Belize Navidad =)

"BELIZE" NAVIDAD - 2013

Christmas Morning Breakfast - Pancakes `n Honey

           We went traveling for our Christmas Day fun - On the river and thru the ocean
                                       to Jessica, Joel & Sage Irish's house we go!

                                 On the Manatee Bar River - heading to the ocean

White egrets, herons, pelicans & an osprey were along the river this morning.

             On the ocean - headed south to the Belize Mission & Retreat - about 3 more miles

There it is!  =) Quick boat ride compared to a long drive in the truck!

It's a beautiful place to visit/stay.  Joel & Jessica Irish, along with their young daughter, Sage arrived in October to take on the maintenance of this place.  They are doing an amazing job!

http://www.belizemission.org/whatsnew.php

       Chapel and cabanas for service teams who come to help out locally or have a retreat.

Previous 6 pictures were taken by Stacy Holbert - Thanks!  

 Time for a walk along the beach before we have fish tacos.  Fish was caught by Joel and cooked by Jessica.  Stacy made deviled eggs & broccoli salad.  Sage & Jessica also made a yummy chocolate dessert and apple crisp. 

            Oh, I'd do Christmas (& any other day of the year) here in a heartbeat!  =)

                                                   Boat launch - by hand!

Unfortunately, this is what the beach typically looks like all along the shoreline - lots of plastic & styrofoam.  Joel & Jessica have to groom their beach daily or it would look like this - daily!

         Also had time to sit and enjoy the breeze, sunshine and all the blessings of my life -                   especially the gift of my Savior, family, friends and beautiful world in which to live!  
                          Thank you Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  =)

  Stacy gave Sage 2 baby chicks for Christmas.  Here they are "chillin` on the porch together.

On the boat ride home we stopped for clean sand we need 

for various places on the property.

        Rather than dig up our beach - there's a whole coastline of sand to "transplant." =)

Glassy water in the lagoon for the trip home gave us one more pause for gratitude 

(and wishing we had a ski boat with us!)

                  Oh, yes, the "distinctive rain cloud" was leaving it's mark up ahead.

                                            A beautiful sunset as we approach home


                                            "Belize" Navidad - 2013
                                  Merry Christmas to all - and our love & warm wishes!

Goff's Caye Adventure

                                                        Goff's Caye
                                                            11.19.2013

What is a Caye?

A caye (/ˈkiː/ or /ˈkeɪ/), also spelled cay or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of a coral reef. Cayes occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans (including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef), where they can provide habitable and agricultural land for hundreds of thousands of people. Their surrounding reef ecosystems also provide food and building materials for island inhabitants.  

On this bright, sunny, perfect day in Belize. we headed out to the ocean to go snorkeling, meet some friends who live "down the coast" and do what everyone "thinks we do every day - play!"

We headed off to Goff's Caye with grey clouds above us, trusting that the weather would clear.  

Here's where we are headed:  Goff's Caye is a small island off the shore of Belize City, Belize.

 It is 1.2 acres of sandy land.

(On the map above - our home is in the bottom "lake looking" body of water just inside the coast-line.  There is a short river that joins the lagoon to the ocean.)

There it is!  

Wait!!!! Is that ALL there is?  

Yes, that's it!  Remember - it's only 1.2 acres but the ecological wonder of all the coral and sea life in the water all around it add so much more.

They have packed all the necessities on it - boat dock, palapas, sandy beaches, 

palm trees, bathroom.  And, "Ranger Rick" will be by some time during the day 

to collect the $10 per person fee.  =)

What is a palapa?  a traditional Mexican shelter roofed with palm leaves or branches

On the beach - this is what's in front of me!

A short walk over the rocks & we'll be snorkeling in coral all around the island,

seeing beautiful, colorful fish and other sea life.

                                                This is my view to the left

                                                             Behind me

                                                     

                                                      More behind me

                                                          To my right

Below are pictures of my favorite "find" of the day:  Juvenile Yellow Tail Damsel Fish

                                      Yes! those spots are neon AND they glow!

My apologies for less than stellar pictures - best I could find on the internet.  Anyone wish to "gift" me an underwater camera that's better than whatever was used for these?  =)  Ah, well, the pictures will help me remember what beautiful, little fish these guys are!


                              Back on the PERFECT BEACH!  White sand and waves!  

I can do this ALL DAY =)

Someone to join me in the fun!

          Avi Bradbury, daughter of Mark & Sarah Bradbury, who have been living in Belize 
                      managing the Belize Mission and Retreat joined us for our "island fun."

On our way home - Perfect Shades of Blue

The Barr River

This short river joins the ocean to our lagoon - 

not nearly the pretty blue of the ocean this day!

