Last Sunday in Mango Creek

My parents arrived safe and sound on Thursday evening. After a long 12 hour trip from Calgary to Belize via Houston (and almost missing their flight in Houston), I met them at the airstrip in Placencia and helped them settle into the hotel we are staying at. It is so nice to have family here, someone to share my experience with, and talk about what I've been doing, introduce them to people that I've been telling them about all summer, take them to the resturaunts I've been scoping out for their arrival, getting them to eat some of the Belizean Cuisine that I have fallen in love with over the last 3 months. It's been so wonderful and refreshing to have them here. I need to keep reminding myself that it's hot down here and that we need to take it slow. Over the last 3 months I've gotten used to working in the heat and can go all day running errands and taking little breaks here and there. On Friday morning, we were scheduled to go snorkeling but we canceled it because the folks were still pretty exhausted from their trip. So we Hokey Pokied it over to Mango Creek. I took them to the rectory and the church, introduced them to my neighbour Mr. Peter's, and we walked around town really slowly. It nearly killed them. I tends to get hotter in land because of the lack of sea and it got hotter the longer we were in Mango Creek. Let's just say my parents slept incredibly well from their exposure to the sun and the walking that they did :) The last couple of days have been spent lazing around Placencia, I've been taking advantage of the souvenier shops and stalking up on souvy's that I've been eyeing up all summer. I was walking down the sidewalk the other day and looking at some paintings, I really wanted to find a small painting that I could bring home with me to remind me of Belize. I just so happened to bump into an artist who had said if I would like, he would paint me an original picture for me before I leave the Penisula on Tuesday...I jumped on the offer, and am waiting anxiously to pick it up!!! The lazy days have been glorious, I'm finding myself to be freezing my butt off in the hotel room that my parents booked. We purposely got AC with the room so that they would be comfortable. When they come into the room they lay out on the bed and soak in the airconditioning....when I come in, I jump into my bed and cover myself up with the sheets and 2 blankets that are in the room. We've got it all working well. The AC is blowing directly on them, and I'm sleeping in the bed farthest away from the machine. I'm so screwed when I get back to Canada!!

So technically last Sunday (July 27) was my last Sunday in Mango Creek and Placencia. But both parishes wanted to do a farewell service for me together before I left. So I told them that I would be happy to lead another one yesterday (August 3). I must admit, Saturday evening I was not looking forward to it, just because I was supposed to be on "holiday" with my parents but I was still thinking about work, so it was just frustrating. The parishioners had decided to invite Placencia congregation to Mango Creek for my last service and then have a big lunch and dessert afterwards. After 3 months of an average of 20 people in Placencia and 5 in Mango Creek, I wasn't expecting a big crowd yesterday. I was blown away, when at 10am people were still coming into the church. It was full, everyone had to share hymnals and prayer books. There were people there who I had met on the street in Mango Creek, but had never come to church and decided to come and worship with us for my final service.....even my neighbour Mr. Peter's, whose not a church goer but has been looking after me all summer came for the service. And the food was never ending. About 6 members of Mango Creek looked after the main meal, while Placencia looked after dessert. The food didn't look like much, but it seriously never ended. It was a wonderful coincidence that the Gospel for Sunday was the feeding of the five thousand. And just as the five thousand came together as a community to eat together and worship together, so to did people from Placencia, Mango Creek and Canada at St. Michael's. I couldn't help but be filled with joy as I led the service and looked up at the front pew that was saved for all of the food! It was an absolutely wonderful day. My parents said afterwards that they feel bad, because they feel as if they're taking me away from my home. Belize has become home. I've been very persistent in telling parishioners that I will absolutely be back. I want to come back to continue in mission and to visit my family in Belize. They have been such a blessing. Their hospitality and love have helped Mango Creek and Placencia to become home, and they have truly helped my experience to be an enriching and fulfilling one as I have witnessed Christ at work in their lives.

So today I feel like I'm officially on holiday. No sermon or service to worry about. My parents and I had booked a tour to see the Mayan Site Xunantunich (shoo-nawn-too-nich) but it poured last night, and when we woke up it was still super cloudy. Our tour guide phoned us at 5 this morning and suggested that we make our way to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Reserve. He was worried that with all of the rain that we had, had the potential rain to come that we might end up getting stranded on the north side of the river where the Kendal Bridge was washed away. We agreed and instead took a trip to the Wildlife Sanctuary. We enjoyed a fun, and educational tour through the Rainforest by our tour guide Ems. (If you are ever in Placencia and you want a great tour guide you need contact me and I'll give you Ems number....he was AMAZING!!!) We then enjoyed a wonderful Rice and Bean lunch and then we headed back into the rainforest our final destination - WATERFALL!!! We enjoyed the most refreshing swim in the pool. (Coldest swim ever for me). We even got to enjoy a natural back massage from the waterfall. Ems made his way beside the falls, and we followed him and sat under it with our back towards the falls....it was glorious!!!

We just returned. My parents are showering, I'm running a couple of errands and may go and enjoy a quick dip in the ocean before I bath. The week has been wonderful and relaxing. We are scheduled to head up to Belize City on Wednesday. I've convinced my parents to take the Express Bus that way they can really see the country...and it gives me one more countryside drive before I leave. I can't wait. Once in the city, we will take a day trip to Caye Caulker, one of my absolute favourite places down here (aside from Placencia and Mango Creek) and then out to Jaguar Paw with Dawn Sampson. Our final night here, we are going to enjoy a nice dinner with the Sampson Family. I can't wait!!! I'll try and post again soon with updates as to how our adventures have been. So far, it's been great....it's always a hoot having the Alberta Hillbillies visit me in foreign lands!!!