For Grandpa & Grandma

Happy 63rd Anniversary!!

We love and miss you!

Hope you have a special day.

Grandpa we are still waiting for your visit??

Grandma, when he comes please send some of your goodies!! It would be nice if you sent yourself?

But we know that probably won't happen.

Thats a looonnngggg time to be married!

Hope you are enjoying the spring weather, finally!

Grandpa, glad to hear that you are feeling better and Grandma glad you are out walking again!

God Bless you, you are in our prayers!

Love, all of us here in Belize.

Mat's Thumb

Glad to share that Mat is feeling better and today the swelling in his thumb has reduced some.

He is feeling better and the pain has definitely reduced too!

I'm so thankful for all the prayers and Mat is too.

Good Fruit!!

I have really been liking the custard apples!

At first, I wasn't sure but now I can say that I do like them.

There are so many types of tropical fruits, way more than the typical pineapple, coconut, & mango........I keep seeing different fruits as the time of year changes.

Even though the climate here is warm all year round-it does have fruit seasons!



~Mission Pool Project~

We have begun the Mission Pool Project!

This is a fundraiser to be able to get one of those above ground pools like they have at costco or walmart! We have been looking at a 22' X 52" deep round pool at walmart.com.

My kids, Addy's kids, & I have been making homemade cookie ice cream sandwiches and selling those along with some sodas.

We were blessed by the fact that we were able to take up initial funds from generous neighbors to get this venture started. (Able to buy our baking supplies)

I would love to take orders from back home but those ice cream sandwiches just won't ship!

However, if anyone feels inclined to help us out in this fundraising venture you may message me on facebook or send me an email @ camhimission@hotmail.com

The hot season is coming upon us and we are dreaming of being able to cool off!!!

We are here around the radio grounds most of the time and I know the kids would be so grateful for a pool (ME TOO)!

This pool would also serve as relief for our HOT missionary groups that come here for mission trips!

So this pool would be serving several purposes.

The kids have been working very hard on this (except poor Mat) and are really doing all they can to help! They are sooooo excited and understand that we may not get the pool until next year!

But hey, thats what goals are for!!!!

God Bless.

Feeling Better!

Glad to report that Mat is doing better today!

His pain is getting better but its still very sore.

He still has swelling so he is now able to put ice on it.

Whereas previously it hurt so bad he could not.

Thank you for prayers for Mat.

God is answering!

God Answers Prayer

Praise the Lord, he is answering prayers!

Mat's fever broke in the night with a drenching sweat.

His throat feels better this morning.

His hand is still pretty swollen but he said the pain is coming and going instead of being constant.

We will see how everything looks after another couple days of antibiotics.

Thank you to everyone praying for Mat!

This is how it looks this morning.



Mat Update

Mat is still hurting and needing motrin about every 4 hours.

His thumb looks a little more swollen today than yesterday.

I posted another picture below in the original post.

We are praying that it will heal and not get infected.

As of 8pm tonight Mat is now on antibiotics.
I researched on line enough to know that the hospital should have scanned his hand. Most likely he has a bone bruise, which is just shy of fracture. That is what is causing all the pain- info said bone bruises are extremely painful. Not only that but bone trauma can lead to infection. He was much more swollen tonight, so we talked and decided he would be better off ensuring no bone infection~ that could be devastating.
He was spiking a very high fever today and we were sponge bathing him, took him outside and dumped cold water all over him in conjunction with using motrin and tylenol. Finally, his fever dropped after about 2 hours of real stress. He kept asking for facial hydro therapy to help relieve his sinuses and stuffy nose, which he said did really help him.
He always had very high fevers even as a little baby!
I'm sure the fever is attributed to his sore throat but it could be something else too.
He told me tonight that he wished he either just had his thumb injury or was only sick but not both. Poor kid!
So I am praying, waiting, watching, & always checking to make sure he is doing ok. Now we are waiting to see if he will be allergic or not to the antibiotics that he's never had before?
Please pray that Mat's thumb will heal and that his illness will subside. God bless.

Mat vs. Machete

Mat was cutting coconuts this morning, which he has done many times. This time his left hand was too close and he macheted his left thumb.

He casually walks up the stairs and in the house and says "mom, I need stitches."

At first, I'm like, what did you say-then it sinks in as the blood is running from his hand.

