Belize felt like a foundational month. I feel like we planted a lot of seeds, watered some, but didn’t really see the full bloom of the gospel. It was challenging learning to live with 18 other girls that all come from different backgrounds and living habits. At times it felt very overwhelming but also at the same time it was comforting knowing that I had a core group of girls that would have my back. As far as ministry went, I feel like we had a wide variety of opportunities given to us. We were able to do manual labor for a Pastor: sanding, shoveling, organizing, painting, nailing, and creating doors. With him, we were able to fix up a home for a girl in their youth group that had a son, but was in an unsafe place of living. We also had the opportunity to help at a pregnancy center called Hope for Life. This organization warmly welcomes moms of any age struggling to make ends meet. They have diapers, clothes, wipes, medicine, and any other baby necessity. The cool thing about this program is they have weekly bible studies that the mommies must attend in order to get their free items. How cool is that? It’s a win win for everyone! So we got to partner alongside them and create videos/take pictures and share in bringing hope to those struggling. We also got to help out with a dance class, creating journals for the girls to share their life stories as a form of discipleship, take annual dance pictures, and share a smile with many young girls. We also helped around our ministry host house, cleaning, shoveling more rocks, building a fence, and organizing. We had the opportunity to host a VBS for children in our local area which included teaching memory verses, worshiping through singing/dancing, performing biblical skits, arts and crafts and playing games. We also were able to volunteer at an orphanage for girls that came from abusive families. So we got to love on them, braid hair, help with homework, play tag, and be just lend an ear to talk to. We also hosted a breakfast and dinner for men who have found Jesus in jail and have just been released. So we got to talk to them, hear their testimonies, and shockingly be poured into FROM them! This ministry opportunity was crazy to me, because I assumed we would be the ones pouring into them, seeing as they just got out of jail, but it actually was the other way around. I had a few of them read bible verses to me, give me advice on finding a good Christian guy, and just things God has taught them that they want everyone to know about. We also were able to do a couple “spiritual scavenger hunts” which is where you pray before going out into the city and ask God to give you visions or words of people He has inline for us to encounter that day, then you go out and look for them. That ministry led to some pretty amazing stories and some foundational faith moments. So, all in all, Belize was a pretty diverse month, but I have already learned so much. I have learned to trust God in the unseen and believe that He is moving even if I can’t see it (which is the actual definition of faith; believing what you cannot see). I have learned what it looks like to love people even if I do not feel like it or have those feelings reciprocated back to me. I have learned how to channel God’s strength rather than trying to operate off of my own (that was a hard lesson). I have learned it is okay to have needs, and that does not make you weak. I have learned more of who my identity is in Christ and how He views me. I have learned how to hold my tongue (ehhh still working on that one honestly) and I am beginning to understand that it’s not about me, but who is in me that really matters. And lastly, I have found a new love for a country I never knew I would have had.
