Hey Folks,
So I experienced my first circus. I must admit, I never thought the first time I would be at Circus would be performed by Guatemalans in Spanish in Mango Creek, Belize, but there you have it. The whole thing was in Spanish...didn't understand a word, but thouroughly enjoyed it! Shanton, was so excited for me to go. He's seen the circus twice already so he kept telling me what was going to happen next and looking over at me during the funny parts to check out my reaction. It was really cute. The circus was better than I thought it was going to be. Trapeze(sp?) artists, tigers, llamas, ponies, camels, dirt bikes in big metal balls, sword throwing, clowns and tones more. It was great, I'm really glad I went, it was a great time!!
Today was a brilliantly laid back Belizean day for me. A kind of day that I don't ever remember enjoying while I was here last summer, probably because I was so worried about making sure I was doing work while I was here. I woke up this morning earlier then I had planned because of the time of the sunrise which is 5:30am - the sun is usually fully in the sky by 6:00am which is the time I woke up. I bathed and then ate with the Longsworths. I had a conference call with a committee that I'm on back in Toronto at 8:30am which I attended and then the rest of the day was mine. I had absolutely nothing planned, and kept it that way. The temperature was high 80's low 90's however it was really windy which made the temperature perfect. I sat outside in the sun took in as much vitamin D as I could. After about 45 minutes I started to get tired of reading and laid on the hammock for a while. Last summer I never was able to have a decent nap in a hammock, probably because I had so much on my mind. With nothing to distract me I had the most glorious nap of my life in Miss Lorna's hammock this morning. Apparently there was a tone of people walking past me with packages for the Longsworth's, I didn't hear a thing.
The rest of my day was spent, making my way between the couch and the hammock with my book. It's been unbelievably glorious - I LOVE IT!! I got a little stir crazy this afternoon so I hopped on my old bike and took a ride to the store to pick myself up a little treat....Plantain Chips, they were great!! I forgot how much I liked them! I came back to Miss Lorna's and spent the rest of the day on the deck with Miss Lorna and Teacher Shirley (Lorna's daughter-in-law) who lives next door. It was a great afternoon.
If the weather holds out, Shanton, Miss Lorna and I will be making our way over to Placencia to enjoy time on the beach. I also hope to catch up with the Villafrano's who live under the rectory at Placencia. Their youngest Beyonce was one of the little girls who spent a bunch of time last year trying to teach me how to dance like a Belizean. Joseph, her father, e-mailed me to tell me she's got a few more moves to show me. We'll see if I can learn them!
Sunday I will go to church at St. Michael's and then take a trip out to Monkey River for the evening to spend some time with Sue Harris and her husband. I will return to Mango Creek on Monday early afternoon. So if you don't hear from me on Sunday it's because I don't have internet access. Monkey River is very small (pop. 400) and it's about a half an hour drive through the jungle, so it's a little secluded, I cannot wait!!
Please continue to pray for the Diocese of Belize. They have a real shortage of clergy people here, clergy are looking after many parishes, up to nine in some areas. The thought of it exhausts me. However their faith is so apparent and strong, it is incredibly encouraging and reminds me everyday as to why I love it here and the people here. They are constantly proclaiming the word of God and allowing the light of Christ to shine through them through their actions of hospitality, and their ability to share their love for Christ with each other! What a wonderful blessing!!!
Until tomorrow, take care!!
Chelsy
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Home SWEET Home
My morning began bright and early, 6:00am to be exact, the sun was well into the sky by that time. It was glorious. I stayed with Dawn and Ralph Sampson and had a wonderful wonderful evening. It was pretty laid back, we watched t.v and ate cheesecake. Dawn and I ended up being locked out of the house for about 45 minutes and had to wait outside for Ralph to come home. While we waited she asked her neighbour if she could make the cheesecake from the package that we bought at the grocery store, she said absolutely and we enjoyed just before bed. It was great.
