The Belize Mission Was a Success!
Our week in Belize was extremely successful as we completed our target projects. the trip also provided everyone with a deep sense of personal satisfaction. Coming back to San Pedro village is coming back to friends...they welcomed us at the school with open arms. The students performed a "short, short program" which consisted of dances, speeches, songs a prayer and flag raising. They called it a short program...it was very long :). We were eager to get started with the work but they just want to love on us and welcome us.
our first day is always a slow start. It takes time for us to get the tools and supplies together to start working on the house. this year our team was focused on two key projects. The first was to finish the house and the second project was to install a network of 10 computers at the school. The house project was humming along by day two...we had to visit the local hardware store at least 3 times to purhcase supplies.
What I am most proud about is the fact that we built the house with a bathroom. Last year I was struck by the fact that while we provide the families with a safe and better house we don't provide any of the luxuries we take for granted. Most people in the village have out houses...they are not very sanitary. To have a clean bathroom with a shower is such an amazing luxury. I am proud and happy to provide a simple thing like a bathroom knowing that it is life changing. thanks to all of your for your donations because of your generosity we raised more money than last year which enabled us to add the bathroom later in the project.
The next cool project was installing the computers...I wish you could have seen the looks on the children and the teachers when they saw the beautiful computers. The team provided training to the entire school and for the teachers. We brought down software that they could immediately start to use. Thanks again to all of you who donated computers or contributed funds to the monitors and computers.
I wish you could all go with me to see how this work comes to life...it is AMAZING to see and even more AMAZING to experience.
Support the Mission...DONATE
Send Donations to:
Wellspring Community Church
Attention: Belize Mission 2010
7689 Bethany Road
Middletown, Ohio 45044
Thanks for your support.
MEET THE TEAM....
The San Pedro Outreach team includes:
David Ahuja, Joni Oakley, Greg Sargent, Rob Bitter , Janet Down, Jim Down, Dawn Ficorilli, Jan Tolbert, Larry Huitger, Danny Dane, Amanda Cook, Dan Cook and Todd Morency.
Our Vision for Belize Outreach
Vision:
Create long lasting connections by reaching out and touching the lives of people in Belize through our service and expression of love. Our goal is to improve the lives of underprivileged Belizeans by providing help with education and improving their everyday living situation.
How will we Achieve our Goals?
1) Enable business commerce in remote villages through funding and small business education.
- Determine how we provide small loans via programs like Kiva.com
- Develop tiered business training and education to increase the success rate.
- Establish a small business center that would provide computer, printer, copier, internet services to small businesses in the area.
2) Improve the lives or Belizeans living in remote villages by providing quality living environment. Build homes for underprivileged families that are comparable to the average Belizean home. Homes have electricity, and bathrooms and kitchens. Most homes built via these missions do not include plumbing and electricity.
3) Enable education through partnerships with local schools. Computers in the schools; Student exchange programs; Teacher exchange programs
4) Longer term we want to design the Belize mission trips to enable teens to participate.
We are now in November and construction is getting started. Our team is meeting on a regular basis to get the plans and needed supplies. We have an awesome team. This trip we have two very experiened teammates with construction skills (Don and Amanda Cook). I am really excited about the potential to startup some small businesses with the San Pedro ladies. We are just 3 months away from the trip. A big thanks to all of you who have provided us with your support. Thanks!
