It's All In the Hips Baby!!

I enjoyed a fun filled evening at a fundraising event for the Friends and Supporters of the Diocese of Belize (FSDB) which is an organization that raises funds or the Anglican Schools in the Diocese and also recognizes outstanding individuals in the Diocese around the country who offer their time and talents to the Diocese of Belize! It was a wonderful evening of eating, drinking and dancing....yip.....I danced!!!

I was super excited to go to this event. For the first time all summer I was going to be able to dress up, do my hair and make up and enjoy the elegance of the evening. I caught the 7:30 express bus from Independence to Belize and made my way on what I realized could very well be my last bus ride across the country. Learning from the last express bus ride I took, I packed a sweater with me as to not freeze my booty off because of the A/C. Good idea...I got weird looks from the tourists, but I was warm and that's all that mattered!!!

I arrived in the city, Lorna and Dawn Sampson picked me up and I spent the day chilling out with them at their place trying to not to show too much excitement for the evening....and secretly counting down the minutes until I got to get ready!!! So 5:30 rolled around and I hopped in the shower, got dress and went to do my hair and make up. My hair has gotten quite long over the last couple of months, and I have worn it in a pony tail every day since I arrived. I didn't bring a curling iron or blow dryer because...well why? So I let my hair air dry, stuck a head band in it, and left it at that. Not too hard....I still know how to get ready for a fancy night. Piece of cake. Then I pulled out the make up. And must admit I had flash backs to the first time I ever put make up on in Middle School. I don't know if it's just me, but I remember being so excited to be allowed to wear it, but when it came time to actually put it on, I was a bit nervous. How different was it going to make me look? That's exactly what I was feeling last night. I had to laugh. I was so nervous that I was going to poke my eye out with the mascara after not using it for 3 months. I'm happy to report that the mission was accomplished and I still have both of my eyes!!!

I arrived at the Biltmore just after 6:30 and as I entered the ballroom where the event was taking place, the Emcee announced my arrival. "We would like to welcome Deacon Chelsy Stevens presently Deacon in Charge at Independence and Placencia." Wasn't expecting that, and may have turned a bit red. Found out shortly after that they introduced all of the clergy that walked in as they walked in as well as the Governor General and the Prime Minister!

As I sat at my table I was overcome with joy to see a bunch of Steel Drums waiting to be played....I was so excited!! And as soon as the orchestra began to play I couldn't keep my eyes off of the them. This instrument has such a soft and welcoming sound to it, and you can't help but be over come with happiness when watching the musicians play as they move to the beat of the song they are playing. It's captivating. And I said to one of my parishioners....."I so wanna learn how to play that!" The Steel Drum Orchestra serenaded us over dinner. Dinner was followed by awareds to individuals who have offered of their time and talents to community, school and church in Belize. My good friend Sue Harris from Monkey River was one of the Honorees!!

After the awards were concluded, and the drum orchestra had cleaned up. The live band set up to get ready for the dance. This was the point of the evening that I had been dreading. I thought I was a good dancer, and maybe according to Canadian standards, I am, but I was convinced I wasn't going to meet the requirements of "Good Belizean Dancer." The music started and I slowly sipped on my glass of water as I watched the dance floor quickly fill up. Within a minute and a half of the music starting.....more then half of the assembly was up and dancing. Men, women, young and old, clergy, the Governor General and the Prime Minister were up shaking it. Sue came up to me after about 5 minutes and pulled me up to dance. And I didn't stop. It was awesome no one cared what you looked like and everyone was having a grand time. It was so much fun. And to my surpirse I didn't feel like a complete idiot...I may have looked like it but know one drew attention to it!!

By 11:00 I decided to call it a night as I needed to catch an 8am flight to Mango Creek to lead Sunday Service. I phoned Joe Sampson to pick me up. While I was waiting at the front entrance of the hotel, 2 members of the Cathedral who I've met in passing a few times came up to me and said, "You look like you were having fun out there!" I told them I had a blast. The man piped up and said, "You are a really great dancer!" I just about kissed, that made my night...I told him I had been so worried about looking like an idiot cause Canadian dancing is a bit different from Belizean dancing where hips and pelvises are used a lot! He replied, "Well, it's all in the hips baby, and you were definitley know how to work your hips!!" BooYah!!! It was a great night....and the couple laughed really hard when I told them that I was going to go back to Canada and teach people how to dance like a Belizean...they thought it was awesome!!! Looks like the few dancing lessons from Miss Lorna and the children in the village paid off!!

I'm heading over to Placencia this evening to lead an evening Eucharist service. I'll stay the night and then head back to Mango Creek tomorrow morning. This week is going to be pretty low key as I need to clean the rectory, work on a report for the internship and say good bye to people. We'll see how it goes!! Continue to keep the people of Belize in your prayers, particularly the south as the shortage of clergy is very noticeable...after I leave there will be 9 parishes without clergy and one clergy that is relatively close (between 40 minutes to a few hours drive away.)