Dawn drove me to the airport this morning at 8:30 so I could catch my 9am flight to Savannah (Mango Creek) however, my 9am flight was actually at 10 so I had to wait around for a bit which was no bother for me, got to read a book FOR FUN which was glorious. I arrived in Mango Creek and was greeted by Miss Lorna Longsworth. She looks great it was so great to see her. As we drove into town, I couldn't help but continue to feel like I was coming home!! We dropped my stuff off at her house and waited around for Shanton (her grandson) to come home. She was telling me that all last night he kept asking where I was, who was picking me up, and when I was going to arrive. So I waited in anticipation for him. As soon as I saw him I almost started to cry, he has grown so much and his smile was contagious. What a wonderful strong young man. In the last year he has gone through a lot. Shortly after I left Mango Creek, Shanton's mother who I got to know quite well passed away suddenly. Miss Lorna has said it's been a hard year for him, but that he has been doing well. She also said that when he found out I was coming he was incredibly excited, and that she hasn't seen him smile this much since I was here last. It's been great to see him and chat with him. I missed him and Miss Lorna tremendously.
Miss Lorna took me around town to say hello to friends that I haven't seen. One of these people included Mr. Peter's my neighbour who kept an eye on me all summer last summer. He told me he's going to come to church on Sunday, it's going to be great!!!
I found out that school is out tomorrow as it is the last Friday of the month and they don't have school. So Miss Lorna and I made a trip to IPS to see some of the kids. I must admit I was expecting the kids to make noise and run to give me a hug. It wasn't like that at all. When I walked into their classrooms their expressions resembled that of a deer caught in the head-lights. It looked like they had seen a ghost. They were incredibly shy and didn't say much. It was a bit awkward. However......I knew them well enough to know how to break the ice......I simply held out my hand in preparation to receive a high five and they raced to me. It was great. Their faces lit up, and they demonstrated their high fiving skills for me. They haven't lost it. God continues to be at work here. Mango Creek does not have full time clergy. Fr. Gordon who is full time in Placencia comes to Mango Creek once a month to do Eucharist, all of the other Sundays Miss Lorna leads. I will be joining her this Sunday. I'm very excited.
There is also Circus in town. Miss Lorna, Shanton, Miss Shirley (Lorna's daughter-in-law) and I are going to attend. I'm really looking forward to it. It's just across the way from the Longsworth's, so all afternoon I've been listening to the Lion and Tigers roaring. It will be a fun evening. Not quite sure what tomorrow will hold, haven't thought that far ahead, and probably won't until tomorrow. I envision a lot of reading in the hammock on Miss Lorna's deck - about 3 hours of my day were spent in that hammock today.....BEAUTIFUL!!!!
It's been really great seeing people here. Mango Creek is small enough that people still remember me, we've kind of picked up where we left off....and I really like being able to do that with people. It really is home for me and the people here have become family. What a wonderful gift and blessing to have!!
It's 6:00pm and it's pitch dark outside which means it's time for me to bath and get ready to go to the circus with the Longsworths! As always take care and talk to you tomorrow!!!!
In Christ,
C.
Dawn drove me to the airport this morning at 8:30 so I could catch my 9am flight to Savannah (Mango Creek) however, my 9am flight was actually at 10 so I had to wait around for a bit which was no bother for me, got to read a book FOR FUN which was glorious. I arrived in Mango Creek and was greeted by Miss Lorna Longsworth. She looks great it was so great to see her. As we drove into town, I couldn't help but continue to feel like I was coming home!! We dropped my stuff off at her house and waited around for Shanton (her grandson) to come home. She was telling me that all last night he kept asking where I was, who was picking me up, and when I was going to arrive. So I waited in anticipation for him. As soon as I saw him I almost started to cry, he has grown so much and his smile was contagious. What a wonderful strong young man. In the last year he has gone through a lot. Shortly after I left Mango Creek, Shanton's mother who I got to know quite well passed away suddenly. Miss Lorna has said it's been a hard year for him, but that he has been doing well. She also said that when he found out I was coming he was incredibly excited, and that she hasn't seen him smile this much since I was here last. It's been great to see him and chat with him. I missed him and Miss Lorna tremendously.
Miss Lorna took me around town to say hello to friends that I haven't seen. One of these people included Mr. Peter's my neighbour who kept an eye on me all summer last summer. He told me he's going to come to church on Sunday, it's going to be great!!!
