Belize 05

Check out my new page for this year at
www.belize06.blogspot.com

Dear Friends and Supporters,
This trip was amazing!!! I don't know how to describe it without going on and on forever. Yet, it's very difficult to state what we did because what we did was often intangible. We built relationships with the kids and adults of Hopkins village Belize and focused primarily on experiencing their way of life and trying to see how they view God. Not that we didn't work! We worked every morning usually from breakfast until lunch and we missed/ or had a delayed lunches because of painting. We painted the church windows and trim, the entire outside of Digna's home, and rooms in Sindy/ Raheim/ Destiny's home where they painted cartoons such as winnie the pooh and veggie tales along with numbers and letters for their home schooling. We did a lot of work, but really the best part was the result of the work. Because we spent an entire week painting Digna's house, we got to know her and learn a part of her life story. Being a Honduran single mother in Hopkins, Belize has been hard because she isn�t �Belizean�. One of my favorite times on the trip was when I was painting and I went all the way up on the ladder to look out over the house. The view was indescribable. It took my breathe away to really absorb the greatness that God has created. Next I had the members from my team go up and catch the view, and finally I got Digna to go up. She told me that this was the first time she had seen the mountains! Imagine living around such beauty and never even seeing it? But when she turned and looked down at me I�ll never forget her smile and sense of over joy.
The other best parts were definitely hanging out and playing with the kids. There were so many kids of different ages and types. Unfortunately given how bad I am with names it was and is very difficult to remember their names. Two of the kids I was able to connect with were John and Ezram.
It was amazing because we didn't have the language barrier, so we could instantly connect. But english is their second language, so during the church service, they sang some songs the pastor had written in Garifina (their native tongue). He is the only Christian musician or author of songs that they know of, so we heard them sing and praise and watch them really connect with God when I had no clue what they were saying. Very moving experience.
Then I had this experience the last night we were there with this kid who never showed emotions and who's dad abuses him and he wasn't supposed to be at the church or with us. But in short, last night before we left the youth pastor wanted to have a farewell fire so they hauled 3 big tires and covered them with oil and woo oomph there was our fire. This night I saw a little boy standing by the corner of our cabana and went to see why he wasn�t joining the other kids. I held him and prayed for him out loud and he started tearing up and tried to hide his emotions. While it was probably the first time he accepted me saying "you are special, God loves you, I love you, your a cool kid, you are special...", there was a breakthrough in him and I was the one in our group who {on my own in the darkness away from the big bonfire farewell} got to experience something so profound and moving. Yet equally or even more moving was the fear that swept when I realized that I can't protect him from his daily life and threats. When kids pick on him, I can't protect him. If his dad gets drunk and ends up injuring or killing this 5-7year old boy, I can't stop it. But then I was forced to 100% trust God because I have no choice. I figured this out as he was crying with his head on my shoulder, as tears came to my eyes and I couldn't help but have to stop and listen through silence with him in my arms. And it is through these periods of Silence in Belize that had the most profound effects on my life.
Ezram was the kid who I prayed for because of stuff going on in his home. Prayed for his safety and that he would realize that he is loved by his Father in Heaven and that no matter what happens he can find comfort in Him. Yet I met another kid who impacted me in another vast and unpredictable way.
John, he was the coolest kid I've ever met. He hung around with us a lot because Guadaloupe (the sweet older lady who owned our �resort�) is his grandma. He was amazing to get to know. Through him our entire group was inspired. For me he really showed how God comes to and through different people of different worlds. This boy thousands of miles away who is of a totally different culture connects with God and has a relationship with the same God as me and yet we are so far apart. I remember sitting up in the walnut tree by our cabanas at night with our group time singing worship with him on my lap. Hearing him sing the songs and parts of our songs he knew, and then seeing him listen to me sing and worship. Then another morning as he sat with us and we prayed. I saw him at first seem curious {anxious}, but then calm and started praying. It's one of those things you can't explain it but it was amazing. John is also this amazing drummer who tried to teach me some drum lines but I failed miserably. They go so fast and have so many difficult rhythms that are out of this world. All in all, Jon and Ezram were the 2 kids I most connected with. But that's only picking 2. There were so many more kids who I grew to know and long to see again hopefully next year.
Such as Concio, an old man who has some infection on his leg and they don't know how to cure it. He was threatened with amputation but avoided it miraculously. The thing he did was remind me that I need to "praise the lord" (as he repeated this phrase every few minutes). His living conditions make you cringe, yet his joy, gladness, and thankfulness for what he has- has the intense lasting impact that gets ingrained in your mind. Not easily forgotten his love for God and His word. His love for worship and the simply things in life is all that he worries about while we would be worrying how "to survive". He never complained about anything, nothing is to bad. While we would just go crazy with "problems" of things to fix and how hard life is, life is fine to him. No worries - trust in God.
Finally, to trust in God is the other main thing I learned on this trip to Belize. I learned that Really I have no control over my life, my future, or other peoples future. What I can control is to trust in God and pray that he would have the control of my life. He knows what's best for me, His plans are best. The most outrageous life is that of His- He is an extreme God. It is through this "trusting in God" that I was able to leave Hopkins Village, Belize. I trust God that I'll be able to return and see them. I trust God that no matter what happens, he will continue this 15 year relationship with the people of Hopkins Village, Belize. I trust him now, more than ever before. Finally, I have realized that what matters is not what I used to think matters. The Belizeans were the most happy people know and the most joyful. There is something to their way of life and their culture that has to be part of the cause, and likewise their pursuit and relationship with God has got to be a part of that. While I haven't figured it out yet, I have now begun a new journey to assess why I'm really here on earth. What is God's purpose for me? It is more than to be wealthy and have all the toys. Instead it�s about relationships and friendships throughout which we share our lives. We only live once on earth- why waste it worrying about money and the tangibles that rot and rust away... instead look upon what God has breathed his LIFE into! His people, His children, His body. Thank you everyone who helped financially to make this trip possible. It totaled equal to exactly or just a little over the 1400. Thank you everyone, while on the trip it helped me to remember that this isn't just a trip of my own but it was an investment from my friends and family into my life. And for that I again say thank you! Because of your gift, my life has been changed. Also, thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I felt them on the trip at night as I went to sleep, when I played with children, and definitely when we were painting. Your prayers helped us to finish all our projects with enough energy and on time.
Thank you so much!
God Bless,
Travis Johansen