Long Long Time.

Wow, it's been a really long time sense I last blogged.  I meant to blog earlier, but I've been busy and tired.  Where to begin?  I don't really know, so how about a little summary of here and there.  The field trip from last blog I mentioned was a dud, the ship didn't make it and they didn't call us, so the ship we went to see wasn't there, so there wasn't anything to see.  We drove like 3 hours for nothing.  But I enjoyed being able to see more of Belize and a break from school.  Ha ha, which I could really use another break, a long one!  And I will shortly.  Then it was just the usually.  School and being busy.  Nothing really sticks out to me.  Oh, we are playing sports now.  There's four teams, there's the Blue House (mine and Mr. Cabanas' team), Red House (the Landeros' team), White House, and Green house.  There's two teachers for each team.  I made the schedule for the year and they play futbol (soccer), volleyball, basketball, and softball.  This goes all they way 'til the end of March.  Then we have a sports day in April to conclude it.  Games are played on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  There's actually like 8 teams because we split up girls and guys.  Then there's actually like 32 teams because there's 4 different sports being played.  Yeah, its pretty crazy and will last a long time.  I really don't feel like a "coach" but more of like a "ref" for the games because not too many teachers are interested in sports. 

Last weekend was nice.  I finally got my package from home!!!!  It was so wonderful.  Lots of goodies and delicacies of home.  Like dried bananas and granola bars.  =D  Many more things too.  OOHH!!  Like my capo, thank you so much mum for the package, it was really nice and uplifting.  Then later on that day, Friday, I made a quick thank you video for PUC, and I was going to send it to them for vespers, but they said they wouldn't be able to show it so I didn't send it.  I'll try and make it better before I send it.  But it was fun to make and it's quite funny if I do say so myself.  I'll add a picture at the end so you can just get an idea.  Then Sabbath School was nice, it's getting a lot better.  I'm really excited about our youth group at the church, but I'll talk about that in a little bit. 

This past week has been a little rough.  I've just been so unmotivated.  I'm so exhausted in every way.  Physically, mentally, etc.  I really don't feel like going into too much detail about it up here, but I'm so exhausted.  I can really use a break.  Praise God that one is almost here, but I have to make it there.  One really fun thing that happened this week was Thursday night, some students invited Kelly and I to play futbol (soccer) with them against some older guys from the village and the village's field.  We went and played for like an hour and a half!  Oh my, I haven't ran that much in a long time.  I played middle center so I had the whole field to run.  I was impressed with how we did.  These are older guys and we kept up.  We ended it 2-2 as a tie, because people were starting to get upset and it had been long enough.  It was a lot of fun and a good way to show the students that we care about them and to be known more in the community.

Sabbath yesterday was nice.  It was children's day so the children led out the church service.  It was cute and nice.  We have a lot of kids here now.  When I first got here there was only a children's Sabbath School Class, now there's the little ones, Juniors, and Youth!!  I'm not taking credit for it at all, I'm just saying we got a lot of children since I've been here.  Yesterday, in our Youth Class it was great.  Kids are starting to talk more and ask for clarification and it's so great to see and hear.  The church is growing and moving forward.  It's so wonderful.  Also, our Youth Class is going to lead out in the Sabbath School portion before quarterly review in the church.  We're doing a little skit type thing and getting the kids involved.  We gave positions yesterday and ran through it once.  I'm excited, it was a lot of fun.  I'm actually more excited about the Youth class than school right now.  It's more what I've come here to do.  Not teach about Math and Science, but God!!  I like the freedom and variety that I can do with the Youth too.  Well I should be going, got church in a few minutes.  Sorry it's been a long time, I'll try and blog more often.  Thanks for reading, your prayers, and cares.  God Bless.  Oh, and if you want to help in anyway let me know.  Even if it's a nice little encouraging message.  =P 

Espanol and Chicken

Once again as usually, another week has passed.  Its funny how that happens once a week.  It was another good week.  Where to begin?  Well Monday I only teach two classes so I got a lot of planning and preparing for the week done.  And not having the crusade gave me a lot of time and each night I got really prepared for my classes.  Which made classes go really smooth this week.  Plus I'm getting use to everything now and know what works better than other things, and its really coming along.  It feels really nice. 

