Wow! Has it really been a year since we were all struggling with 50 pounds of packing yet to be done? It is hard to believe, but true; and we are very excited about it – the mission, not the packing! We have a few changes to the team going on the mission to Punta Gorda, Belize in Central America. Miles Dory leads our team once again this year, and his son Landan is a returning member – along with me, Patricia Clevenger. We have added three new team members: Lucretia Franklin, Miles’ daughter Brianna Dory, and my granddaughter Alex Smith. We are very excited to have added two more youth (so is Landan!) and a member of the Ezekiel Sunday School Class (Lucretia). While our veteran Belize mission team members Ben and Shara Maxey are not going with us this year, they have provided much support and encouragement to our team as we have prepared for this year’s trip. We appreciate them so very much and will miss their presence as we travel to this remote area of God’s amazing creation.
A tribute to last year's team:
Once again, we will be working alongside Toledo Christian Academy & Mission, sharing Bible stories with the students, assisting with the preschool and the 8th grade graduations, showing them the Jesus film, popping some popcorn and providing a Saturday VBS/Activities Session. We are really excited about that day as a great time of interaction with the children. Plus – we get to play games that illustrate principles from God’s Word and blow up 1,000 water balloons for the VBS finale! We will also spend time prayer walking through the Mayan and Kekchi Indian villages and making a visit to the Laugh Out Loud Orphanage – now there is a story to tell!
Leaving on Saturday, June 2nd, we will already be in Belize, worshiping in Manchaca Road’s Kekchi Indian church, when summer mission team commissions are done in the FBC Sunday services June 3rd. While we will not be present for this very special time with the church body, we know that our church family will be praying for us as we follow our hearts in response to God’s call on each of us for this mission.
Knowing that we will be transplanted into one of the most beautiful illustrations of God’s handiwork, surrounded by rain forest, mountains peeking out from behind the hazy morning air, a never-ending floral bouquet and the silence as it is broken by parrots sounding their alarm – we are led to Isaiah 55:6-13; the passage that reminds us, “”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord (vs 8);” and “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (vs 10-11).”
And so it is that we claim verses 12 and 13 of this scripture as the reason for our hope and the encouragement for our mission:
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush, will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign that will endure forever .”
We covet your prayers as we enter into the mission field on June 2nd and until we return safely home on June 11th. We invite you to spend a little time with us each day as we share our journey with you on our blog. There, we will weave our story through pictures and conversation with you as we “Go ye therefore…” Please remember to remember us!
Patricia – Philippians 1:3
