Saturday, March 20, 2010

Belize prayer update 6

Received the following letter from Sophie.

Praise God for Good News shared, for relationships that were built, for lives that were touched! Now let's pray our team home safely!

"...the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10: 12b-15 (NIV)

_________________________________________________________________________

Your prayers truly have carried us as we have traveled throughout Belize doing various acts of ministry (some of which we knew about before we got here and others which we didn't know about until we arrived in Belize. Regardless though, God equipped up and strengthened us for all the opportunities we faced and for that we are grateful).

Yesterday, as our email mentioned, our group went in several different directions. Scot and Jerry went to BERT. Their day started with a mass casualty training, and then they got to go out on calls and help with some hands on training. This included flying to a southern region of Belize to treat a gunshot victim and transporting a 106 year old man back to the hospital (after getting him stabilized and starting an IV). Scot and Jerry truly developed deep relationships with the people of BERT over the week and had a clear impact on them organization.

On the construction site, we finished the education building - the siding and roof was finished. The electrical wiring was done, lights were installed, and it all works!

Suzie, Kelly, Hannah, Jennifer, Mackenzie, and Tony spent the day taking the YES girls on a field trip to Lamani (an amazing site of ancient ruins in one of the northern districts of Belize). It took awhile to drive to the ruins, and it was another hour boat ride - and so there was plenty of time to continue sharing, laughing, praying, and just enjoying one another's company. It was a great time for everyone involved. It was clear to see the close knit relationships that had developed between our team members and theirs. It was a joy to watch Mackenzie and Hannah walking arm in arm with the students of YES throughout the ruins.

Last night they fixed us a feast, a turkey dinner (which for them is a big deal!). They gave a presentation, and gave us all gifts as an act of gratitude for sharing our time/love with them.

That evening a group of us returned to Centro Vision Ministero de Belize. Those in charge of the sewing ministry had the last night of the program, and at the end of the evening the women of the sewing co-op had a surpirse for them. They had made certificates for them as an act of gratitude and took time to pray over them. It was an extremely powerful and moving time of fellowship and prayer. It was clear that because of this sewing ministry lives had been changed.

Also at Centro Vision Ministero de Belize was the youth leadership training that Sophie and three others went over to be a part of. Twice as many people showed up as we had expected to be there, but it was truly a Spirit led time of worship, teaching, and prayer. They were eager to learn, and there is a clear need for people to reach the youth of Belize. It was exciting to see people with such a passion for it! We were able to give some of the Bibles we had brought to the youth workers, which they were VERY grateful for!

We have this afternoon free to debrief together just as an FPCA group and relax a little before we fly out tomorrow morning. We will land at DFW (after going through Houston) just after 6:30.

Please be praying for:

- our time today. Our hearts are full, and we have a lot to talk through as a group. Pray for our debrief/prayer time, that God may grow each of us and that we may grow even closer as a group

- for safe travel for tomorrow as we travel through customs at Houston and make our way back to DFW.

- continued prayers for the girls at YES, that they may continue to grow in their faith and be surrounded by people to love them

- for health and safety

With love and blessings,
The Belize Team

Friday, March 19, 2010

Belize prayer update 5

Received the following from Sophie early this evening.

Praise God for His faithfulness in the midst of all that our team is encountering!

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:1, 2 & 8 (NIV)

___________________________________________________________________________


Yesterday is hard to put into words, so we will do our best, but it might be a day we will just have to share more about when we get back to the States.

Everyone, with the exception of Sophie headed out to YES in the morning. Once again we had a time of worship with the students, and one of the youth from the Lubbock church led the devotion.

The construction crew had an incredibly productive day - they were able to get the trusses up, put in two doors, and get a majority of the siding done on the addition of the educational building.

Michelle, Suzie, and Kelly went out to the prison around lunchtime. The original plan was just to spend time in the women's wing, bringing them sewing supplies, spending time getting to know them, while other people from our larger group helped them with some of their current projects. They also had an opportunity to be a part of a worship service with 120 prisoners. People from our group led a time of praise and worship and gave a message/testimony. It was an amazing and moving experience for all involved, one that is hard to describe in an email.

Mackenzie has bonded with some of the little girls who live next door to the school. Chilema is one year old and Nana is three. They live in a tiny one room house. Throughout the week Mackenzie has done an amazing job of reaching out to them, loving on them. As an act of gratitude they gave her a homemade bracelet - they have very little but wanted to give something as an act of gratitude.