On Tuesday Mr. Cabanas (the principal) was able to pick up my package for me at the post office in Belmopan.  I didn't know who it was from and to my surprise it was from my old academy, Paradise Adventist Academy.  It was really nice and quite a surprise.  If any of you from PAA read this, thank you so much, it was a nice spirit lifter.  There was a lot of post-it notes which I am thankful for, and paper clips, pencils, school stuff etc which is useful.  They also gave an overhead transparency pen, and it made me totally think, why am I not using overheads.  So I've set it up and I'm totally going to use overheads this next week in classes.  I'm pretty excited for that actually. 

Friday was a holiday here this past week which was nice too.  But its not the same as back home where everyone is getting a week off for Thanksgiving, I miss the holiday seasons.  No Thanksgiving for Matt =(, well I'll be thankful, just no feast.  I really like food, so that will be a shame =P. Anyways, ADRA gave the church for the community two hundred pound bags of beans and people from the community have been coming for it.  Thursday afternoon not many people came because it was raining.  Friday morning was holiday so I slept in a little bit, until seven something and I went outside my house because I had to go to the restroom, and I see a man standing outside of the church.  I figured he was there for beans, so I went to the restroom and went back into my house and put more clothes on and grabbed the keys to the building where the beans were.  I came back out and met with him.  He didn't speak English, and I speak very little espanol.  In fact what I said, "No hablo mucho espanol."   But I was able to use my little bit of Spanish I know and was able to communicate with him and give him some beans.  It was a really nice way to start the day and to be able to serve someone and be used by God.  It's nice to know that God gives us what we can handle.  =) 

Then later that night we had our small groups meeting that we have split our church into.  We (Landeros and I) went to the Vasquez family's house.  There house is small and its a dirt floor, and I believe there's 10 in there family.  Then there was another small family.  There was 19 of us in all.  It was in Spanish too, so I spoke a little bit more.  Then after the meeting they gave us food.  Which was really nice of them and there's so many of them, I didn't want to be rude and tell them, I don't eat meat.  They're new members and I don't want to offend them and I don't want to come across as I am better than you, so I ate it.  Now today, I paid the price a little bit.  I'm not sick, just a little upset.  But it was worth it and I hope I did the right thing, and I have a funny story out of it now. 

Yesterday the church was F to the ULL, super full!  It was really nice to see.  Oh, and my Sabbath School class is HUGE!!!!  There's like 20 or so, and they really aren't youth age so I really need to change my planning.  They're more, junior and early teen aged.  I'll have to plan more for that next week.  Sabbath was good as a whole, and I really enjoyed it.  I really do enjoy life here.  Now I miss everyone, but life is good.  The church is growing, and I'm super busy with school and church, and that's honestly about it ha ha.  It's really good though, I do have a purpose and that's to serve!  Thank you everyone for reading and keeping me in your prayers.  Thank you Thomas family for commented on my last post.  It was nice and encouraging, I was really wondering if I should keep blogging.  (hint hint others.  Please comment!!!)  Ha ha, well I shall share more eventually.  Maybe sometime this week, or if not, as usually I'll post next weekend probably.  Oh, tomorrow I have a field trip, so that will be an adventure.  Alright take care and God Bless!!  Offer still stands if anyone wants to help here.  =P

3 months!

