Quest Church in Belize

Belize Day 6:Goodbye

2011-07-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

The Team . . . Lee Freace, Mike Freace,
James Thomas, Aaron Harris &
Jef Flournoy

Today was our last day in Belize. We spent the morning closing up camp and packing up our gear. Camp was concluded by a worship service which was pretty special. It was awesome to see the Belizean people worship so honestly and openly . . . challenging one another in their walk.

Near the end as we were leaving, they brought the five of us up front to 'say goodbye.' The lady who was in charge of the service invited anyone up who wanted to say goodbye to us and thank us for our time here to come up to the front and thank us personally. It was really moving that about 3/4 of the camp came up and gave us hugs and thanks. It was really a great moment when it became evident that we had made an impact for God on some lives. . . some seeds had been planted. It was the perfect ending for all of us.

Jef on the ferry to Xunantunich
with "Hiro" looking on

The kid who led the way was Hiro . . . we had gotten close to him over the week as he is one of the boys that works for German. He took us to Xunantunich Ruins and had really just connected with us during the time. I think sometimes when you are in the thick of ministry, it is hard to notice what is going on around you. We actually met as a team last night and one of the questions that we truly had was how much of an impact did we make for God. He provided us with a very clear and tangible answer . . . as Hiro led the way up, you could see it on his face that we had touched his life this week in some way. An answer to prayer.

Late in the morning we headed out of Belmopan and up to the border. Romelio and his wife Priscilla offered to drive us and it was a great time of fellowship with them. On the way there, we were able to stop and visit the Monteyo family . . . special friends of Joey and Heather Barrs. It was great to meet the entire family and bring greeting from Quest Church and the US. After getting through the borders rather uneventfully, we said our goodbyes and jumped on a bus to Cancun. We continued to have a great time of fellowship together on the bus and over dinner, reliving some of the moments and just letting loose a little bit.

We now only have one step left to our trip and that is getting on the plane to Atlanta. We praise God for his protection as we have traveled and that things have gone so smoothly. We are pretty worn out and are looking forward to being back at home but have mixed emotions about leaving.

Thank you for all your prayers during this time. We look forward to getting back and sharing stories of our time here with you.

Mike for the guys.

Belize Day 5: Blessings

2011-07-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

Today has been pretty much a blur honestly. It was day two of the camp and we had a full day of activities. This morning I had a chance to bring a message to the camp during our worship time. I was kind of thrown on the spot so it was good that I had something planned. I spoke to them about John 10:10 and the fact that God has come so that we might have life abundantly and what exactly that looked like. We looked at how this gift applies to our lives whether we are following him strongly . . . are lukewarm in our walk . . . or are far from him. We talked about how this abundant life was a gift and that we did not have to have any preset criteria to qualify for it . . . it was free. I hope and pray that some seeds were planted . . . there were a handful of people that I had a chance to pray for throughout the day that communicated that they wanted to take their lives to the next level.

Throughout the day, we basically spent most of our time on organization and structure of activities and running the soccer portion of camp. Jef and Aaron continued to lead the planning of the activities and provide the counselors with a structure and map to follow . . . from my perspective they have been an invaluable blessing to this camp. James . . . chauffeur James . . . always being called upon to drive and run errands. Even as I write this at midnight, he is out somewhere driving a group of youth home on a bus. He has been a true servant. And finally my dad Lee . . . he has kind of the glue that has held us together. He basically has been a blessing in serving not just the people of the camp, but also us as a team. He has done a lot of running around and 'dirty jobs' that have made this trip a real success. We actually all sat down tonight and talked about the week and our experience, and one of the things that came up unanimously was that we were all so blessed to have each other on this trip. We have really bonded and supported one another.

This evening we had a chance to go out to eat together with Romelio . . . a local guy who serves as German's right hand man at the camp. He took us out for a traditional meal of Papooses (sp). We all enjoyed it thoroughly . . . Aaron definitely won the award for most eaten. We even had a chance to sit at a table and eat with a local young man. It was the only table open so we all sat together. It was fun to converse with him and do something that we would never do in the US . . . welcome someone into our world over dinner at a public restaurant. We all really enjoyed it . . .

Tomorrow is our last day in Belmopan as we will start to weave our way back up to Cancun sometime tomorrow. This trip has flown by and it is hard to believe that tomorrow we are leaving and headed back to Georgia.