Sophie had her own adventure of the day. She had gone out with Beth, one of the missionaries from The Word at Work, and a few people from the Lubbock team to pick up supplies. Another car opened its door into their rental vehicle damaging both doors, but refused to take responsibility for what happened. A traffic officer had to get involved, and Sophie got to see first hand how the law enforcement system works in Belize. After straightening things out, and finishing their errands, she was able to rejoin the team at the work site.

Today, Scot and Jerry headed back to BERT to lead a "mass casualty" training for them.

The majority of our group, Tony, Mackenzie, Hannah, Jennifer, Kelly, and Suzie, are taking the girls of YES out on a field trip for the day. This is a real treat for them - they rarely get to leave the area of Belize they live in and see other parts of the country.

Michelle and Sophie headed to the work site for the morning to help finish the siding and the roof of the educational building at YES. This afternoon, Sophie will head back to finish up the planning for their youth leaders training which will happen tonight from 6-10.

Prayer requests:
- for good closure with the girls at YES and the staff there. Some tight bonds have been built in just the week we have had in Belize, and I know it will be hard to say good-bye

- for tonight's youth ministry leadership training, that it would be a great time of worship, fellowship, and training

- for tonight's sewing ministry at Centro Vision Ministero de Belize

- for our team. We have seen God do a lot in the lives of others, and have been humbled to know God has used us. We have also been blessed in a lot of ways. Our hearts are full and our bodies are tired, so pray for strength and energy

- that we may continue to draw closer as a team, and be open to what God is doing in our own lives

- for safety and health.

Grateful for each of you,

The Belize Team

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Belize prayer update 4

Received the following this afternoon from Sophie. It sounds like they've been VERY busy but have seen God's Hand at work. Praise God for the way He has sustained our team as He uses them to minister to many!

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." I Corinthians 4:16

Connie, I've sent this to the Family Living class. If anyone is receiving duplicates please let me know and I'll edit the address list. If you'd like to be removed from this list or if you have an email address to add to the mailing list please let me know.

Standing with you in prayer,
Marla

____________________________________________________________________

Our morning started off with a little bit of excitement. We were just getting ready to load into the vans and head out for YES when we got word of an accident at a tire shop just next door to where are staying. A man was working underneath a car and it fell on him. Scot and Jerry grabbed some of their gear and ran over there just as BERT was getting there. They were able to get him stabilized and sent off to the hospital before heading off to the work site themselves (Scot and Jerry are going to head out to YES with us today. We needed their strength to help get the trusses up on the roof of the educational building, and do some training for the staff out there).

Yesterday was uncharacteristically cool with a few rain showers, but it couldn't cool down the amazing things God did yesterday.

Scot and Jerry started their morning out at BERT answering calls, and the other eight of us headed out to Lord's Bank to start our morning at YES. During our devotional/worship time, we took time to pray over the women on staff and all the students. It was a great way to start the morning.

Instead of jumping right into our typical morning activities with the girls we organized a "field day" for them. They wore pants instead of their uniforms and we had games of soccer and softball. The girls had so much fun just getting to be kids.

The construction crew got walls up and finished the floor.

The rest of the day we split up and went in a few separate directions. Tony, Mackenzie, Kelly, and Suzie headed out to Belmopan to help unload another container full of more teacher and student desks. Some of the students who were receiving desks were there to help unload, and the look of joy as they saw their desks can't be described in words!

Jennifer, Michelle, Scot, and Jerry spent part of the afternoon visiting the school at the Burial Grounds where we worked last year. The kids where so excited to see them!

Sophie and one of the women from Hobbs, NM, Pati (who came with the Lubbock group) headed out to the prison to iron out a few details about material and scheduling. What could have been a very awkward meeting went very well and things are set up for today (which is actually where Suzie, Michelle, and Kelly are right now).

The work day ended and we headed to dinner at church, but the day of ministry was for from over. There is a church named Centro Vision Ministero de Belize. One of the leaders of the church, Pedro, has a vision for equipping the women of Belize with the skill of sewing so they way to support themselves- he wants to get a sewing co-op going. Pati is leading a team from our group. Tuesday night there was 14 or 15 women, and last night 28 women showed up (some of whom had never set foot in a church last night but heard what our group was doing and decided to go).

At the same time there was another meeting at the same church. Sophie and two other youth pastors from our group had been asked to go to Centro Vision Ministero de Belize to lead a youth leader training. There were leaders from several different churches, speaking both English and Spanish. They described the desperate situation that is the youth culture in Belize, and the kind of training they feel they need. By the end of a few hours there was laughter all around. On Friday, we are going to return for a four hour more extensive training/worship time now that we know what their needs are.

