The Last Few Weeks

So I know that I haven’t updated all of you on these past few weeks. I just wanted to do a quick update post and then a little bit of a sum up of my trip. The weekend of April 8th Debie and I were excited to host the young girls of Los Tambos for a weekend retreat. After eating an amazing hotdog meal and roasting some marshmallows I shared a short testimony. On Saturday I watched Pastor Eric’s wife Magdalena, along with two other ladies and the girls cook tortillas, fried jacks, beans, and some amazing eggs over a pile of wood, some rocks and a couple of pieces of rebar. It was awesome!! I am so humbled by the things that God has allowed me to participate in. It was a joy to share with the girls on the life and commitment of a single woman of God in the only way that I know how, which is to look to keep my eyes in Jesus Christ and know that only He can fulfill all of my needs. Here are a few snapshots of the fun that was had that weekend, and the amazing food (which was totally awesome).

The following Sunday I was able to teach Sunday school in Los Tambos, which is always fun. I taught them my Peruvian version of duck, duck, goose.

I have also been able to spend much time with the young girls at Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship, which are the same group we had up to the hilltop my second weekend in Belize. We sit and eat lunch together often after church. They are all such precious girls and are so dear to my heart.

On April 16th I was privileged to participate in the annual kids bible camp at Amazing Grace. We traveled to some of the local Mayan ruins and explored for a while, after which I taught them a classic Calvary Hanford relay race from the Hickey Park picnic days. It was so fun seeing even the smallest participate. I was especially excited to see this as the youngest don’t speak English very well and I have trouble communicating with them, but a smile and some healthy competition everyone can understand and enjoy. I was able to explore with the girls. Here they are enjoying themselves.

After the ruins we headed to a local pool, which was an amazing treat as many of these days have been in the 90’s and some in the 100’s with around 75% humidity. I am most certain that all had much fun, and I definitely was pushed in several times. What a great thing it was to just play with the children! We then packed all of the kids on the bus and headed back to Spanish Lookout to have a campout at the home of one of the couples from church. At this campout I learned that I don’t know as much about pitching a tent, as I would like to think, but with a little help us girls had ours up in no time. More worship, bible stories, eating, and singing went on to occupy the rest of our evening and morning. I even got my nails painted by my eager friend Connie.

Here is the whole group of kids that attended the camp.

Sunday I was off to my last Sunday in Los Tambos. Here I am singing the fruit of Spirit song with Samuel, Nemias, and Carlos. They are some amazingly fun and high-energy boys. Similar to a normal day at the Rees house, I would say.

After church in Los Tambos I was excited and privileged to attend the baptism of many of my new friends from Amazing Grace. What a joy it is to see God’s children making a public statement that they are no longer under the bondage of sin and have chosen to live a life to glorify Jesus Christ! Here is my good friend Darson getting a hug from his mother after the public declaration of his desire to follow Christ.

My last week flowed on as usual but with some extra time with friends, canoeing, and accepted supper invitations. It’s odd to think that soon this won’t be my life anymore. What a blessing it has been to become a part of this community.

Easter Sunday I was excited to attend at Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship for services except that I had to say goodbye to so many sweet friends. How dear to me all of these people have become. Easter supper was a treat as we hosted many friends from church up on the hilltop. The number of people who attended was close to that of a Rees family dinner. It was a blessed evening spent with friends in celebration of the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, and I am so glad to be blessed with such friends.

Monday brought my last day at Octavia Waight Centre. Here I am with one of the gentlemen that I walk twice a week. This is Norris whom I have mentioned in previous posts.

Here I am with Susanna who runs the kitchen at Octavia Waight, as well as many others of the daily happenings.

I know there are many things that I have forgotten to mention but this is all I will mention for now. May God bless you all for the continual prayers that you have offered up for me, and what I am doing in Belize.

In Jesus,
Your little traveler
Hannah-a bondservant of Jesus Christ

In Unity This Family in Christ Shall Stand

So it’s been more than a week since my last post, but here is the rundown. March 28th brought a visitor to Octavia Waight. Fletcher is a Physical Therapist as well as a Physician’s Assistant. I was able learn many things from his knowledge and experience. He has been coming to Belize for over ten years and is very good friends with Dorothee (The nurse I am working with at Octavia Waight). He was here for two weeks and left today. We were able to work with the patients at Octavia Waight and further develop their individualized exercise programs, as well as work with a local clinic in San Jose Soccutz. We were also able to make some house calls to a few patients that have had joint surgery in the past few months. I’m trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible, and there have been many opportunities. This is Becka working with Norris who is one of the amputees that I walk with every Monday and Wednesday and also my new partner for singing duets with.

This past Friday and Saturday I was able to attend a local youth conference in Belmopan with some friends. Fun was had by all I’m sure and all I have to say is where can I get some of that Reggae worship?! Here’s the whole crew.

This past Sunday we were able to have a one-day clinic in the village of Los Tambos. Dr. Sanchez (who I worked with when I came last February with a team from Lemoore) was gracious to come and work with all of us in order to bring some medical care to the people who don’t have much available locally. Pastor Eric and his wife Magdalena worked faithfully to bring the word of God to the locals while Debie, Becka and I worked in various capacities. We were able to see a little over thirty patients and I will be returning this Sunday for some follow-up care. Praise be to our heavenly Father for His never-ending faithfulness!!
God is showing me many things through my daily devotions. Here is an excerpt from the selection I read this morning.

Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the LORD their God. All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 34:31-33

Wherever I am, am I willing to take a stand for Christ? Josiah was eight years old when he took the throne of Judah. He was twenty-six when the book of the law was found and he took a stand for Christ by holding the Passover and tearing down the high places. Am I willing to tear down everything in my life that is not of Christ? Because of what Josiah was willing to do the scripture says, “All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers.” My prayer is that my stand for Christ will lead others to not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers. Thank you to everyone for all of your prayers! Seems hard to believe that I only have three weeks left. God bless you all!

In Jesus,
Your little traveler
Hannah-a bondservant of Jesus Christ

Please pray for:

A retreat for the girls of Los Tambos here on the hilltop this weekend-that I would share the heart of Christ on his plans for the single woman

Follow-up with the patients seen in Los Tambos this Sunday

Praise:

For Debie’s safe arrival back and Belize

For Jim’s safe arrival back in the U.S.