Oh my its been a long time!  Its been two weeks now.  A lot has happened.  A whole crusade has gone by.  I'll give you some highlights and some happenings of these past two weeks.  It's been busy and has gone by super fast.  Two weeks ago I went to the bush!  We chopped down trees to use as poles for the tent we set up for the Crusade.  We had to march, cut, and climb our through.  Then we cut down some trees. Then the most fun part happened, we had to carry the trees out of the bush, climbing and maneuvering our way through.  Honestly, it was fun.  It was really tiring too but I'm happy I've done that and can say I have.  We didn't go too terribly far into the bush either.  Probably teen fifteen minutes into it.  Oh, and we woke up at 5 in the morning to go, that's another thing I forgot to say.  We got back around eight or so started setting up the tent.  We didn't get everything finished until about one I believe. 
I got to talk with a lot of people too which was nice.  I miss all of you and its really nice to communicate.  But its so hard to find time and it takes a lot of time.  Especially these past two weeks.  But yeah then I was exhausted the rest of the day and had to go to the crusade.  The week went pretty well, nothing too extraordinary happened.  But Thursday was a great day!  In the afternoon, teaching was a lot of fun.  I was able to joke and be serious at the same time and the students were paying attention and trying and understanding and that's so nice.  It was encouraging.  I was so tired at the end of that day though.  It was raining so we had the Crusade in the tiny church, so I'm pretty much sitting right in front of the speaker, straight up in my chair, sleeping.  Ha ha, I couldn't help it.  I was out!  Straight back and everything.  That was funny to talk about and laugh about. 
Friday I went to Calcuta, northern Belize.  I went with Alondra's mom who helps with the kids during the week.  We went right after school to catch the bus.  We arrived just in time at Belmopan to catch the bus to Belize City.  That bus ride was only about an hour long and it was a nice bus and we got seats.  Then once again, right when we arrived in Belize City, we had to run to the next bus.  It was packed!  I got the last seat.  Now it was a horrible spot, but I got the last seat.  It was right where the wheel is so you don't have any leg room, and it was next to this HUGE lady.  I was crammed in there, and the worse part about that was, sense we had to hurry up on each bus, I hadn't been able to go pee so my bladder was full!  I was crammed, and ready to burst.  The ride seemed to take forever.  This bus would stop everywhere and like every 5 to 10 minutes to pick up more people.  It took about 4 hours until we reached our destination!  I quickly went to some trees and relieved.  Then everything was better.  There was a time were I was trying to tell myself, it'll be alright.  This pain will be so worth it for how good it will feel when I get to use the restroom.  Unfortunately that wasn't true.  =P
I really didn't do much in Calcuta.  I went to church then next day and ate and sat around a lot.  The weekend was a lot of sitting which was unfortunate.  I also ate some dairy.  Which happened to activate some poison wood I apparently got when going into the bush the week before.  Poison wood is similar to poison oak.  That weekend it got really bad.  It engulfed my body from the waist up, all the way to my face.  Monday I went to the doctor and got a shot, some medicine, and some lotion.  That was pretty miserable.  Its pretty much gone now except its on my hands and my fingers.  They itch and are rubbed a lot and irritated because they're my hands and when you handle things its going to happen.  But I'm surviving and its going well.
Then something really special happened this past Friday.  Friday November 12, 2010.  Danielle and I have been dating for one year!!  That's so crazy and amazing!  Oh my, I've already written and said so much about it, not publicly, and its so wonderful.  Especially how much we have grown as individuals, and together!  How we are able to still be in our relationship, yet take a year off and serve others and be working for God.  It's not easy, but its so worth it and so great!  I am so grateful and so in love and I believe we are blessed so much and God is taking care of us.  =D
Then another wonderful and special event happened yesterday!  41 people got baptized!  Within the past 4 weeks 50 people have been baptized.  Our church has more than doubled.  Our church isn't big enough to hold everyone.  That's an issue, a great issue to have, but we need to figure that out.  Anyone want to donate money or know a church that could be a mother church and support us?  That would be nice.  But it's wonderful praise God!!  We have so much work now added to our already full plates.  Praise God!  We are so exhausted.  Praise God!!!  We can't do it, we need help of God.  Praise God!!!  It's easy for me to get overwhelmed with everything that we have to do, but that's the problem.  We don't have to do it, we only have to be willing to be used, God will do it.  We are working, doing all this work, for credit, to be acknowledged.  No, we are doing this for God!  Yeah, sure I'm tired, exhausted, behind in everything, feeling incapable, but God isn't.  That's why I'm here.  Please continue to pray and support me, the church here, the school.  We need it and if there's anything that you want to do personally feel welcomed.  If you want to come and teach here from January on, feel free.  One teacher is going to be leaving, plus we could use another teacher as is.  If you want to support with money, WE NEED IT!!!  We barely scrape by each month, if its coming and doing manual labor, WE NEED IT!  We need new buildings, fix ups etc.  If you want to preach or help train laity, or help give Bible studies, or give a crusade, WE NEED IT!  If you want to pray, WE NEED IT!!!  Thank you for everything.  And another wonderful thing that I should share is, that PUC raised some money for the damages done during the hurricane and will be sending the funds soon hopefully.  They said they raised over $350!  So that's wonderful!  These are some happenings of the past two weeks and my life.  I miss you all and love and miss you again and would love to hear from you.  So please comment, it's really encouraging and makes me feel loved and listened too.  Please share it with other too.  Thank you once again.  Much love and prayers!  Oh, and I've been here for 3 months now.  Crazy!

