Reaching youths through VBS

Date and Time Posted: Sunday July 23, 2023 - 10:42:53 am

Saturday, July 22, 2023 Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain The Team awakened to the usual crowing of the rooster, and the barking of a nearby dog. We left the hotel very early this morning (0530) as we have to stop at TFOCC to load the Biscayne VBS materials onto the bus for delivery up north, and to drop off our Team members heading back to the USA. The women of TFOCC prepared us sausage and egg enchiladas, as well as more of their homemade coconut pies (made with a mixture of brown sugar and coconut). We had an uneventful drive north, stopping at a service station for snacks and drinks. The Team discussed the “quash” that we had seen crossing the road on Friday’s trip. The Quash is a member of the raccoon family and is gregarious up to the age of two years.. The species is widespread over bush areas and grasslands; they are common in mangrove and tropical forests. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, insects, and small invertebrates. They have a long snout and are able to acutely smell their prey. We also talked about the Royal Rat (or Sovereign Rat), a nocturnal rodent that inhabits the forests of Belize. It feeds on fruits and insects and fungi. It is called the GIBNUT in Belize and is the most prized game animal of the region. Queen Elizabeth II was served this delicacy in 1985 during a visit to Belize; it is very tasty, but hunting is only allowed from June through November. Also discussed were the variety of wild hogs that inhabit the country – known as “wares” they grow to three or four feet in length, and may weigh 44-80 pounds. They bear tusks. We did not see any of the aforementioned animals, but it was interesting to hear Pastor Victor discuss these. We arrived safely at the Belize Airport (after a quick break for drinks and restroom use), and then unloaded most of the suitcases to separate those of the returning missionaries. After farewells, and good wishes (including letting them know if they had plane problems, just to give Larry a call, and we could see that they were brought to Crooked Tree for the coming week’s VBS!) The bus was met by the vans from Birds Eye View Lodge, and we transferred luggage and VBS materials into the vans and trailer. After a short stop for “baggies” for the beans and rice, we drove to Pastor Tillett’s home, and Biscayne Church, to meet briefly with the pastor. It was a joyful reunion as he recognized many on the team as having been there before. He sang the most memorable song from the past VBS sessions – “We’re Together Again” – before we loaded back into the vans, and proceeded on to Birds Eye Lodge. They were prepared for us, having lunch ready for us, and rooms ready for us to move into. The Team rested for a few hours and enjoyed the view of the Jabiru Storks (a rarity to see so many of this bird) feeding and walking in the water. They are a white bird with black and red; the jabiru is the tallest flying bird in Central America, and it has the second largest wingspan after the Andean condor. Dinner was served at 500 PM for the Team, and for our visitors: Pastor Tillett and his wife, and Breceida Reyes Rodriguez and her family. The Team was fed chicken, tilapia, potatoes, slaw, and for dessert, coconut pie. A good time of fellowship occurred, followed by a brief review of the week’s VBS activities and schedule. After a long day, the Team retired to get a good night’s sleep. Continue to pray for the Team as we start revival tomorrow night, as well as make preparations for the VBS Tuesday-Thursday.

Posted By:Jerry McMurray