Mayan Mission Trip Report

My mom and I recently got back from a mission trip to Belize, Central America. The population of Belize is 321,115. The country itself is 176 miles long and 63 miles wide. It is both mountainous and coastal. Mayan civilization spread through this country between 1500 B.C. and A.D. 300 and grew until about A.D. 1200.
Once I got off of the plane there was an unforgettable heat. It was about 95 degrees and 90% humidity, so it was unmistakably hot. We met another team after we got through security. Their names were: Justin, Kasey, Maya, Patia, Tayln, Taylor, Kally, Hunter, James, Anthony, Lewis, Chase, and Andrew. Our team consisted of: Matt, Arlene, Wanda, (my mom), Kelsey, Jordan, Jackson, Justice, and Andre
(me).
We got on the bus and took a three hour ride, the scenery on the way there was absolutely beautiful! It was all jungle; I was seated next to my friend Kelsey. There were these trees shaped like fans, they were absolutely stunning. Then we started to really see the poverty that was so prevalent everywhere, people were living in mere huts, if they were lucky. We finally arrived in Dandriga. Then we got to our hotel, and met the other two teams. After that we went upstairs and got a briefing from a man named Burton Brooks, he is the lead singer of a band called The Heavenlies. The next day Sunday, we went to church in Pomona, this was great because we got to know the locals; our group went to a room beside the sanctuary. Justin did the bible school for them and Arlene helped with the songs, while Kasey aided with the rowdy kids and that was everyone else’s job too. I had the craziest two kids you could ever fathom taking care of for thirty minutes! They were always wrestling, and running amuck, I did not mind it though. Monday at about 2:00pm we went door to door praying with people and telling them about Vacation Bible School that was on Tuesday and a church service on Wednesday; there was a woman’s Bible study and a movie also. We were assigned local girls to take us around the town of Pomona so we would not get lost. My friend Kelsey met this little girl named Yesinia, she was such a joy to be around, always happy energetic, she had a friend named Jaileen. Also there was a little girl that would go around on somebody’s shoulders and steal their hats and sunglasses always returning them, of course.
Tuesday we went back to the church to VBS; Jordan, Kelsey’s brother and I found out that we would be doing Bible study along with Tayln and Maya, who had known beforehand that they would be doing that, unlike Jordan and I. The kids listened well and were extremely respectful. After VBS the team went to the construction site, this was at the church. I had broken my hand prior to the trip so I was not allowed to go and help with that. So I talked with the cooks and played with the children.
Our team and the team from Texarkana were doing concrete work all week, it looked really physically draining. My mom was, to me the hardest worker, she did not take many breaks for water or rest, she was not recognized for her service to this church by anyone, but I was extremely proud watching her labor intensively.
On Wednesday we went on an excursion to the Blue Hole and our group went to a cave, the tour guide told us that the ancient Mayans would go into the cave to give human sacrifices.
They believed that caves were entrances to the underworld. At the end of the cave the music leader Doobie asked us to sing ‘Our God is an Awesome God’ with him so that was really cool to hear that echo through the cave. It was nice to know that our God was the one true and the living God and he did not expect us to give ourselves up to fire or death by other individuals so He could be satisfied for a short amount of time.
Thursday we had closing VBS. After VBS Yesinia gave me a rubber band because everybody else was giving out bracelets. The team finished work on the construction site. Also we had a closing church service and there was a love offering collected for the pastor’s family. We said our goodbyes and then went back to the hotel. It was hard but we all made a lasting impression upon the people of Pomona. They also made a lasting impression on me, they taught me that it is okay to always be happy, and most of all they made me realize that I am very blessed to have what I
have. Friday we went to Caye Caulker by water taxi. Caye Caulker is 20 miles away from Belize City; it is literally a sand bar over a limestone shelf. We had the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Belize Barrier Reef, which is the second largest barrier reef in the world. When I dove into the water I saw the most amazing picture; except it did not separate me through a simple piece of paper I was looking at the most amazing part of the creation of God that I had ever experienced; absolutely bustling with under water action, exotic fish swimming around, and the coral reef was astounding it took some of the most amazing shapes like a human brain! Then we went to another place and went swimming with stingrays and sharks. Later on that night we toured the island and went window shopping for souvenirs I bargained for a sheath knife with a vendor. (I wish you could do the same in the American culture!) Saturday morning we went back to Belize City and set off to the airport. This mission trip can be easily categorized as, ‘the time of my life’. I await my next mission trip with enthusiasm and patience.