Sunday, February 10 was a baptismal Sunday and there were lots of kids who stayed in church for the the service. Two babies were baptized. The sermon by Rev. Barb on the transfiguration involved everyone, including the kids.
Sue and Chris Harris took us with them to Belize city Tuesday, February 12, so we could put in our applications for replacing lost passports. They were going to the hospital anyway and kindly took us to the Canadian consulate and their lawyer's office who is the same one the Prime Minister uses. Beautiful new offices. So different from the rest of Belize City which is mainly unkempt looking. The high crime rate (apparently different ethnic gangs in drug related and territorial wars) is keeping a lot of locals and tourists away from the city. Economic growth is therefore slow.
With official police report, passport photos guaranteed by the lawyer and forms filled in correctly, eventually, with Canadian long time friends verifying our identity and $400 US out of pocket, the process is in motion for new passports. Only 3-4 weeks they tell us. If not, then we go through the emergency processes, pay more money and get temporary passports just before we are due to leave March 12.
How did we ever lose our passports? Maybe at the farmers market when Gloria bought a new backpack to replace hers which was falling apart? Whatever the case, it has shown us that you don't want to be in a jail in Belize. The holding cell we sat near in the police headquarters smelled of urine and the cement walls were barely tall enough for a man to stand up. Standing up is the only way you would want to sleep if they kept you in there for 3 days which they are allowed to do without any charge. To our amazement, 6 men came out of that small, dug out looking holding cell, hanging around the area we were being questioned about our lost passports. The 6 were eventually ushered along outside to a vehicle to be taken to jail. We thanked God that we only had to deal with lost passports!
ASH WEDNESDAY! Starting out lent in a far away land, for us, has made our journey with Jesus and His sacrifice all the more precious. Again we are reading "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren as our Lenten discipline as a couple. Again we are being blown away by what God is trying to teach us. For Gloria who is also reading Brother Lawrence's "Practicing the Presence of God", so often God is echoing the same thing so the message gets through loud and clear - "Yes, Gloria, that's what I mean when I tell you your heart is to be filled totally with love for Me." What we read in PDL today was based on SURRENDER. Amazingly, in a coffee shop today, what did the title of a poster of an upcoming event say? Surrender....... God sure is getting His messages across to us, loud and clear. And with a wonderful sense of humour!
After a lovely noontime Ash Wednesday service, went next door to St. Ann's Anglican School to see the principal, Sidney. We let him know that he will have a laptop computer, which he desperately needs, after we leave for Canada.
The school had a fundraiser lunch for Valentine's day. Most everyone wore red - except Gloria who didn't think to. While Stephen was madly programming an Access database for the church, Gloria was at the school and read a couple of books to the kindergarten age class after lunch. Then it was back to the hacienda to rest and get ready for the evening class at the church. Through prayer and nettle tea and echinacea, Gloria felt well enough to lead the class. Enthusiasm, involvement and information continues flow through the Lord's presence at St. Ann's.
No comments:
Post a Comment