We ended the day as a big group, praying together, celebrating the ways we have seen God at work. It truly is a joy to be here, wonderful to learn from the people here, and humbling to feel God working through us.


A few prayer requests for the next two days
- for a good final few days wih the YES girls. We are taking them on a field trip tomorrow, but also are planning on doing some more in depth Bible studies and worship times with them. There hasn't been a group that has come to spend time with the girls from YES in 7 years, so may we truly communicate Christ's love.
- pray for the details of the sewing ministry, at the prison and at Pedros
- pray for the youth ministry training we have organized for Friday, that we may teach the things they need/want to know. But that it may be a sweet time of fellowship and learning for all of us involved
- for good relationships within our group
- for safety and health
- and that we may come to know God in deeper ways

Standing with you in prayer,

The Belize Team

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Re: Belize prayer update 3

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 17, 2010, at 11:56 AM, "Brett & Marla Shideler" <brett-marla_shideler@sil.org> wrote:

We had another great day Tuesday!

Scot and Jerry went to do more training. Monday they had done training for the paramedics at Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT). Yesterday they worked with the people of BERT to do training for some of the health care workers of the people of Belize. Today they are actually going to have the chance to go out on calls with the paramedics of BERT, offering assistance and on the job training.

The other eight of us spent the day at YES. We started off the day again worshiping and doing devotionals with the girls. It was amazing how much they opened up on the second day. As we worked along side of them, we laughed, talked, and really had great opportunities to listen.

The construction crew made great progress on the educational building, laying the floor and is ready to start on the walls today. A team also painted their main office building (it had been peeling blue paint when we got there and now it has a bright coat a fresh new paint).

We had a great time as a team last night - we spent some time away from the big group so those of us from Arlington would have a chance to connect and pray together.

Continued prayer requests:

- for continued relationship building with the girls at YES, and opportunities to share God's grace and Christ's love with them

- for Scot and Jerry as they go out on calls that they may help people medically and also have the opportunity to share the love of Christ

-pray for Nancy Cifeuntes - she is one of the students at YES. She lives at a children's home with her siblings. She has one more year at the home before she ages out- and then the situation is "bad" (as the staff at YES has described it).

- part of our group is going to have an opportunity to go by the Burial Grounds district of Belize city where we worked last year and visit with the students and teachers we worked with last year. Pray for a sweet time of fellowship and reconnection

- Sophie is headed to the prison this afternoon with the head of the sewing project from our team to work through some scheduling conflict so we can go out there tomorrow and spend time with the women prisoners. Pray that everything works out well.

- Matt Mitchell (the Associate Pastor of the Lubbock team) and his daughter Loralei are flying out tomorrow for a weekend commitment back in the States. And pray for our big group as we adjust to not having Matt here

- and finally our group is bonding, well (the ten of us and as a big group), but continue to pray for those relationships.

Praying for you as well.

Blessings and love,

The Belize Team

Belize prayer update 3

We had another great day Tuesday!

Scot and Jerry went to do more training. Monday they had done training for the paramedics at Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT). Yesterday they worked with the people of BERT to do training for some of the health care workers of the people of Belize. Today they are actually going to have the chance to go out on calls with the paramedics of BERT, offering assistance and on the job training.

The other eight of us spent the day at YES. We started off the day again worshiping and doing devotionals with the girls. It was amazing how much they opened up on the second day. As we worked along side of them, we laughed, talked, and really had great opportunities to listen.

The construction crew made great progress on the educational building, laying the floor and is ready to start on the walls today. A team also painted their main office building (it had been peeling blue paint when we got there and now it has a bright coat a fresh new paint).

We had a great time as a team last night - we spent some time away from the big group so those of us from Arlington would have a chance to connect and pray together.

Continued prayer requests:

- for continued relationship building with the girls at YES, and opportunities to share God's grace and Christ's love with them

- for Scot and Jerry as they go out on calls that they may help people medically and also have the opportunity to share the love of Christ

-pray for Nancy Cifeuntes - she is one of the students at YES. She lives at a children's home with her siblings. She has one more year at the home before she ages out- and then the situation is "bad" (as the staff at YES has described it).

- part of our group is going to have an opportunity to go by the Burial Grounds district of Belize city where we worked last year and visit with the students and teachers we worked with last year. Pray for a sweet time of fellowship and reconnection

- Sophie is headed to the prison this afternoon with the head of the sewing project from our team to work through some scheduling conflict so we can go out there tomorrow and spend time with the women prisoners. Pray that everything works out well.

- Matt Mitchell (the Associate Pastor of the Lubbock team) and his daughter Loralei are flying out tomorrow for a weekend commitment back in the States. And pray for our big group as we adjust to not having Matt here

- and finally our group is bonding, well (the ten of us and as a big group), but continue to pray for those relationships.