I found out that school is out tomorrow as it is the last Friday of the month and they don't have school. So Miss Lorna and I made a trip to IPS to see some of the kids. I must admit I was expecting the kids to make noise and run to give me a hug. It wasn't like that at all. When I walked into their classrooms their expressions resembled that of a deer caught in the head-lights. It looked like they had seen a ghost. They were incredibly shy and didn't say much. It was a bit awkward. However......I knew them well enough to know how to break the ice......I simply held out my hand in preparation to receive a high five and they raced to me. It was great. Their faces lit up, and they demonstrated their high fiving skills for me. They haven't lost it. God continues to be at work here. Mango Creek does not have full time clergy. Fr. Gordon who is full time in Placencia comes to Mango Creek once a month to do Eucharist, all of the other Sundays Miss Lorna leads. I will be joining her this Sunday. I'm very excited.
There is also Circus in town. Miss Lorna, Shanton, Miss Shirley (Lorna's daughter-in-law) and I are going to attend. I'm really looking forward to it. It's just across the way from the Longsworth's, so all afternoon I've been listening to the Lion and Tigers roaring. It will be a fun evening. Not quite sure what tomorrow will hold, haven't thought that far ahead, and probably won't until tomorrow. I envision a lot of reading in the hammock on Miss Lorna's deck - about 3 hours of my day were spent in that hammock today.....BEAUTIFUL!!!!
It's been really great seeing people here. Mango Creek is small enough that people still remember me, we've kind of picked up where we left off....and I really like being able to do that with people. It really is home for me and the people here have become family. What a wonderful gift and blessing to have!!
It's 6:00pm and it's pitch dark outside which means it's time for me to bath and get ready to go to the circus with the Longsworths! As always take care and talk to you tomorrow!!!!
In Christ,
C.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I'm back in Belize baby!!!
Hey All,
I made it safely to Belize today. I arrived just before 3:00pm Belize time (5:00pm Toronto time). The trip was tiring. I was up at 4:00am in order to get ready and get my stuff together to be to the airport on time.
I must admit, a big part of me was hesitant to come. Part of me wished I didn't plan to come and I was regretting making the decision to come here. Mainly because there are so many people at Wycliffe who are not going to be there when I get back, and I will not be able to say good-bye properly to them. So the trip itself was not the greatest as I was feeling like I was just coming to Belize to get away from saying good-bye, to get away from feelings about finishing up my degree and transitioning into work in Edmonton. That being said, it wasn't until the plane was flying over the Caribbean Sea and over the countryside of Belize that I started to get excited. The closer we came to the ground the more detail you could see in the trees. You could see the different features of the palm trees from others. The closer we got to the ground the more excited I got. I walked through the plane and walked down the stairs onto the plane runway, the heat and humidity of Belize hit me and I felt like I had just come home, I was home!!
Lorna Sampson and her grand-daughter met me at the airport and we took a nice long drive through the city. It is a really neat experience to come back to a place that you once lived and that has become home, to see what has changed, and you make a big deal out of things that others would not. For example, consturction that was happening around Belize City has been finished and dirty, dusty, pot-holey roads are paved. I was so excited by this. A park in the middle of Belize City where a lot of homeless people took up residence has been renovated, re-painted, and now is a clean park for Belizeans to hang out, again super excited by this. The Sampson children are growing, Dawn and Ralph (Lorna's daughter and new son-in-law) are married, things have changed, God has been at work. It's wonderful a wonderful thing to witness!!!
I head to Mango Creek early tomorrow and will spend time with Ms. Lorna Longsworth and Shanton. I can't wait, it's going to be great. I will try and blog again tomorrow evening and update you on what my day entailed.
I'm so happy to be back, and completely blown away by how much Belize continues to feel like home, even after being away for a year. It's a real testament to the hospitality of the people hear and the work of the Spirit within the community!! It's going to be a GREAT week!!
In Christ,
C.
I made it safely to Belize today. I arrived just before 3:00pm Belize time (5:00pm Toronto time). The trip was tiring. I was up at 4:00am in order to get ready and get my stuff together to be to the airport on time.
I must admit, a big part of me was hesitant to come. Part of me wished I didn't plan to come and I was regretting making the decision to come here. Mainly because there are so many people at Wycliffe who are not going to be there when I get back, and I will not be able to say good-bye properly to them. So the trip itself was not the greatest as I was feeling like I was just coming to Belize to get away from saying good-bye, to get away from feelings about finishing up my degree and transitioning into work in Edmonton. That being said, it wasn't until the plane was flying over the Caribbean Sea and over the countryside of Belize that I started to get excited. The closer we came to the ground the more detail you could see in the trees. You could see the different features of the palm trees from others. The closer we got to the ground the more excited I got. I walked through the plane and walked down the stairs onto the plane runway, the heat and humidity of Belize hit me and I felt like I had just come home, I was home!!
