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!
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.
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!
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).
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?
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.
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.
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.
If you are reading the blog, and enjoy it, please send an email to us: leahkm@ameritech.net. 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!!
Leah and Tabor
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Great Girlfriend Giveaway!
Hi all!
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!
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!!
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!!
Call me, or just show up Saturday, July 26th at 6pm!! 614-783-5529
Thanks everyone!!
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?
Visit the link below, and thanks so much for considering it!
Leah
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=258537&lis=0&kntae258537=B8933C36A99B4670932A6195446A5CFA
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!
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!!
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!!
Call me, or just show up Saturday, July 26th at 6pm!! 614-783-5529
Thanks everyone!!
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?
Visit the link below, and thanks so much for considering it!
Leah
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=258537&lis=0&kntae258537=B8933C36A99B4670932A6195446A5CFA
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The VIDEO you've been waiting for!!
Hi All!!
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.
Hope you like it!!
Leah and Tabor, your host!
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.
Hope you like it!!
Leah and Tabor, your host!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Mayan Ruins
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!
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.
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.
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."
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.
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 - http://www.neusnews.blogspot.com/
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!
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.
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.
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".
This entry is so long! Thanks for sticking with it to the end. Here are some great views from the top of Xunantunich.
Leah and Tabor
Monday, July 7, 2008
Scorpion count - 1, Spider Count - 2, Gecko - 1
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.
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!
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.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Just a couple of pictures for you!
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.
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.
Bandwidth issues
Sorry 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!
About today --
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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:
Soda
Large Water
Small Water
No change please, only bills.
Thank you.
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.
Did you find "egregious?" Yep, that's fun in the jungle!!
Leah and Tabor
About today --
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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:
Soda
Large Water
Small Water
No change please, only bills.
Thank you.
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.
Did you find "egregious?" Yep, that's fun in the jungle!!
Leah and Tabor
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