Hurricane Richard

Hurricane Richard hit last Sunday (October 24, 2010) night here in Belize.  I lost electricity at around 6:30 PM and didn't get electricity until Thursday morning around 6:00 AM.  We (the Landeros and I) relocated from our houses to the school library because our houses were shaking, and also water was getting into our houses.  We brought some things to the library and set up some couches so we could stay there for the night.  Edson and Ethan fell asleep right away (Kelly and Alondra's two little boys). The library was leaking water too so eventually the whole floor was wet.  The eye of the storm happened to come around 9:00 PM.  We ran around a bit, fixing some things and covering with more plastic.  One bolt on the corner of our roof of the school came off.  That's all a storm needs to pull off a roof.  Just one spot to get wind underneath.  I quickly climbed a bunch and was handed a drill and put in two bolts for safe measures.  Then we ran to the Landero's house and covered some more things with plastic there.  Coming back to the library I noticed that the little garage/awning for the tractor had blown right into the fourth from classroom and knocked out a window.  We get back inside the library and waited the storm out.  I was awake on and off the rest of the night waiting to morning.  The storm was done by 2:00 AM.  I just stepped out and looked at what was in eye sight, I didn't explore at that time.  We all got up around 5:00 and started the investigation and the fixation of the school.  We went outside and we could see zink (that's the roofing here) and fallen trees everywhere.  The school's green house was also destroyed along with a small plant nursery.  A tool shed was flipped over, a building was actually moved like an inch and made it difficult to open a door.  A basket ball hoop was broken and fallen to the ground.  As I said before, the garage was in the 4th form classroom and that ruined part of the roof.  Our bathrooms were destroyed as well.  Some of the roofing from the Landero's house was blown off too.  After finding out what damage was done, we began to work.  We repaired the roofing and put the window back it.  The window is bent a bit, but it's better than nothing. After that I had to clean out my house.  It was dirty and wet and had a bunch of leaves blown in there, but my stuff was fine and dry.  I covered it with plastic beforehand. After that I went to Mr. Cabana's house and helped him thatch his roof.  Which is intertwine a type of tree branch here to patch his roof.  That was new and exciting.  Then I cut some coconuts off the tree and had fresh coconut water.  DELICIOUS!!!!!  Now I'll post some pictures.  

Update on Storm

I believe its now Hurricane Richard is going to hit today.  It will hit directly South from where I am.  We will experience winds of a Tropical Storm, therefore 30-40 mph winds.  Also, it is expected to be 7 inches of rain.  It will hit sometime this afternoon.  This is the latest that I know.  I might not have internet for a little bit, I don't know.  I'll be sure to let everyone know what happened when it's done.  I need to figure out if I need to do anything, but I think I'm pretty much prepared.  Other than that, I'll be sure to take pictures and video and maybe even run a round a little =P  I'll be safe though don't you worry.  This is an update and go ahead and ask questions share concerns.  I might get on around noon my time but we'll see.  Thanks for caring!

Tropical Storm Richard

Another tropical storm is coming.  It's predicted to become a hurricane tomorrow.  This one is more on track of hitting Belize than any of the other two, but hopefully it's just another fake cry for wolf.  If a hurricane hits it'll really hurt Belize.  Tourists, ruined crops, famine, etc.  It's expected to hit tomorrow  night, so we'll see what happens.