Lorna Sampson and her grand-daughter met me at the airport and we took a nice long drive through the city. It is a really neat experience to come back to a place that you once lived and that has become home, to see what has changed, and you make a big deal out of things that others would not. For example, consturction that was happening around Belize City has been finished and dirty, dusty, pot-holey roads are paved. I was so excited by this. A park in the middle of Belize City where a lot of homeless people took up residence has been renovated, re-painted, and now is a clean park for Belizeans to hang out, again super excited by this. The Sampson children are growing, Dawn and Ralph (Lorna's daughter and new son-in-law) are married, things have changed, God has been at work. It's wonderful a wonderful thing to witness!!!
I head to Mango Creek early tomorrow and will spend time with Ms. Lorna Longsworth and Shanton. I can't wait, it's going to be great. I will try and blog again tomorrow evening and update you on what my day entailed.
I'm so happy to be back, and completely blown away by how much Belize continues to feel like home, even after being away for a year. It's a real testament to the hospitality of the people hear and the work of the Spirit within the community!! It's going to be a GREAT week!!
In Christ,
C.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Belize in T-minus 3 days!
Hey Folks,
It's been a while since I last posted. My final year of the MDiv has been extremely busy and eventful, therefore keeping me from posting anything!! Since the last time I posted, I have finished my degree in Toronto, and am preparing to Graduate in May. During my studies I've managed to keep in touch with many people who I met down south during my internship. Ever since I arrived back in Canada, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the country and the people that I met in Belize.
So as a treat for finishing my MDiv, I decided in February that I was going to take 11 days to visit the country and the people that I met in the south. I leave on Wednesday morning! I'm incredibly excited, cannot wait to get there and catch up with the people who became so much like family while I was down there. I cannot wait to experience the laid back life style again, I cannot wait to take a trip to the school in Mango Creek to see the kids! I can't wait to be there!The trip is going to be a very quick one, but totally worth while. I will be splitting my time between the south (Mango Creek, Placencia and Monkey River) and the north (Belize City and Caye Caulker, maybe San Pedro).
I will be visiting and staying with the Longsworhts, the Sampsons and the Harris's. It's going to be a great, relaxing and refreshing time.
I will try to keep the blog updated for those who are wanting to know how I'm doing. I will not have easy access to a phone, so this will be my way of communicating with people.
In Christ,
C.
It's been a while since I last posted. My final year of the MDiv has been extremely busy and eventful, therefore keeping me from posting anything!! Since the last time I posted, I have finished my degree in Toronto, and am preparing to Graduate in May. During my studies I've managed to keep in touch with many people who I met down south during my internship. Ever since I arrived back in Canada, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the country and the people that I met in Belize.
So as a treat for finishing my MDiv, I decided in February that I was going to take 11 days to visit the country and the people that I met in the south. I leave on Wednesday morning! I'm incredibly excited, cannot wait to get there and catch up with the people who became so much like family while I was down there. I cannot wait to experience the laid back life style again, I cannot wait to take a trip to the school in Mango Creek to see the kids! I can't wait to be there!The trip is going to be a very quick one, but totally worth while. I will be splitting my time between the south (Mango Creek, Placencia and Monkey River) and the north (Belize City and Caye Caulker, maybe San Pedro).
I will be visiting and staying with the Longsworhts, the Sampsons and the Harris's. It's going to be a great, relaxing and refreshing time.
I will try to keep the blog updated for those who are wanting to know how I'm doing. I will not have easy access to a phone, so this will be my way of communicating with people.