Praying for you as well.

Blessings and love,

The Belize Team

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Belize prayer update 2

Received the following from Sophie this morning.
What a privilege to have current, updated news of our team so we can know how to lift them up in prayer!

"How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights."
Psalm 36: 7 - 8

--- the forwarded message follows ---
From: "Sophie Draffin" <fpca_youth@yahoo.com>
To: "Brett & Marla Shideler" <brett-marla_shideler@sil.org>
Subj: Monday Belize Update
Received: 16 Mar, 10 12:32:35 AM

Our first three days in Belize have gone extremely well (and quickly)!

Sunday we worshiped at Trinity Church.  The service was lively and full of energy, and we saw God at work in the lives of the congregation.  We experienced some things in the service that some of us "frozen chosen" have only read about in the Bible, but we truly enjoyed experiencing a new culture, new ways of worshiping, learning new songs, and seeing God's Spirit at work.

We are eating dinner every night at the church instead of eating out. By paying them to provide meals we are helping to fund their church community and missions. 

We had some free time Sunday and a group of us were able to go see Moises and his family during that time (if you aren't familiar with the Moises story you can read more about it on the FPCA missions blog,  http://fpcamissions.blogspot.com/).  It was great to see Moises and see how healthy he is. He showed us around his house and  recited for us a Bible  verse he had memorized. We also met all of his siblings, played soccer with them, and taught them how to throw an American football. We took all the kids for ice cream, brought the older girls Bibles and school supplies. We brought the younger kids toys and the newest member of the family (Lisa - 6 months) baby clothes. 

Monday started our work week.  Our main project is at Youth Enhancement Services (YES). YES is an alternative school for girls - some couldn't keep up in traditional schools for various reasons. Most of them come from broken homes, or have faced abuse of some kind whether physical, sexual, or emotional.  Some of the girls are Christians, but others are still seeking.

The very first thing we did this morning was a time of worship/devotionals. This is how we are going to start each day with the YES students.

After our devotional time, we split up into different responsibilities. Some of the team worked with the girls on some of their projects. We had a group doing construction, working to double the size of their educational classroom building.

In the afternoon Tony (doing construction) and Mackenzie (working with the girls) stayed at YES in Lords Bank. A group of us headed out to Belompan for a task that came up that day. Sophie, Michelle, and Jennifer helped to unload a freight container that just arrived full of school desks. The desks were supplied by West Texas A&M (and the story of the donation of the desks is still on the Word at Work website). Suzie, Kelly, and Hannah headed out to Belmopan as well and had the chance to spend the afternoon at King's Children's Home, a Christian orphanage run by an amazing woman.  Though they were only there for the afternoon, the kids LOVED having them there.

Scot and Jerry spent the day at Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT).  BERT is the only ambulance service in the country of Belize.  Scot and Jerry provided much needed training for them today and will continue to do so throughout the week. 

The rest of us will return to YES tomorrow to continue work with the students and the construction work.

Prayer requests
- continued safey and health
- opportunities to share God's love with the students at YES
- opportunities to build relationships with those students, and with those who live in the community around YES
- our group has really come together and has connected well with the Lubbock group.  Please pray for continued good relationsips, and for even deeper connections. 
- later in the week we will have the opportunity to send some of our team members to work with the prisoners in Belize Central Prison and to help at the YES campus in Belize City.  Pray for those opportunities and relationship building, and the chance to share and show God's love and grace. 
- and please continue to pray that we too may be open to what God is doing in our own lives as we are ministering to others, but at the same time being ministered to as well. 

Thank you for your prayers - they are a much needed covering for us.

- the Belize team

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Belize prayer update 1

Received the following at 4:57 PM Saturday...

"We made it to Belize safe and sound, and were met at the airport by the Word at Work missionary, Beth. We have checked into the hotel and are about to leave for dinner at Trinity Church (the church is fixing us diner). We are worshiping there tomorrow, and Pastor Ruth is someone Michelle and I met in Jan and we are looking forward to seeing her. Super excited to be here after our day of travel."

Praise God for safe arrival and for the warm welcome by fellow believers!
Pray for a good first night's sleep and that experience God in a new and significant way in worship tomorrow.
Pray God would be at work in the hearts of our team preparing them to serve and be served.

"Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our
God, his holy mountain... Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the
ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness... For this
God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end."
Psalm 48:1,10,14

IMG00024-20100313-1059.jpg

This is a picture of our 2010 Belize ready for our trip.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry