son-in-law hold this bible school for the kids. Two of the kids were left locked in their home all day while the parents worked - young kids. Another pair of brothers couldn't attend until they finished their work, so they went to the markets at 4am to finish by 8 am. Wow. Again, we seem so lazy in comparison.</div><br /><div></div><div>Finally, we made it back to the camp, and Remigia had made pizza for our "last supper." I had asked for her to make something that we could all share, including her family. Her three sons had all come for an extended visit, along with a new grandbaby. We had a great time, and Tabor taught Felize how to play "Battleship". </div><br /><br /><div></div><div>This entry is so long! Thanks for sticking with it to the end. Here are some great views from the top of Xunantunich.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjNsOvIobsypfGqOckVnOaDVNCmR5v2z_LedvnFrQQjBR9WPQucnN4qL25pBLISONg7bVD5i-cRdWQM8rp8HzRLUHD1ep-riQ7HMEn2HeJuGkN3ohcCMGj6aIFE6vIdqPXPFGmfZqp4_p/s1600-h/DSC00802.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221587697232061746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjNsOvIobsypfGqOckVnOaDVNCmR5v2z_LedvnFrQQjBR9WPQucnN4qL25pBLISONg7bVD5i-cRdWQM8rp8HzRLUHD1ep-riQ7HMEn2HeJuGkN3ohcCMGj6aIFE6vIdqPXPFGmfZqp4_p/s320/DSC00802.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlggsAv-cPySTTD27rZvplLszN-MFJUlvdCi9jQGJhe_Qe6ka7ivya62ed0lVaMxAYSVEgRpIuJtnFaHo2odzexWYj7sF0ZbJqP0Joj2oP1WBAY8x5KRMKcekxASCZ4dk76b-hBffNbI9i/s1600-h/DSC00803.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221588360657701794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlggsAv-cPySTTD27rZvplLszN-MFJUlvdCi9jQGJhe_Qe6ka7ivya62ed0lVaMxAYSVEgRpIuJtnFaHo2odzexWYj7sF0ZbJqP0Joj2oP1WBAY8x5KRMKcekxASCZ4dk76b-hBffNbI9i/s320/DSC00803.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Leah and Tabor</div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-8664419014754099312008-07-07T13:30:00.000-07:002008-12-10T07:39:17.186-08:00Scorpion count - 1, Spider Count - 2, Gecko - 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bDa5FmAQF6Olf3ga9RjUM_cJgjysF0IzxWNZmLEWAch0DhMjBL9PXeFfK0H3c7tXlu_69ODiH_aQ8ugwijgfwrEBxwJ-5Uap04MfJr46zQ2o_ltzRTaOTzwtZdxnc7QKtp_9SCu0DaZm/s1600-h/DSC00768.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220379866025314274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bDa5FmAQF6Olf3ga9RjUM_cJgjysF0IzxWNZmLEWAch0DhMjBL9PXeFfK0H3c7tXlu_69ODiH_aQ8ugwijgfwrEBxwJ-5Uap04MfJr46zQ2o_ltzRTaOTzwtZdxnc7QKtp_9SCu0DaZm/s320/DSC00768.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Okay, last time I was in Belize, I kept a running total of the number of scorpions i killed. I made it up to 8. As of today, I've only whacked one. Disappointing.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Spiders - you know what's worse than finding a spider in the bathroom in the morning? Going back to get your shoe and not being able to find it!! I was getting ready on Saturday, did just that, and couldn't find the spider ANYWHERE!! I eyed my cosmetic bag, with the zipper undone, and thought, hmm, wonder if he's in there. I forgot about it, until I reached in and he came flying out. EWWWWWW!! Yes, that gave me the heebie jeebies!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Oh, and about the gecko...it was an accident, and apparently, he was only MOSTLY dead. And as everyone knows, MOSTLY dead is SLIGHTLY ALIVE!! So, the gecko has been set free, and is scampering about, tailless. But i had nothing to do with that, that's how we found him.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-21467266323128226882008-07-05T19:43:00.000-07:002008-12-10T07:39:17.883-08:00Just a couple of pictures for you!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSufg7p6CjwbqxRA2RhOQSryqw5PnqtPoyEgaeFGLbC0NiQI79B5g2lkfqS2EAx8QF20_XJd7hdkGYZaQmYTvCYo4H3RkV5XUpCjUq3b02GGfRp5VhvpI21kGZ6MUazzR5z241vHKC-VW/s1600-h/DSC00714.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219730068274882242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSufg7p6CjwbqxRA2RhOQSryqw5PnqtPoyEgaeFGLbC0NiQI79B5g2lkfqS2EAx8QF20_XJd7hdkGYZaQmYTvCYo4H3RkV5XUpCjUq3b02GGfRp5VhvpI21kGZ6MUazzR5z241vHKC-VW/s320/DSC00714.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div>This is Zoyla, the pastor's wife from Silk Grass. She's a quiet, petite woman, but I think she has an inner strength and wisdom that isn't visible to just anyone. She is a pillar in her community, and a wonderful example of love and humility. </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrinui0AsJnlpUA8gwHRuai1MK97Ffrwzo8sj_TZyrVp8Ty3r5TGB5IQp302nW6lpz4Py6dpJhHmnszkqkilT1VssTmRlVbq39bZtgVyxFHRCX9OTKmEUTu8-rQUx1I3AB9Cl5JO4kHZIG/s1600-h/DSC00728.