In Christ,
C.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Culture Shocking in Canada Has Begun
It's been just over 2 weeks that I have been back in Canada. I must admit, that there were a few things that I wasn't used to when I got back here. 1) The traffic and abundance of pavement 2) The weather. I found it pretty easy to get "back into the groove" of things back in Ponoka when I visited my parents. It kind of took me off guard as I was expecting to go through a bit more shock when coming back to Canada. I just assumed I was a lucky case of you know that 1 in 1 million people who don't experience culture shock upon their re-entry into a first world country. My assumption has proven to be wrong. I just recently arrived back into Toronto where I will complete my last year of my M.Div program. I arrived after spending 9 days in my home town with parents maxing and relaxing and taking it super easy. And after spending 6 days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania helping with preparations and attending a friends wedding, which was way less stressful then I thought it was going to be - she's super organized. By this point I was convinced I wasn't going to experience culture shock. Boy was I wrong. Since arriving back at Wycliffe I have had to move all of my stuff into my dorm room in a bit of a hurry so that I can finish off last minute details for the upcoming Orientation Week and Retreat that I am in charge of as Senior Student. It was today, in the midst of my running around trying to get things done that I officially started culture shocking. This morning I had 3 things that I needed to get done in the span of about 20 minutes, so I was a bit stressed and moving significantly faster than I had been all summer. My mentality was to get things done and quickly as possible. I accomplished what I needed to and then went back up to my dorm room. This finish the jobs quickly mentality caught up with me quickly as I sat down at my desk and couldn't stop shaking from the hustle and bustle that I had just experienced. My body has gotten used to the laid back lifestyle of Belize, and the attitude that no one is in a hurry to get things done, and don't worry everything will get done. Which is the attitude that I began to embrace during my time in Belize. (I hope that doesn't make them sound lazy....cause they're not!) Anyway, I'm sitting in my room, my body shaking and working on adreneline as I try to relax myself and stop stressing out about the upcoming week and the stuff I need to get done. I forced myself to take an hour to do nothing and just sit and relax, I grabbed a piece of olive wood carved like a cross that I bought in Bethlehem last year and rubbed it and prayed for a while. I must admit, I don't want my attitude to change....I don't want to be in a hurry, but that's life here, and I don't want to let go of some of the cultural differences that I embraced during my 3 months abroad. This experience has made me realize that I'm going to transition back into the culture whether I want to or not. But it's also got me wondering how I can continue to maintain this laid back mentality and incorporate it into different aspects of my life. My prayer life for example and not being in a hurry to get it over with, but taking the time that I feel I need at that moment to be still in the presence of God and not be worried about the endless list of things I have to do. Being able to spend time with friends without worrying about the endless list of things I have to do, but enjoy the company and blessing of their friendships and so on and so forth. This is something I really want to incorporate into my life, and over the next couple of months I will be discerning how to do that, without falling behind in my academic life etc. I'll keep you posted!
I've also had a few conversations with friends in Toronto. And they have included them asking questions about what is one food that you haven't eaten all summer and would love to have? I have to admit when asked the question I can't think of anything. It's not until I eat or drink something that I have tasted all summer that I am reminded of how much I missed it. Example: I headed out for lunch with a friend and ordered myself and Root Beer. The first gulp of that soda pop I don't think I will ever forget. It was so satisfying, and I hadn't realized how much I missed it until I had it. Slurpees, licorice and trail mixes are a few other things that I have thourougly enjoyed eating. I know in the next few weeks there will be more and I will definitely be keeping a record.
So there you have it, I'm not the lucky 1 out of 1 million that does not experience culture shock. I just realized that my lifestyle in the last couple of weeks hasn't been overly different from what it was in Belize....the only difference was that I was in Canada and not Belize. My pace stayed the same, and it has changed drastically in the last couple of days, and has thrown me off!!
I've also had a few conversations with friends in Toronto. And they have included them asking questions about what is one food that you haven't eaten all summer and would love to have? I have to admit when asked the question I can't think of anything. It's not until I eat or drink something that I have tasted all summer that I am reminded of how much I missed it. Example: I headed out for lunch with a friend and ordered myself and Root Beer. The first gulp of that soda pop I don't think I will ever forget. It was so satisfying, and I hadn't realized how much I missed it until I had it. Slurpees, licorice and trail mixes are a few other things that I have thourougly enjoyed eating. I know in the next few weeks there will be more and I will definitely be keeping a record.