Immediately I grabbed a pile of napkins just to absorb the blood. Then Hannah & I got the chinese herb that coagulates the blood fast. We put that on and topped it with gauze, while Bella ran for Junior to take us to the Hospital. Of course Chris is gone when this happens-so his medic skills weren't on hand.

Junior drove us because I held on to Mat, he was in quite a bit of pain and hyperventilating a bit.

Got to La Loma Luz and they unwrapped the gauze and looked-that herb is amazing it had stopped the bleeding! As soon as the nurse washed it off so they could look at his hand, he was bleeding again and they were having a tough time getting it to stop.

As this is going on Mat was starting to feel faint so I was holding him up as they had him standing at a sink. This is Belize.......I said he needs to lay down and they let him. I had to ask for a cool cloth but they were kind about getting it.

Through all of this, I was praying, yet also thanking God that his thumb was still there. The doctor had to tourniquet his thumb to be able to stitch because the bleeding wouldn't stop. So I know that herb really works, burns a lot but it does stop bleeding.

They wanted to give him another Tetanus shot but I told them I wanted to be able to check his records first.

Well, now we are home and he is stitched but he is still a little pale. I gave him some motrin (400mg) for pain and he's laying down resting. I did check his vaccine records and he had a tetanus in 2008, so that is good for him. 

Poor kid he's had a fever since Saturday night (low grade) and a sore throat. We are praying that he will get better and his thumb will heal!

Mat's thumb today March 27th. 

Stopped By

Chris had to do a transfer from Belize out here to San Ignacio a few days ago.......

So he stopped by our place with the little safari ambulance and all the kids thought that was GREAT!



God's Blessings

So many things have transpired this week that have shown God's care over us and His blessings to us!

Simple things like trying to buy potatoes at market and they were all $1 per pound. So Chris went around asking all the farmers hoping to find something cheaper. I usually try to get 7-10 pounds of potatoes depending on prices. Some farmers will only sell bulk and you have to buy at least 40 pounds or more.....so I was wondering how to stretch money and still end up with enough produce.

A little, older gentleman approached us and said are you still looking for potatoes? We said yes about 10 pounds. He said follow me and I will sell you 10 pounds for .50 cents a pound. What a blessing to be able to get a good price. They also sold plantains which are always 3 for a $1 but his wife sold me 6 for a $1. Then I left without getting my change which is unlike me. The lady came and found us and gave back my change. Its hard to find honest people here. Come to find out he was a minister out in Benque....don't know which church. He was telling us about some missionaries coming from Tennessee to preache in Benque. I know that this seems so small but to us it was huge and we were able to save quite a bit at market this week and every little bit counts, especially when you don't have much to start with.

We met the missionary group last evening from Pleasant Hill, CA. A group of high school students from the SDA academy there and it just happened that they all are in choir too. So they sang live over the radio and I recorded them while they did it for later play back. They were so excited to be on the radio and once they started singing they forgot about the mission building tour.

Larissa, the leader of the group, she emailed us last week and offered to bring a few things. What a God send! She brought us a few things we asked for in much larger quantities than we expected and also tucked in some goodies for us like cookies, apple fruit leather, & chapstick.

We are so touched by a virtual strangers kindness and generosity! We will keep in touch now, what good, kind people. She told me they wanted to bring more for us but ran out of time and I was so overwhelmed with the stuff they did bring that I told her that she was already over generous with us. She found us some really nice shorts at a used clothing store, they look almost new!!

Praise the Lord for providing our needs in ways that we could not possibly imagine!

Mat finally got his pair of tennis shoes!

Look Who's 4 Today!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

RIO & LITTLE TOOTY

Honey Bees

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Psalms 19:10

We had a swarm of honey bees take up residence in the gumbo limbo tree at the bottom of our stairs. We thought they would stay the night and move on, but they stayed.

I guess they didn't like all traffic so they moved over about 50 feet to the Avacado tree. Isabel took the picture of the little bit of honey comb that they had made in one day! 

More solar panels at Pine Ridge Repeater

Faith FM shared its needs/goals at their 13th anniversary weekend back in January. God really blessed and the money came in that allowed the radio to purchase 8 more solar panels for the ridge!