                                       Mangroves line the sides of the river.  
                Usually see herons and pelicans along this stretch, at least in the morning.

It was a perfect day with great company and very grateful for this beautiful place to live.  =)

Guatemala City Temple Trip

If you had asked me in early November if I would travel to Guatemala within a month and call the 4 days spent traveling & being there a highlight of my life - I would have laughed, and said, "No way!"  Well - I was wrong!!!  Learning to take each day and each opportunity that comes along is a great lesson I am learning - finally.  =)  Here's the story.......

What causes 53 people in Belize to arise before daylight and travel to the country's border, to then board a bus and travel 12+ hours to Guatemala City and spend 2 days participating in ordinances for themselves or their ancestors, and then climb back on the bus to travel back home the 12+ hours?  A belief in and desire for their family to share in the blessings of being united in the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be "together forever."  For my friends who want to know why I believe in temple work and attend a temple wherever I can, here are some pictures (inside and outside of my church's temples), brief explanations & video that will give you succinct, accurate information.

Why Mormons Build Temples:   http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?autoplay=true&index=3&locale=0&sourceId=387b747631f92210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=bd163ca6e9aa3210VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD

More pictures & explanations:  http://www.lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples?lang=eng

What happens in temples?  http://www.lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples/what-happens-in-temples?lang=eng

Inside the temple:  http://www.lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples/inside-the-temple?lang=eng

Gallery of temples around the world - if you want to see if there's one near you or anywhere you can imagine in the world!  http://www.lds.org/church/temples/gallery?lang=eng

MY PART OF THE STORY:  When Martin & I attended church the first week in Belize, we learned that the temple district we belong to is the Guatemala City Temple; and our district had a temple trip planned in less than a month.  We decided to attend, since we hadn't been able to attend the temple since late September.  Barely knowing how we'd get to the border (we were told NOT to leave our truck parked there - it wouldn't be safe), we still felt the need to pay our bus & room expenses and commit to going.  As it worked out, we met the senior missionary couple, the Mendenhall's from Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, who serve in 2 cities here in Belize - Belmopan (where we attend) and Dangriga.  They were planning to go & knew of a member who lived closer to the border where we could carpool together & then part the truck during our absence.  

We left Tuesday afternoon, 12/3/13 for Belmopan, to spend the night there, pick up Mendenhalls at 4:45 AM & drive to San Ignacio (12/4/13) to meet the other senior missionary couple going on the trip, the McLaughlins.  (Side note:  Missionaries in our church pay their own way to serve on their mission.  Senior couples serve for 18 months.  Young men serve for 2 years and young women serve for 18 months - wherever they are asked to go!)  After arriving at the border, going through Immigration & Customs, we joined with all those gathered to travel, pack our luggage on top of the bus & start our journey.  Two buses - ours contained 27 people, the other 26.

   Our bus driver says he always drives for the church on these trips - I guess he likes us!  =) 

             Note the young boy who looks like he is sitting on air - off to the left of the double seats.  He is sitting on a smaller seat that folds down from the bigger, softer seats.  Three cheers for kids who took those seats!  =)

                     Meet Eve Woods!  She is so full of excitement & nearly gave herself a heart attack on this morning.  When she showed her passport to the Immigration agent, she was told it had expired!  She hadn't thought to look at it in her excitement to go to the temple. =/  Tender Mercy:  Cezar Polito, also on our trip, works at this particular border for Immigration, and he was able to help her get through the red tape so she could make the trip!  Coincidence?  I think not!  

                           Typical view out the window as we traveled.  So many hills & mountains - we were constantly going up, down, over, and around them.  Very few stretches of straight road in Guatemala.  If the Stripling Warriors in the Book of Mormon lived in this area I know why they were exceptionally fit!  =) 

                            The Sweet River - it seems like a huge lake that narrows at this point for the bridge.  Large sail boats in the marina, so it has to be a deep channel.

                         More grassland than tropical rain forest in this part of the country now.  

                     Stopping for lunch - yes, you noticed it.  Most of the women traveled in a dress!  

                     Arrived at the outskirts of Guatemala City at 6:30 pm - traveling on roads like this throughout the city for about an hour.  We do suspect our driver was lost briefly, as we went through the same round-about twice!  =)

                     There it is!  I watched the driver looking through the trees for several miles before we arrived.  He was looking for Angel Moroni - great landmark!  =)

                Waiting for our room assignments.  This building was previously used for missionary dorms and is now available for groups who travel long distances and stay overnight.

 Waiting for dinner - these kids were gems!  No whining or crying - just full of smiles & hugs.