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219731987446856498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrinui0AsJnlpUA8gwHRuai1MK97Ffrwzo8sj_TZyrVp8Ty3r5TGB5IQp302nW6lpz4Py6dpJhHmnszkqkilT1VssTmRlVbq39bZtgVyxFHRCX9OTKmEUTu8-rQUx1I3AB9Cl5JO4kHZIG/s320/DSC00728.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This is Margarita and her oldest daughter, Elsa. Elsa is 11 years old, outgoing, and very charming! Margarita has an endless smile and an open heart. She wants to see her church thrive, and is praying for a leader for Pomona.<br /></div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiADrjAeZC6sakUb557O8lcr0-C4ILYzXF6OJ3s0FT9MUGIb3_xEIaY6JR8f5u3XQAG8rYM3I6yojzoztOqGEtvzyMAG6o530lIhDf96ZmDZ3o7cY2SvJY7g4OJ_WZNkv7gdP0ZCWOz2z5/s1600-h/DSC00709.JPG"></a> </div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiADrjAeZC6sakUb557O8lcr0-C4ILYzXF6OJ3s0FT9MUGIb3_xEIaY6JR8f5u3XQAG8rYM3I6yojzoztOqGEtvzyMAG6o530lIhDf96ZmDZ3o7cY2SvJY7g4OJ_WZNkv7gdP0ZCWOz2z5/s1600-h/DSC00709.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219734678921194594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiADrjAeZC6sakUb557O8lcr0-C4ILYzXF6OJ3s0FT9MUGIb3_xEIaY6JR8f5u3XQAG8rYM3I6yojzoztOqGEtvzyMAG6o530lIhDf96ZmDZ3o7cY2SvJY7g4OJ_WZNkv7gdP0ZCWOz2z5/s320/DSC00709.JPG" border="0" /></a></div>These are Margarita's other two daughters - Myrna and Sandra. Myrna would NOT give up my camera yesterday, and insisted that we have our picture taken altogether. I taught her how to do a 'self portrait!'</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>It seems that the "bunny ear" thing is universal, and Myrna gets Tabor at his own game!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RQoCcjJNlNXi52uqHS_MBC2Y4bYc5f0GjQ4EnkTvtEjHEVHaEi7Yi1EtvAFeUoDbWbbvW60pb2KNsP7AUs2r76-77petA-AumL03kGsi8g6u_iR7jYCxBk6L7KnLXssPhT9rO3P_5MZA/s1600-h/DSC00739.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219737966520864322" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RQoCcjJNlNXi52uqHS_MBC2Y4bYc5f0GjQ4EnkTvtEjHEVHaEi7Yi1EtvAFeUoDbWbbvW60pb2KNsP7AUs2r76-77petA-AumL03kGsi8g6u_iR7jYCxBk6L7KnLXssPhT9rO3P_5MZA/s320/DSC00739.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-85701243304094476322008-07-05T18:55:00.000-07:002008-07-05T19:26:29.308-07:00Bandwidth issuesSorry to disappoint everyone, but we couldn't post the video - it timed out before it loaded. We'll be sure to do it when we get home!<br /><br />About today --<br /><br />This morning, I had my first experience of actually driving in a foreign country. I also picked up two sets of hitchhikers -- the first set was two young boys. Their father is a household caretaker in a village called Gale's Point, their mother lives in Hummingbird Village. Their mother is ill, and the boys were going to visit. They were YOUNG, maybe 15 and 12. And the one-way trip for them was about 30 miles. They hopped a ride on a tractor for part of the way, and I picked them up near the camp, and took them to the junction, where they planned to get a bus north. So, I took them about 7 miles down the "coastal highway". That's the name of it, but it resembles a US highway NOT in the least. Imagine a farm, where the owner has driven a tractor on it a few times -- that is BETTER than the HIGHWAY! <br /><br />Remember a couple of weeks ago, a tropical storm blew through, and then last Friday, the entire village flooded. Well, when that happens, the Coastal Highway becomes its own raging river, collecting water and funneling it toward the Mullins River. When that happens, the loose dirt is washed away, leaving open pits, huge rocks, and a 'washboard' effect on the road. You can make fun noises as you bump your way to the paved road 7 miles away. It takes about 20 minutes to make that trek. <br /><br />Today, I drove to the village of Silk Grass - with just Tabor - and picked up some ladies from the village that we learned with yesterday. They were so excited to go and meet with the ladies from Pomona. It was difficult to get them to start talking yesterday, but today, I asked 'who would like to tell the story today' and one of the ladies quickly volunteered. They truly want to learn how to tell stories, and make the gospel alive to those around them. I don't know how many times I heard today, "I want to learn!" It was very, very cool.