The real miraculous thing is that Junior was able to purchase at about 1/3 the regular cost. Amen

Now there are a total of 14 panels up there. If they are able to get the additional batteries to store the extra solar then the repeater would truly be running all solar.

Diesel would hardly ever be purchased, except for emergency back up!

God is Good!!

Feelin Tired!

Wow!!!

Today is one of those days that I just can't shake that tired feeling???

The weather has also been heating up here and I'm wondering if that has something to do with it??

Just been lots going on with the Faith FM week of prayer under way and mission groups set to arrive in less than a week.

We have not been able to put in our air conditioners that we brought due to the expense of having them put in. So to install 3 small AC units (one in each bedroom) through an established concrete wall will cost $262.50 in US funds. Well, that was way more than we thought but we talked with the skilled worker and they explained everything- so I know the price is fair and there is much more to the process than we thought.

We will keep praying and I know God will provide that for us just when we need it most. Although, there have been some hot days lately.

By the way, anyone new to my blog might want to check out www.faithfmbelize.com and see the ministry we are here to support in spreading God's word. We also host mission groups from all over- so if you are interested in a mission trip please contact us through the website above!

I suppose everyone has a blah day every now and then? I hope tomorrow I feel much more rejuvenated!



Sugar Cane!!!! & Mame

There was a trip out to the Lisbey farm yesterday so the Pastor could meet the family.

The kids all went along and like usual came back with fruits and sugar cane!

The cane that the kids are holding is one piece and they said there were some cane stalks much longer.

This is the mame fruit-

texture is like a avocado that is just perfect-

taste?????  cannot come up with any flavor to compare it to. I thought it would taste good in smoothies!



Update on Damian

The kids and I took Pastor Lewis to see the little boy today.

Pastor annointed him and we prayed over him.

Today he was walking and looked so much better. Still on pain medicine which explains the walking.

They are waiting to get his passport which will take another 3 weeks at least. So it is still in the near future that he will make it to the states for surgery.

Praise the Lord for helping this little boy and we prayed that God will heal him.



Love the visitors

Really appreciate all the visitors to my blog!

Please feel free to leave appropriate comments!

Would love to hear how things are in your corner of the world.

My blog stats show that I've had visits from 13 countries.

May God bless you all!

Look Heavenward!

This world is not my home!

Soon Lord, and very soon, we will be with you!

Jesus come to take us home.

HAPPY 59TH BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!

Dental Work

We have spent 3 days this week at the medical and dental clinic in Roaring Creek, which is right near Belmopan. A team from the states was down doing a free clinic. We all had work done which was nice!



Pine Ridge Pics

Had a nice trip up the mountain again to celebrate Addy's fathers 72 birthday. She has 8 sisters and 1 brother so you can imagine with all their kids and such it was quite a group!

Have a few pics of the kids playing water volleyball and just having fun!

One of her sisters made this awesome guitar cake for their dad......I think it looks pretty good for a bus ride up a pretty bad road for an hour and half!



Beautiful Sabbath

Such a gorgeous day!

After our meal together we loaded up in Junior's truck and went out to Henry's farm; well his parents farm.

I've been there one other time and its so beautiful and peaceful!

We adults took a nice hike while the kids grouped up and took their own hike which eventually crossed paths with us.

They have tons of fruit trees on their farm, especially custard apple- well I did try it again today and I really like it. I guess I had a bad one in the past.

We saw the many plantain trees, corn, oranges, limes, jamaican limes, coconuts, mango trees, plum trees, mulberry trees (I ate them until my fingers were purple), jack fruit, and many others that I can't remember.

We also learned about some of the native flora as we walked through their property- seems like we kept finding the the spiny ones.

As I took a picture of the kids across the field; they had some special spectators just up the knoll from them. Henry says that when the cattle are out in the field that snakes never stick around.

Henry let the kids ride his horse that he affectionately calls Ranger. He trained and broke that horse himself. I should have known that if there was a horse on the premises Hannah & Bella would be on it. Henry gave them permission to get the saddle and bridle and Hannah had that horse cinched up in record time and up she went grinning from ear to ear!



Welcoming the Sabbath

So nice to welcome in the Sabbath with a special invite to Bill's house on behalf of Billy's birthday. We had a really nice worship together and then they fed us a great supper of beans, fresh corn tortillas, jicama, and sweet breads!