So there you have it, I'm not the lucky 1 out of 1 million that does not experience culture shock. I just realized that my lifestyle in the last couple of weeks hasn't been overly different from what it was in Belize....the only difference was that I was in Canada and not Belize. My pace stayed the same, and it has changed drastically in the last couple of days, and has thrown me off!!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Last days in Belize, first days in Canada
The rest of the week with my parents was a wonderful time. Our routine over the last week was balanced between activity one day and then a day off after that. The heat really took a lot out of my parents, so we made sure that if we did something active one day we would relax and recoop the next. Tuesday was a laid back day. We walked around Placencia, went for our daily swim in the sea and just hung out. We were planning on heading Belize City on Wednesday but my friends Joseph and Shelley convinced us to stay one extra day. So instead of travelling on the bus through the country, we hopped a little fishermans boat and headed out onto the sea to Laughingbird Caye and National Park. The ride was bumpy, so much so that our tail bones were sore and bruised by the time we got there. The Caye is a small island with a shelter, barbecue, bathrooms and lots of Pelicans and Palm Trees. We spent about 4 hours between the water and the picnic tables. The beaches were amazing and soft, I would have stayed there forever if I could. We had a great time with Joseph and Shelley's three kids Travis, Amber and Beyonce. They were a hoot. My dad had so much fun bugging little Beyonce and she loved being picked on. On the way back our ride was significantly less bumpy as we were riding with the waves not against them. About 15 minutes into our ride we anchored the boat and did a little fishing in the sea it was great. Upon our return, we packed up our stuff, and got ready to meet Joseph and Shelley for a drink and a little Karaoke at the Purple Space Monkey, it was a great experience, some people made us plug our ears.....but I'm assuming that happens at all Karaoke clubs!!
Thursday morning we hopped the 6:45 am water taxi to Mango Creek and caught the 7:30 am Express Bus to Belize. I thought it would be nice for my parents to see the country as we didn't get a chance to make it into the Mayan Mountains, and the bus ride is perfect if you want to see the country side, and super inexpensive. I purposely packed my sweater as the A/C makes me freeze. We stopped in Dangriga, and a man came and sat beside me in the back of bus. We started talking about what I was doing down in Belize. When he found out I was a Deacon in the Anglican Church he told me he knew a Deacon in Belize. "Her name is Lorna Sampson," he said. I clapped my hands and said, "Lorna did an exchange at my seminary and she lived across the hall from me in Canada, her daughter is coming to pick us up at the airport." I replied. "You know Dawn as well? She's my god-daughter." It was so cool....and totally common in Belize. I don't think I ever took a bus ride that didn't involve me talking to a local who knew someone who I had gotten to know well during my time in Belize. It's amazing, how many people you get to know in such a short time. It didn't hit me until yesterday when I realized that I had actually met a lot more people than I thought I would, and a lot of them were situated outside of Mango Creek. Small world......I'm definitely going to miss that. We arrived in the city. Dawn Sampson picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel. It was amazing. The beds were divine, and they had douvee (sp) covers which I took total advantage of seeing that the room was air conditioned!!! Because the bus ride can take a lot out of a person, we laid low for the day because our Friday was going to be packed with activity. Friday, Dawn took the day off of work, and she and her neice and nephew joined me and my parents on an adventure to Jaguar Paw Resort to go Cave Tubing and Ziplining. What an awesome experience. My parents walked up a path for about a half an hour, made their way into the cave, hopped on their tubes and let the current take them down stream to where Diroune and I were waiting. They tubed through a massive pitch black cave that would open up so you could see the jungle as you were floating down stream. They couldn't stop talking about it. After their return, we hung out played in the river a little...my parents jumped off a cliff. My mom was stiff as a board when she jumped off the cliff and she landed in the water with her mouth open. Of all the people that jumped that day she was the only one to scream....we laughed pretty hard.
From there we made our way to the Ziplining section of the resort. We met our tour guides, got dressed for the occasion and briefed as to what was going to happen. The trip was 45 minutes and we would Zipline to 6 different platforms....the highest was 85 ft. It was amazing as we soared over the canopy of the rain forest, you felt like a monkey. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life. My mom is really afraid of heights but we convinced her to come. The majority of her time was spent with her face in the tree that the platform encircled......I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard at her and the noises she was making. I don't think the tour guides had laughed so much either, they got a kick out of watching my dad and I hound my mom as she held onto the tree for dear life!!! Now it's important to know that when I do things like this often I scream.....loudly. I was so proud that as we got to the last platform, I hadn't screamed once. It was time, to get down, and the tour guides lower you to the ground. So you're standing there and basically have to walk off the platform and pray that their ropes are secured. Before I walked off the platform, the one guide asked what speed I would like to be let down at, I said it didn't matter, thinking that I was all pro now. The first second and a half was a slow decent and then he let go of the rope.......I'm happy to report that my vocal chords are working and I'm pretty sure I scared any animal in the jungle away from us with my screech. As I got to the bottom of the tree the guide waiting for me was red he was laughing so hard.....all I could do was laugh as my knees knocked together.