<br /><br />We drove to Pomona, and met with four people there. We planned to tell new stories, but the ladies from yesterday wanted to tell the same stories so that they could learn them even better! Again, very, very cool. It was a great experience for all of us. Then, they started speaking in Mayan, which is easier for them. I'm hoping it wasn't because they wanted to leave me out. But I found myself just listening intently, hoping to catch a few words. If they don't have a mayan word for something, they often use English or perhaps a Spanish word, and I guess I somehow feel satisfied when I hear one of them say something I actually know. I know about 7 mayan words now, including a couple of fruits, how are you, I am fine, and I'm hungry. Just the niceties and the important things - feed me!<br /><br />Not so cool - trying to fit 13 people in a car made for 7!! We like to live by the philosophy, there's always room for one more. However, in this case, one more would have had to have been very small, or have to ride on the roof!! We were nearing that point!<br /><br />Okay, before everyone starts to go into shock that we were driving 13 people around in a car, we did drop off three of them before we got back on the highway. This is the Hummingbird Highway, however, which is actually paved. We tried to make it as smooth as possible for the girls in the back, but I couldn't guarantee it when we hit the sleeping policemen a little faster than we should have. Thank goodness the car is a rental - and Ray already cut the tires on the rocks on the Coastal Highway.<br /><br />On the way home, Tabor and I stopped at the local Shell station. We picked up some Coke Lights and a package of homemade cookies. We stopped and picked up a woman and her daughter, who were coming back from Belize City. They took part of the trip on the bus, and were hoping for a ride to where she had parked her bicycle. I told her I could take her as far as the bridge, and she said her bike was at the "spanish-people's house". Ironically, I KNEW exactly who the Spanish people were! They live right across from the camp where we are staying, so I took Phyllis and her daughter Elizabeth to the bike, and they rode the bike the rest of the way to Mullins River Village - maybe another 2 miles or so. <br /><br />Once we got back to camp, we made quesadillas with the tortillas left over from breakfast, and tried to post the video of tabor with his plant demo. It didn't work, as you know!<br /><br />Tabor helped Remigia in the kitchen, making mashed potatoes and cutting up a whole chicken. Yes, the kind with bones and all the parts attached! The potatoes were incredible. He also single-handedly made oatmeal cookies, AND lit the gas stove himself with the lighter. He's more confident already!<br /><br />Hmmmm...it just started pouring rain, and I am 40 feet from my room. Last night Tabor and I walked back without a flashlight. It is so incredibly dark here, that we LITERALLY could not see the house until we were 5 feet from it. I was absolutely amazed. I'm glad there was nothing lurking in the grass! Tonight, I remembered the flashlight, and Tabor has already gone back to get a shower for church tomorrow, so the lights are on. I think he likes not having to take a bath every day. No point here, really.<br /><br />Tabor played on the computer, and Ray and I played a word game, trying to see how many words we could make from the sign on the refridge. Try your hand at this yourself:<br /><br />Soda<br />Large Water<br />Small Water<br />No change please, only bills.<br />Thank you.<br /><br />Yes, you can only use the letters that are actually there - one i, no f's. I found out that Ray is a big fan of boggle, and 'slightly' competitive, so the two of us made this game last a lot longer than either of us thought. <br /><br />Did you find "egregious?" Yep, that's fun in the jungle!!<br /><br />Leah and TaborAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-66859700687375837842008-07-04T18:26:00.001-07:002008-07-04T18:44:26.692-07:00Happy July 4th!It's kind of interesting to be in another country for July 4th. I miss the fireworks, and as many of you know, I LOVE to be downtown in the middle of everything for Red White and Boom. Tabor and I wished each other a happy 4th, but that was the extent of the holiday celebrations. I guess we did get a little "fireworks" when we went to the local hot sauce factory, Marie Sharp's. GREAT STUFF. Tabor asked for a bottle small enough to carry on the airplane, so he could put it on his airline food. I didn't have the heart to tell him the hot sauce may not be that good on a bag of pretzels.