                   Pot luck - our dinner was left-over snacks from the day & 2 homemade tamales.  They wrap them in banana leaves & warm them up in a skillet.  Another lady made a whole sack of sandwiches she had brought & shared with everyone.  Plenty to go around for all.

                                                          Sharing the kitchen

                           Eduardo Gutierrez - best smile, great worker!  He and his brother, Sergio, always tease Martin & me whenever we are around them.  All our clothes were majorly wrinkled due to the humid weather, & I watched most of the youth do their own ironing, too.

                          Beautiful grounds around the temple.  It is always so calm & 
                                          peaceful walking around the temple. 

Eve attended the temple for the first time.  Received her Endowment - which you can read about in the "What Happens In Temples" link near the beginning.

 This temple functions mostly in Spanish but there were enough of us from our group who spoke English that they held 2 Endowment sessions - one in each language.  Afterwards we all went outside to take pictures, walk around the grounds and share the joy of the day. 

 Angel and Ingrid Laazaro with the Mendenhalls.  They both received their Endowment and their 4 teenage children were with them in the temple for their family to be sealed for eternity.  See link "What Happens in Temples" and "Inside the Temple."  I shared a room with Ingrid & her daughter, Consuelo while at the temple.  She speaks very little English & I, very little Spanish.  Consuelo translated for us.  It was sweet to share with her the joy of this trip - to have her family all there & united in their desires for being together forever.  
  

                       Something about looking up to see Angel Moroni atop the temple spire!

Walked down the street from the temple looking for a place to eat.  Don Carnitos won!  Great meat with guacamole & cilantro sauce, plus water - all for $10.81 (American - wow)!!!!!

              Main street adjacent the temple.  We walked anywhere we wanted to go for meals.    

                                         More flowers around the temple grounds

                                 Walkway at the rear of the temple to a chapel used by the local area residents for church.  The missionaries also hold classes, so they walk from their building past the temple several times a day. 

  

      Picture taken from a bridge built over the main street for people to more easily cross the street.  Cars & buses on the street go whizzing by so fast & honk at just about everything!  =) 

One homeowner's creative security gate w/ bougainvillea growing around the security wires!  Took a walk in a neighborhood a block beyond the main street.  Very nice neighborhood yet these areas all have thick walls with security wires or gates with locks.  People don't seem to freak about it - it's just a way of life for them.

                                      Plants & flowers grow EVERYWHERE here!  =)

Major attention to details, details, details

                                      Going across the main street over the bridge.

 Neighborhood behind the temple grounds.  Notice the hills!  They are everywhere!  Our walk was up/down/around - more hills.  Elevation of Guatemala City is 4897 feet above sea level.  The air was perfect for us - probably mid-70's and light humidity - so we LOVED it!  =)

Return trip was on Saturday 12/7/13 - another 12+ hours but again - I didn't hear anyone complain!  =)

New friends - Laazaro Family - Angel Jr, Herlyss, Osbel (Brian), Ingrid, Consuelo, Angel Sr.  Father is a banana farm laborer, so yes, they are dirt poor monetarily but they make up with their genuine love of one another & all those around them.  I was impressed with Ingrid's sweet prayer at her bedside the night we arrived in Guatemala City - knowing that her whole family had made this special trip to attend the temple to be sealed together for eternity.  In talking with Brian & Consuelo during the few days we were together, I learned they ride the bus for 2 hours on Sunday to get to church - that's a commitment!!!

I need to learn Spanish so I can speak with more of the people here.  Plus, I'd love to return to Guatemala and most people here only speak Spanish.  We did always find someone in the restaurants where we went who could understand enough of what we wanted so we were fine but it would be so much better to speak 'their' language.  I needed a haircut so I ventured into a beauty shop while in Guatemala City.  The universal language of cutting is the first 2 fingers making the "scissors" motion - but after that we were stuck! =)  How was the beautician to know what I wanted?  At that point, I figured - I'd either walk out with a trim, an extreme "new look" - one of the stylists had the hair over the eye/long on one side and short/boy-cut on the other side OR just a bad haircut I'd need to "grow out."  Fortunately, the stylist had just cut a lady's hair quite similar to my cut, so I pointed to her & nodded "yes."  All turned out well - I'm good to go another 5-6 weeks until I need my next haircut.  Not sure what I'm going to do at that point.  Martin?  NOT  =)

This experience seemed almost surreal.  The workers in the temple reminded me of the workers we know in the Denver Temple.  The sweet, quiet, tiny lady who whispered every word; the 'go-getter' who was ready to help everyone; the gentleman who was so friendly & helpful as we arrived at the front desk - the warmth of the gospel is the same around the world and in whatever language it is spoken.  I am very grateful to have had this opportunity!