Our final evening was spent having a wonderful supper with the Sampsons. They have been my Belizean family so it was wonderful to have the opportunity for my Canadian and Belizean families to spend time together. We had a wonderful time, we laughed a lot...it was a great way to end the week. At the same time it was really hard to leave. My parents kept telling me this week that they felt like they were taking me away and that was hard for them to do, particularly when they saw the people that I had gotten to know and grown close to. I must admit, it still hasn't sunk in that I'm not returning to Belize, coming back to Ponoka is like a vacation, and I need to keep reminding myself that my next destination isn't Belize. I miss the country and the people tremendously. Everyone that I talked to has told me to come back, and I can see myself making yearly trips to spend time with my new friends and family in Belize. I'm going to miss the gentle nature of the people, their humor and hospitality. I'm going to miss the laid backness of life in Belize and simplicity in which they live their lives. And yes I'm even going to miss the rodents that took up residency with me in the rectory.
After 14 hours of travel time I made it home in one piece. It was hard for me not to burst into tears as I flew farther and farther away from the country and people that quickly became home to me. I know the next few days are going to be hard. I'm excited to be home, yet homesick for Belize at the same time. I was welcomed to Edmonton by the graceful dance of the Northern Lights in the sky, and the captain updating me on the weather in Edmonton 16C (59F). It scared me, I haven't been in weather less then 85F and 100% humidity all summer!!
I've only been home a few hours and already I'm finding myself culture shocking a little. Having my luggage still in Denver doesn't help the situation either. :) In the airports I couldn't get over the hussle and bussle of the people. Everyone was running or speed walking to get somewhere, and all I could do was slowly walk to where I needed to go the fast pace of the America's can be overwhelming....it was to me. When I got home, I couldn't get over all of the pavement and the smoothness of the roads...it was a nice change from the pot hole roads in Belize, but with smooth pavement comes lots of traffic, traffic I'm not used to seeing. And walking into my parents house was a huge shock as well. There house is very large compared to the houses that people live in, in Belize. Not that the people are poor, their houses are just compact and small. I realized this morning that the first floor of our house is bigger than most peoples houses who have a family of 8. I don't really know what to do with all of the space. It's something that I will need to grow accustome to.....but the simplicity of housing and living in Belize is something I've really grown to love.
I've decided to continue to blog over the next couple of months as I tranisition myself into the North American culture. I figured it would be a good way to debrief and continue to reflect on the experience. Please keep me in your prayers, as I share my experiences with people and reflect on the work that God accomplished through me this summer. Also continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Belize as they continue to spread the Gospel through the country!
Thursday morning we hopped the 6:45 am water taxi to Mango Creek and caught the 7:30 am Express Bus to Belize. I thought it would be nice for my parents to see the country as we didn't get a chance to make it into the Mayan Mountains, and the bus ride is perfect if you want to see the country side, and super inexpensive. I purposely packed my sweater as the A/C makes me freeze. We stopped in Dangriga, and a man came and sat beside me in the back of bus. We started talking about what I was doing down in Belize. When he found out I was a Deacon in the Anglican Church he told me he knew a Deacon in Belize. "Her name is Lorna Sampson," he said. I clapped my hands and said, "Lorna did an exchange at my seminary and she lived across the hall from me in Canada, her daughter is coming to pick us up at the airport." I replied. "You know Dawn as well? She's my god-daughter." It was so cool....and totally common in Belize. I don't think I ever took a bus ride that didn't involve me talking to a local who knew someone who I had gotten to know well during my time in Belize. It's amazing, how many people you get to know in such a short time. It didn't hit me until yesterday when I realized that I had actually met a lot more people than I thought I would, and a lot of them were situated outside of Mango Creek. Small world......I'm definitely going to miss that. We arrived in the city. Dawn Sampson picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel. It was amazing. The beds were divine, and they had douvee (sp) covers which I took total advantage of seeing that the room was air conditioned!!! Because the bus ride can take a lot out of a person, we laid low for the day because our Friday was going to be packed with activity. Friday, Dawn took the day off of work, and she and her neice and nephew joined me and my parents on an adventure to Jaguar Paw Resort to go Cave Tubing and Ziplining. What an awesome experience. My parents walked up a path for about a half an hour, made their way into the cave, hopped on their tubes and let the current take them down stream to where Diroune and I were waiting. They tubed through a massive pitch black cave that would open up so you could see the jungle as you were floating down stream. They couldn't stop talking about it. After their return, we hung out played in the river a little...my parents jumped off a cliff. My mom was stiff as a board when she jumped off the cliff and she landed in the water with her mouth open. Of all the people that jumped that day she was the only one to scream....we laughed pretty hard.