<br /><br />Today we spent the day with the ladies in the church of Silk Grass. Eight women met with me and Tabor, and we talked about the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18. She was a woman with no status, having no husband to speak for her, coming to this powerful man. Yet because she believed so strongly in what she needed (justice), she came every day asking. What is so important in your life, that you will bring it up to God every day? Job? Circumstances? Love life? The one thing that kept coming up from the ladies today was that they pray for their families to see the love of Christ so that they will come to know Him. Good one!<br /><br />We took some of the ladies to another village (actually, most of them - 9 people in all in a Toyota XR-7), to invite ladies from that church to share in some stories tomorrow. The goal is to teach them how to do the stories, then they can share the stories with others. The Bible is full of treasures, if we take the time to look.<br /><br />Tabor is loving the plants and animals here. He discovered a plant that when you touch the leaves, it curls up. He knew all about this plant, having read about it in a book. But today, he discovered that if you touch the stem, the stem actually wilts too. He said that this is the plant's defense mechanism, so that it looks unappetizing to herbivores (his words). We got a demonstration and commentary on my camera, but I didn't have the chip in. We still got it, but it's on the camera memory and I don't have a way to put it on my computer yet. I'll try to see if he can give another demo, then post it to the blog.<br /><br />Guess what was for dinner? Yep, chicken and rice!! It was great! It was cooked with carrots, onions, green peppers, and some of the spice from Marie Sharp's. I picked some up today, so I'll be sure to try this one out on the unsuspecting people at home! <br /><br />Tabor is making our tortillas for breakfast tomorrow. He also learned how to light a gas stove with a match. He doesn't like anything potentially dangerous, so this was a big step for him. However, he is very adept at scrambled eggs, and this morning was no exception. Oh, did I mention the mangoes? They were "okay" by Belizian standards, but out of this world for central Ohio! <br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to check out the blog. More later!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-47914838799657210102008-07-03T18:30:00.000-07:002008-12-10T07:39:18.157-08:00Stay away from RED ANTS!!<div>Tabor and I arrived without incident in Belize yesterday (Wednesday) at around 11am. We got through customs with minimal invasion, and proceded to the airport, which is essentially one big room with ticket counters (for Continental, Tropic Air, and Mayan Air). A separate terminal holds American Airlines. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We checked in for our 'connecting flight' on a Cessna Grand Caravan. And yes, it did frighten me that the airplane and a Dodge share the same name. You could, however, fit more people comfortably in the Dodge, even without the third row seats. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Before departing, however, we went to the airport restaurant for our last cheeseburger and fries for at least a week. Oh, and a Coke "light". Not diet. It kind of tastes like Tab, if you're old enough to remember it before it was an energy drink.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So we fly without incident (minor turbulance, and some minutes of being enveloped in clouds) from Belize City to Dangriga. The dangriga "airport" consists of a landing strip (don't overshoot it or you'll be in the Caribe) and two building, each about 10x12. One is the "terminal" for Tropic Air, the other for Mayan Air. It's the funniest thing -- the pilot lands, drives toward this little one room building on stilts, buzzes around, and lets you out - but you have to crawl over all the people sitting behind you, which for tabor and me, was everyone. Lots more room in the minivan, I assure you, but we still had 12 people in there!!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Oh, and "baggage claim" -- some guys grab your bags from under the plane and throw them over a split-rail fence. Then you walk down the 30 foot-long driveway to your car!! It certainly is different. I didn't ask about their frequent flier plan.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The good news is that plane trip saved us about 3 hours in a van. The plane ride was about 12 minutes. Good trade.