July 1st

Well it's Sunday evening, July 1st. I just got back from Corozal. Corozal is a spanish town on the northern border of Belize and Mexico. I was up there setting up for a trip in August, which my brother will be on with some of his youth! This past week I was assisting in a trip with Group Work Camps. Praying Pelican teamed up with Group Work Camps, the largest short term missions organization in the U.S. to bring 85 students to Belize City. The teams split and worked at three different churches in the area, serving in construction at the local churches and homes of those in need affiliated with the churches. It was a long week, and lots of work was involved. I was stationed at the Faber's road site for the entire week. The team I lead worked on the beginnings of a new fence around the church, building the foundation. They also served by connecting with a single mother of 11 children across the street from the church. They repaired leaks in her roof, painted the house inside and out, and put a new front door on her house.One of the relationships I formed this week was with a pastor named John Mendes. He was the contractor for the fence my team worked on. He's a 71 year old pastor at a little Baptist church in town. He's actually retired, but is pastoring on request for a church in need. He's an amazing man of God with a servant's heart and a sense of humor like no other. He's living in poverty, riding his bike wherever he goes and is an example to us all that no matter what we're going through, we can give glory to God and live for him. I will be visiting him at his church this week and hopefully be setting up a trip for him next summer!The poverty in some of the villages we're working in is astounding down here. Pray for the people we're serving, those we're taking the gospel to, that they may have open hearts and minds.I met a man at Sister Cecilia's old folks home in Belize City, a worker, he had a confusing name. He was in the States for a while, got in trouble with gangs and drugs. Now he's back here and is still living in that kind of situation. He's a very smart guy. Not wise, but smart. I had a long conversation with him about my faith and about the meaning of life and what we're being taught by the world and how it corrupts us. Pray for him too, I may play basketball with him soon...I now have a few days off before my next trip. The last two trips were considered the hardest of the summer and I was on both of them. One was in a totally new country and the other with 85 students while we worked with another missions program. I will be going out to Caye Caulker for a night or two of relaxation, then back to set up next week's trip with my cousin Matt.I hope my church family in Moberly is doing well, pastor James, Ken and family, Norma and Robbie Hall, Nita and Roberta Harris, Delores and Shirley, ect... I miss you and worshipping with you. It's rare I ever find a piano suitable to play down here. I also hope my parents are doing fine, I got and email from them a couple days back. God Bless.