Another busy week with school.  Tomorrow I have a lot of grading to do.  Grades are suppose to be in the office Monday, but if we don't have school because of the hurricane, who knows, I might be able to spread my work out at least. =)  Something beneficial at least.  Please pray for the church here too.  It's rough.  I went visiting with a couple of the Elders and a church member isn't coming to church any more and it's tough to see.  It just hard for me to see because he is so confused and not where he thinks he is.  It's hard to see people get so lost and confused about the Bible and how they change.  He kept on changing excuses and saying he's made up his mine.  It is so human oriented instead of God oriented and it's hard to see.  Especially because he is/was an elder.  I really don't know.  But please pray for the church and him. 

Oh I preached last Wednesday night.  Well, more led an amazing facts guide, but I led it.  It went pretty well even though it was last minute.  It was totally what I needed too!  I've been doing a lot of studying and focusing on God, but it has been difficult lately.  There's three things for a Christian to survive.  It's reading the Bible, praying, and witnessing.  I haven't had too much witnessing and I have done so much it seems since Wednesday now.  It feels really great and it is what I needed.  I led out in a youth Sabbath School today. Kelly and I were talking about the church last night and I said I'd lead a youth Sabbath School because they don't have one, thinking like in a week or so, so I could look over the lesson.  Nope, this morning in church while the kids were going to there class Kelly announced I'll be leading a youth Sabbath School.  I was a little surprised, but it went well.  I'm sure it will get even better as time goes on.  I'm excited!  Well, I should probably be going to bed.  Thank you for all your prayers and cares.  God bless and thank you for reading.

2 Months!

I have officially been here for two months.  It's crazy to think about.  Two months is a long time!!  And at the same time not that long.  But I am one fifth of the way done here.  That sounds like a lot though.  I'm kind of happy.  They say the second and third month are the hardest and I'm missing home right now.  It's raining there.  That sounds so wonderful!  We need rain here, we need some water, but that's besides the point.  It sounds so wonderful because having a cool or chilly temperature sounds so great, and to be in a well furnished house and to be with my family and friends. It's good here too, don't get me wrong.

Alright, 9 or 10 hours later, now I'll finish this.  The crusade ended the other day.  Yesterday we had 9 baptisms.  You person was bawling before they went to be baptized and looked as if she really didn't want to go in, but she went.  After she was baptized she pretty much collapsed.  They got her to walk up with help and then she was unconscious I think for a while on the ground.  I didn't knowing because I was on the side taking pictures.  Once I realized I went over and told them the little first aid training I had.  Keep her still, don't give her food because it will cause the blood to go to her stomach and elevate her feet because blood isn't need there.  But then I couldn't call 9-1-1 which is the next step.  So we got her to the bus and got everyone back to the community center where we've been having our meetings.  We got her inside and had our afternoon meeting.  She was becoming a lot more with it by the end.  It was crazy and I don't know what was going on but I think it was more spiritual battles going on than physical.  The devil is attacking, but God's on our side so there's nothing to worry about.

Then last night, someone broke into the staff room at the school.  Mrs. Cabanas, the principal's wife, one of the teachers, thought maybe it was me because there was a flashlight in there.  She was calling my name and knocked on the door and the light went out.  Then she came to the Landeros where I was and asked if I was in there and I wasn't.  Then me, Kelly, and Kelly's brother who was up looked around.  We found a window open and inside a draw was open.  Nothing is missing that we know of though.  Nothing valuable is in there either, just our books and grades.  Then the police came later, apparently someone else had stuff stolen earlier that night.  We turned on more lights and nothing happened.  We are fine and nothing seems to be missing. 

That's a little bit of what is going on here.  Tomorrow is the beginning of another school week and mid-semester is at the end of this week so next week grades are due.  Meaning I'm going to have a lot of grading to do this week and next weekend.  But there isn't any crusade meetings to go to this week so that will give me more time to catch up, or to rest.  Anyways, thank you for taking time to read and your prayers.  May God bless you and continue to work in our lives.