Remembering Belize

Twelve years ago I had the opportunity to go on a trip that has stayed dear to my heart over all these years. On July 6, 2001, this 20 year old who had been homeschooled, had never been away from home for more than 2 weeks at the time, had never been on an airplane, and who had just graduated from nursing school and passed the NCLEX-RN with no working experience embarked on a 2 month journey that changed my life.

Have you seen the commercial with the little girl saying, "I want more, I want more!" and the statement, "Everyone knows bigger is better"? Well, one thing I learned on that trip is bigger is not always better. Our society tells us that we have to have more to be satisfied, and we feel like we have to be like everyone else in order to be accepted. Twelve years ago, I got to live with a group of people who taught me differently.

My trip was to a village in northern Belize, and my job was to work as a nurse in the medical clinic there. I quickly learned that while the people there may live in block homes or thatched roof huts with no running water, they had huge hearts with so much love for others.

There were families who would work hard during the week; yet, on Saturdays, they would open their home to the village children for a day of VBS.

There were other families who would open their homes for us to come have lunch and make sure that there was bottled soda for us Americans who couldn't drink the well water.There was so much giving from people who didn't have much. What they had they were willing to share and seemed to get so much joy in doing so. 

Not only did these people show great hospitality, but they showed hearts who longed to worship their Creator. The church building may not have been the biggest or the prettiest, but the people who made up the church were beautiful.

I think of the verse in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 25 which says, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another..." The people of Patchakan did not forsake meeting together. They had Sunday School and worship on Sunday mornings. They had Sunday evening service, and many times after the service they would have a time of singing praise songs.

 Many times during the week we would be invited to dinner and prayer meetings at friend's homes. There were also many opportunities to just sit around together singing praise songs.

There were times of difficulty during my trip, but God sustained me and taught me so much. There are many times when the hustle and bustle of this American life drag me down that I long for the simplicity of that village life. I long to see those smiles and those expressions of worship as we sat around on quiet evenings and sang praise songs. Sometimes I really think we miss out in America. Our society says that bigger is better and more will satisfy. But in reality, the only way more will satisfy is more of God and more love for others. 

Today, may we each take a few moments away from the hustle and bustle of life to remember our Creator and thank Him. For in thanking Him and worshiping Him and living for Him we truly live a life that is bigger and better than anything we can ever imagine. May you feel blessed through the love of Christ today!