HAPPY SABBATH!

Route de Maya

Today at 7am the great canoe race from San Ignacio to the Carribean Sea was started. We were there as it was right by the market area and they close down both bridges for about an hour.

Several canoes tipped over right near the start and 1 or 2 got jammed under the low lying bridge.

Fun for us to witness this......the kids enjoyed it!



Cool in Belize!

The last 3 days have been really cool!

We have broke out the long sleeves, socks, & sweatshirts........I actually wore jeans.

My feet feel cold most of the time on the tile floor and it just felt so damp.

The kids were actually saying they felt cold.



Outreach

We had such a nice day yesterday!

After church we had a yummy haystack lunch at Addy's house and then at 3pm we loaded up my family and 3 other youths from sabbath school class and we went to the old folks home in San Ignacio.

A missionary friend as just recently placed her husband there due to his increasing alheimers. So we had been wanting to go for a while but this just urged us even more.

We really had a nice time there singing to the elderly and brother Ken sure enjoyed it; he sang along and clapped his hands.

This picture doesn't quite do it justice for our group nor for the residents. The elderly were scattered all around us.

The center has a cat and you hardly ever see a cat in good shape here so I had to snap a picture of this languishing animal!

After we left the elderly home we stopped by to see Azra and see how she was doing. Her left eye is still quite puffy and it looks like she is sick again with a bad cold.

Next, we drove on to the hospital to check on Damian & Alindy (the other gal we had prayed for Friday night.) I was so happy to see Damian alert and talkative......he said thank you for the things we had brought him and said we could sing to him. Thank the Lord the antibiotics were working and his nausea was subsided. I asked him if he had eaten food that day and he said yes! So thats sounding better and while we were there a man came in to take his photo as part of working on getting him to the states for surgery.

We only stopped by Alindy's room to pray because it looked like she was sleeping and she didn't look good either. Another reason we didn't stay too long is that none of us spoke spanish. We did pray and one of the youths translated it as best he could. We did leave a EGW book (ministry of Healing) in spanish and a couple other spanish magazines.

We are praying for their recoveries.





~Have a Peaceful Sabbath~

A very peaceful and sacred Sabbath to you!

God gives such simple yet wonderful things for us to enjoy, like the big tree next to our home, its in bloom.

The blooms smell so good and the fragrance blows into my house and it assails my senses while doing laundry on the roof. The blooms aren't anything to look at per say but they smell heavenly!

A couple days back a beautiful little yellow throated bird flew onto the veranda. Next thing we know its hanging upside down off the concrete beam but there's really no where for it to grab. I got my camera but just then it flew down and it was actually quite a hyper nervous little thing. Flitting here and there and hardly pausing for a second. We sure enjoyed watching it and seeing its beauty and character.

The flowers appear on the earth;

the time of the singing of birds is come

Song of Solomon 2:12

Update on Little Boy

I was wanting to go and see the little boy that had been run over a few weeks back but it seemed that my day got away from me.

So this evening I was feeling very impressed to go so when I got to Addy's for worship I said, "lets go see him and sing and have a short worship with him." Addy then shared that she had heard on the radio that he just went back in the hospital today (La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital) and was not doing good.

So we all piled in the pickup and first checked his home and no one was there so on to the hospital we went.

This little boy who's name is Damian.......I think I got it wrong before but my last visit was the dog bite issue so I was a little shookup. Anyway such a beautiful child and NO, he isn't doing well.

Damian has been experiencing much more pain and at more intensity. He also has started vomiting and is not able to eat anything. The doctors here are telling the mom that he need to go to the states for surgery. No one knows when that will happen.

We were able to visit with mom and then we had prayer with Damian before we left his room. We wanted to sing to him but he was feeling terrible and was nauseated. So we made it a short stay.

As we were leaving a nurse stopped us and had us go into another room to see a young lady that has dwarfism and a physical deformity. But at this time she is very sick with pneumonia and failing kidneys. The nurse said that in order for her to get dialysis there are gov't hoops to jump through. We sang in spanish and addy read the bible in spanish then she prayed in spanish. The family looked very sad and teary eyed so I'm guessing the outlook is not good?

I think we will try to go visiting every Friday as Sabbath is coming on and see where God leads us!