From there we made our way to the Ziplining section of the resort. We met our tour guides, got dressed for the occasion and briefed as to what was going to happen. The trip was 45 minutes and we would Zipline to 6 different platforms....the highest was 85 ft. It was amazing as we soared over the canopy of the rain forest, you felt like a monkey. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life. My mom is really afraid of heights but we convinced her to come. The majority of her time was spent with her face in the tree that the platform encircled......I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard at her and the noises she was making. I don't think the tour guides had laughed so much either, they got a kick out of watching my dad and I hound my mom as she held onto the tree for dear life!!! Now it's important to know that when I do things like this often I scream.....loudly. I was so proud that as we got to the last platform, I hadn't screamed once. It was time, to get down, and the tour guides lower you to the ground. So you're standing there and basically have to walk off the platform and pray that their ropes are secured. Before I walked off the platform, the one guide asked what speed I would like to be let down at, I said it didn't matter, thinking that I was all pro now. The first second and a half was a slow decent and then he let go of the rope.......I'm happy to report that my vocal chords are working and I'm pretty sure I scared any animal in the jungle away from us with my screech. As I got to the bottom of the tree the guide waiting for me was red he was laughing so hard.....all I could do was laugh as my knees knocked together.
Our final evening was spent having a wonderful supper with the Sampsons. They have been my Belizean family so it was wonderful to have the opportunity for my Canadian and Belizean families to spend time together. We had a wonderful time, we laughed a lot...it was a great way to end the week. At the same time it was really hard to leave. My parents kept telling me this week that they felt like they were taking me away and that was hard for them to do, particularly when they saw the people that I had gotten to know and grown close to. I must admit, it still hasn't sunk in that I'm not returning to Belize, coming back to Ponoka is like a vacation, and I need to keep reminding myself that my next destination isn't Belize. I miss the country and the people tremendously. Everyone that I talked to has told me to come back, and I can see myself making yearly trips to spend time with my new friends and family in Belize. I'm going to miss the gentle nature of the people, their humor and hospitality. I'm going to miss the laid backness of life in Belize and simplicity in which they live their lives. And yes I'm even going to miss the rodents that took up residency with me in the rectory.
After 14 hours of travel time I made it home in one piece. It was hard for me not to burst into tears as I flew farther and farther away from the country and people that quickly became home to me. I know the next few days are going to be hard. I'm excited to be home, yet homesick for Belize at the same time. I was welcomed to Edmonton by the graceful dance of the Northern Lights in the sky, and the captain updating me on the weather in Edmonton 16C (59F). It scared me, I haven't been in weather less then 85F and 100% humidity all summer!!
I've only been home a few hours and already I'm finding myself culture shocking a little. Having my luggage still in Denver doesn't help the situation either. :) In the airports I couldn't get over the hussle and bussle of the people. Everyone was running or speed walking to get somewhere, and all I could do was slowly walk to where I needed to go the fast pace of the America's can be overwhelming....it was to me. When I got home, I couldn't get over all of the pavement and the smoothness of the roads...it was a nice change from the pot hole roads in Belize, but with smooth pavement comes lots of traffic, traffic I'm not used to seeing. And walking into my parents house was a huge shock as well. There house is very large compared to the houses that people live in, in Belize. Not that the people are poor, their houses are just compact and small. I realized this morning that the first floor of our house is bigger than most peoples houses who have a family of 8. I don't really know what to do with all of the space. It's something that I will need to grow accustome to.....but the simplicity of housing and living in Belize is something I've really grown to love.
I've decided to continue to blog over the next couple of months as I tranisition myself into the North American culture. I figured it would be a good way to debrief and continue to reflect on the experience. Please keep me in your prayers, as I share my experiences with people and reflect on the work that God accomplished through me this summer. Also continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Belize as they continue to spread the Gospel through the country!
Monday, August 4, 2008
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!!!
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!!!
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