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Ray Neu, the missionary here, picked us up (by the split rail fence) and we went to the local market. This is best described as flies, fruits, and fun in the humidity, under tarps. We got some great stuff, though. Delicious pineapple that we had with lunch today, mangoes, and tomatoes - completely free of e Coli. (I hope). Then, to the grocery. There were some things that we are used to seeing, including Betty Crocker frosting, and things we aren't, like weird parts of chicken in a freezer. Oh, and it's not like Walmart's freezer with the glass doors to look through. It's 3 of these big freezer chests lined up, with a hand made sign telling you what's in it. Shrimp, chicken, beef, french fries, and ice cream. But not necessarily visible. You have to dig for it! There was not a "Lean Cuisine" or Healthy Choice meal in sight!! Boy, am I in trouble! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We arrived at the camp to familiar faces, and settled in. Tabor and I are in our own little dorm, instead of one of the big dorms down the hill. The caretakers, Ray the missionary, and the dining room are all within 50 yards of us. That's a little safer than us being down and around the bend. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today, we helped clean the windows of the house, scraping off concrete and paint, so that the 'burglar bars' could be put up. Tabor got tired of that after about the second window, so after lunch, he and Ray filled 5 gallon buckets with rocks to fill in the mud puddles in the drive. Not only does it keep you from getting stuck in the mud, it hopefully will prevent mosquitoes from breeding there. Not like they don't have plenty of OTHER places.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Which leads me to the next topic of the day - bug bites. I have no idea how many I have, but apparently, bottle flies think I am very tasty. You can't feel them biting, but they draw blood, so you know they've been there. I had no fewer than 7 sites on my right shin alone, and three on my elbow. I'm trying to figure out why elbows are so tasty, but I haven't a clue.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mosquitoes - probably at least 20 bites, and the 100% deet was not that much of a deterrent. </div><br /><div>And fire ants -- yeah, not pleasant. I stepped near some while I was working, and before I knew it, my feet were covered, and I was bitten at least 12 times. I don't mind the bugs here - I've seen the scorpions and lots of spiders, and even leaf cutter ants - I just don't like the ones that attack me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>After we finished working, we came back to the house, and Felize, the camp caretaker, came knocking on our door. We heard earlier in the day the call of toucans (yes, those toucans), and he had us come look! There was one in a tree near the house, but pretty high up. It's call sounds a lot like a frog, and it was calling for neighbors, because in a matter of about 20 seconds, there were 4 toucans in a tree! It was so cool!!</div><div></div><br /><div>Unfortunately, my camera is not powerful enough t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d0ZpIzeH9a6TO4Oj2uKnPOY5L_zJQOUjB86MmJ-xJCclum_K_Ulma-lqSpYuLcZlmYVAr4LHjCu8DmvehEOvPPmRAOdWYzWkVoZGo61ZdqzuvjwaOdarSXCxiSAB9kaoxFjdB3wiVzAH/s1600-h/DSC00700.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218973991194900610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d0ZpIzeH9a6TO4Oj2uKnPOY5L_zJQOUjB86MmJ-xJCclum_K_Ulma-lqSpYuLcZlmYVAr4LHjCu8DmvehEOvPPmRAOdWYzWkVoZGo61ZdqzuvjwaOdarSXCxiSAB9kaoxFjdB3wiVzAH/s320/DSC00700.JPG" border="0" /></a>o get a good picture, but Felize lent us his binoculars, and Tabor figured out that we could take the picture through the binoculars. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It's 8pm in the jungle, and I am exhausted. I am looking forward to the shower, even if it is cold, and crawling into bed. Tomorrow, we will be up at 6am, breakfast at 7, and on our way to Silk Grass to teach some women at the local church about Bible storying. I am a little nervous about it, but I think it will be just fine!!</div><br /><div></div><div>Leah and Tabor</div><br /><div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068589046192085652.post-596192210079791462008-06-23T14:03:00.000-07:002008-06-23T14:05:26.832-07:00Welcome to my blog!You would think that after 12 years in the technology biz, that I would be a little more "in the know" when it comes to blogging. Sadly, no. But, I'm starting some pretty cool adventures, and in order to share my experiences with my friends and strangers, I'll be posting messages here!<br /><br />I look forward to your comments!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590992829679741923noreply@blogger.com0