UNBELIZEABLE!

What can we say?

We arrived in Belize last Saturday and were awed by the beauty of the lush foliage, the fragrance of the variety of flowers and the view of the Mayan Mountains in the distance.



After our journey to the Village of San Antonio (population 4000), we were greeted by village leaders who insisted on helping us with our luggage. We were immediately family, bonded with Christ's love.



We were able to minister in the church service on Sunday morning - Robin and I singing on the praise team. After the service we prayed for the church members under a powerful anointing of God's Holy Spirit.

Sunday afternoon the entire team went to the home of an 18 year old girl who had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. While we went to pray for her, she ministered to us with her unwavering faith and encouragement.

On Monday we begin the construction and refurbishing projects at the School.




The conditions at this facility, compared to the schools in the States, are very lacking. It broke our hearts to see the equipment and classrooms that are utilized at this school serving nearly 300 students.

After a days work in the heat and humidity, we prepared for the first night of the marriage conference. We learned that there is a planned start time and a Belizean start time - typically 45 minutes to an hour after the scheduled start time.

The conference, the first of it's kind in the area, was well attended and served as an introduction to this kind of teaching to the area pastors and village leaders. It was our first time preaching and teaching with the help of an interpreter.

After the first night, we were hearing reports of the pastors and leaders excitement. There were pastors saying,

"We have never heard this taught. This teaching is good and strong."
"This is so needed in our Country."

Each night of the conference concluded with me talking with many men and Robin ministering, hugging and crying with many women.

The culture in Belize is not favorable for women. Often women feel as if they are in bondage. The freedom that Christ can bring to marriages is so needed in this Country.

We did not fully realize what God had purposed to do through us this week. Not until Thursday. I was invited to meet with all the area pastors for a morning meeting resembling more of a meeting of the tribal chiefs. Some of our colleagues in marriage ministry had donated marriage ministry material and I distributed a pack of books to each pastor. After describing the content and explaining how to use each book in ministry, the pastors began asking questions.

They were most curious about the fact that Robin and I minister together - both preaching and teaching. In Belize, women typically do not minister in the churches, save but for singing. The pastors were interested in how they can begin incorporating women into ministry opportunities.

We could see the rust on the wheels of equality and freedom begin to fall off, as the pastors pondered my words, words given by the Holy Spirit in a crucial point in time.

Later that evening, while walking back to the school from a benefit concert for Samantha, the girl diagnosed with Leukemia, we were stopped repeatedly by couples wanting to thank us for coming. Many said,

"We prayed as a couple for the first time this week." "We have taught other couples the prayer model already." " We need more teaching and other couples in other villages need to hear this."

Robin and I walked the remaining distance in tears. God has started something amazing in the hearts of the Belizean pastor's, couples and families.

We've been invited back. We are praying. With the need so great and a welcoming door so wide open...

What can we say?



THANK YOU to all who prayed and sacrificed their finances to make this trip possible. Lives, marriages and families have been changed through your effort. We are eternally grateful.


For Marriages and Families,

Dave & Robin