What an incredible 10 days! It’s been a little over a week and it’s taken me a while to figure out what to write. Belize is a place I love with my whole heart. It’s a place I’ve had the priveledge going to for the past 3 years. Why has God called me there? What’s the difference between spending money to go there and spending money in my own country? How do I know my team is making a difference? I could answer all these questions with long paragraphs, but the simple answer I have is that God is good. He has called each of us to a certain place to serve. The workplace, a different city, a friend, abroad, wherever it is, you’ve been called. I talked in a previous post about how missions can look different for everyone. Praying, funding, and serving are all ways to be on mission. Without those who pray for and fund my trip, I wouldn’t be able to serve where God has lead me. So thank you, for supporting and believing in me, it was an honor to go back home this year. I think at large, the most popular question I receive is “Did you have a good trip?!?” And I have a love, hate relationship with that question. While I appreciate people taking the time to ask, it’s a truly difficult question to answer. Of course I had a great time and it was incredible serving those kids and families with my team, but there are things that aren’t so good. The things my eyes see and my ears hear while I’m there are tremendously heartbreaking. Little girls being sexually abused by their dads and brothers, families of 10 living in a house the size of most kitchens, and so much more. Heartbreak is everywhere. It’s difficult to figure out how to process all of that when you get back here. What does God want me to do with that information? How can I make a difference with all the things I’ve just witnessed? It’s a question and a process that I’ve been dealing with for 3 trips now. I don’t know if I’ll ever really know the answer. Sometimes Jesus works like that. But I do know that the relationship I have with those kids is irreplaceable. They are true friendships that will last a lifetime. The tears we shed when we pull out of the village are genuine and heartfelt, from us and the kids. It’s been the biggest blessing seeing them grow over the years and listening to them sing “This is the day” in their sweet Belizean accents. There’s not much more that I cherish in life. God knew I needed those kids and I know in my heart he has called me back again and again for a purpose: His. The seed continues to be planted in those kids and it’s joy to watch it continue to grow. Itinerary of the trip: Friday- travel day, flight out of RIC at 7:30, arrived in the village around 4 Belize time which is 2 hours behind Saturday- set up the school for VBS, i pack all 27 bins. Reconnect with the kids, devotion and worship with the team Sunday- trip to placencia beach with the team, a time to relax and take in gods creation before a long week of camp, worship at the local church Monday- first day of camp!!! 135 kids in their best dressed clothes just for us! To learn about Jesus. Such a great morning, PHD which is the Bible study for teenage girls took place and construction started on a sidewalk at the school Tuesday- day 2 of camp, PHD, construction continued to progress and a night of worship with the team studying the book of Colossians Wednesday- day 3 of camp, PHD, clothing boutique for the village, worship and deviation Thursday- last day of camp:(, last day of PHD:(, a carnival for the kids in the village, worship and devotion Friday- a trip to salt water caye, the prettiest water you’ve ever seen in your life, a day to relax and take in gods creation and process the trip, 2 baptisms took place, worship that night and devotion Saturday- a day working with the medical team, I worked in the “eye doctor”, such an eye opening experience, packing up our things and saying bye to the kids Sunday- a long day of travel, arriving back home at 8:30 pm This is the first blog post I've written since my sweet Aunt Betty went to be with the Lord. She was and is the biggest supporter of this blog and always questioned when I would. write the next one. It is an absolute joy to continue writing knowing that she is still supporting me while being reunited with my papa. It is a great honor to be the niece of such a fearless and devoted christian. With so much love, this one is for you, Aunt Betty. -Sydney
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