We Have Arrived!

Hello from Belize!

Today we shared an amazing adventure as we traveled from Flint, MI to San Ignacio, Belize. All along our journey we were met with amazing people who helped us along our way. Each helper that God sent our way made me more and more excited to be along on this trip. Every experience is influenced by the people you surround yourself with. I am happy to announce that we were surrounded by incredible people all day today.

Our journey started with two amazing flight crews, who were attentive, friendly, and beyond eager to help us get to our destinations. Once in Belize City, we made our way through the tedious process of Customs only to find out that our porter (we'll call him Nick) had already "pre-checked" us in. He eagerly loaded up all of our luggage and escorted us to our waiting bus where we met two more amazing souls; Miguel & Eliu (pronounced "L U"). 

Miguel, our bus driver, made every effort to get us to San Ignacio safely and in record time. He was attentive and patient with us during every speed bump and photo request (of which, there were MANY). Eliu, our host for the week, was beyond excited to meet all of us. He insisted on introducing himself to all of us personally and answering any questions we may have had (again, which were MANY). He was a fantastic tour guide, not only on the 2 hour drive to San Ignacio, but also later in the day when he gave us a tour of the city. He has been working very hard to spread the news of our arrival, and we can't wait to see the fruits of his labor come tomorrow morning.

The final blessing of the long travel day came in the form of the hotel staff. George and his staff have truly been the gem on the top  of an incredible journey into Belize. First off, the hotel is immaculate, adorable, and a true diamond in the rough. However, it wasn't the building that impressed us so... it was the people. George and his staff welcomed us into the hotel with ice cold, tropical slushies and eucalyptus infused ice towels to cool us off. Trust me, in Belize's humidity... they were much appreciated. After a quick check in process, the staff let us know that lunch would be served in 30 minutes. We quickly unpacked in our beautiful rooms and rejoined for dinner downstairs. The meal was homemade by the staff and absolutely delicious. Not only did they serve us lunch with a smile on their faces, but also dinner when we returned from our tour of the city. I personally worked in the hospitality industry for 5 years, and I have never experienced anything as wonderful as George and his crew.

So, now, after an extremely long but wonderful day I am sitting on the rooftop of our hotel, looking out over the city of San Ignacio. I feel an amazing sense of peace in knowing that we are in good hands here in Belize. God truly does place the right people in our lives to help us along in our journey... he certainly did today. Tomorrow we get to wake up and be those "helpers" to the people in the city of San Ignacio. 

But first we need to get some sleep. I'll check in soon... 

Bye for now.

Soon...

The word "soon" is often met with a variety of connotations. 

Sometimes, it's the answer to our impatience: 
"When will we get there?" - "Soon."

Sometimes, it's the answer to our fears:
"When will we know the results?" - "Soon."
"When will we see improvement?" - "Soon." 

Sometimes, it's the answer that we use to put things off for another day:
"When are you going to fold the heaping mound of laundry you've been putting off all week?"  - "Soon."

This week, "soon" feels an awful lot like we're running out of time: 
"When are you leaving?" - "Soon..."

The week before any trip can be extremely stressful. Often, a multitude of questions plague our thoughts as we prepare to uproot our lives for several days. Do we have everything we need? Did we remember to make all the proper arrangements? Is there anything we're missing? Have we accomplished everything we needed to before we leave?

It is extremely easy to get caught up in the stress and anxiety of the week before the trip. There can be many  what-ifs during the "week before". We may find ourselves running around, doing errands and tasks at the last minute that don't necessarily need to be done... but what if....? What if this happens? What if that happens?

What if... instead...we focus on the excitement:
"When are you leaving?" - "Soon!"

During the next few days as we near our departure, I would challenge my fellow team members to cast off all of their troubles and fears and look forward to the coming adventure. During times when the stress starts to pile up, I urge you to find peace in 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you."

We should be excited during the next few days, because...

SOON we will be boarding our plane.
SOON we will touch down in Belize.
SOON we will be helping our fellow neighbors in Christ.
SOON we will be spreading the word of Jesus Christ.

I'll check back soon.

Bye for now.