Continue to pray for us as we close out our time here. Pray that we will be a blessing to German and his wife Alice. . . the camp has been a ton of work for them and I know they are pretty worn out. Pray that we will somehow in the short time tomorrow, have a chance to connect with more of the youth. It has been such a short time with them that we wish that we had more time to get into their lives. Pray for traveling mercies as we head out tomorrow. We will have a lot of traveling to do over the next two days . . . once again probably a couple of buses to get to Cancun to catch our plane.

Sorry I have been unable to post pictures . . . we have been running to crazy that I have not been able to find a place where we can upload them . . . where we are at I can write but it will not allow me to put pictures up. We will be sure to post them when we get back.

Thanks again for all your prayers.

Mike for the guys.

Belize Day 4: Checkpoint

2011-07-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

We knew today that the first day of camp was going to be a great cultural experience for us. There are moments where I think we are still struggling to get ourselves out of our american mindsets and into the hearts and minds of the Belize people. Just being honest and speaking for myself more than anyone. I think I sometimes approach things too much from the mindset of how we can help them, and maybe miss the moments where I could be blessed by them.

From american standards, the day was . . . different. But we are not in America. It was actually great to hear one of the locals here, Steven, say that it was the most organized camp he has ever been to. It gave us new and proper perspective. I can say that they guys have been awesome . . . willing to jump in and do anything that needs to be done. We were involved in organizing soccer games, running soccer training sessions, teaching the kids how to throw a frisbee, as well as a lot of things that just seem to creep up on you that you have to drop everything and do. In addition, we were the go to guys for any logistical questions with the activities and schedule.

We were pretty much on the go at the camp from 7am until 5pm. At that point we left to run a couple of errands and get some dinner. It was great to catch up with Diane (Heather Barr's mother) at Chamilote Camp. From there we headed to Pasquale's Pizza for a great dinner.

On the way home, we had another experience as we hit our first checkpoint. We were in a jeep with two seats in it . . . my dad Lee was driving with Jef Flournoy shotgun . . . James Thomas, Aaron Harris and I were all in the back riding Belizian style. When we came to the checkpoint, we explained to the police officer who we were, what we were doing and where we were going. After asking Lee for his drivers license . . . he asked him to get out of the car. Hmmm . . . it was a moment. He then said to him that he did not appreciate the way Aaron was sitting in the back of the car and as the driver that he needed to fix that. Aaron quickly changed how he was sitting to appease the police officer . . . Lee luckily got back into the car. And off we went. It was one of those moments.

Upon arriving back at camp, we had our evening service which was full of great singing, worship and testimonies. At the end, one of the youth pastors from Mississippi spoke and about 20 youth came forward to receive Christ. Definitely the highlight of my week so far was leading three of these young men in prayer as they prayed to receive Christ. One of the boys was a young man from Roaring Creek who we had kind of hit it off with today. It was a sweet moment for me personally.

Continue to pray for us . . . that we will be a blessing to both the kids and also to German and his staff. Pray that we will get more opportunities to connect with the youth . . . pray for me as I will be sharing a devotional/message at some point tomorrow . . . pray that God will give me the words to say and allow me to be bold . . . continue to pray for our health and fatigue . . . I anticipate that tomorrow could be our toughest day fatigue-wise.

Thanks for your prayers and messages of encouragement.

Mike for the guys.

Belize Day 3: Breaking laws, bruised shins and bug spray

2011-07-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today was camp preparation day. It was a very busy yet very fulfilling day. We basically started the morning off with planning for the camp . . . setting up the camp schedule of activities, the soccer games and organizing a supply list. We are blessed to have Jef Flournoy's organization gifting as he has basically taken over the entire scheduling for the camp. We then headed over to the grounds and began physical preparation.

The day was full of numerous miscellaneous tasks. A number of us were involved in hauling mattresses, setting up tents, lining a soccer field with lime, unloading trucks, fixing doors and showers, pumping up soccer balls and running around Belmopan for supplies. Meanwhile, we know James is somewhere driving bus but never quite sure where. He is the go to guy for transportation around here and they are using him to run in a million different directions.

We were thinking as we were driving around the city with four of us in the back of the truck, how many laws we would have broken today if we had been in America. We lost count. Just after that, the truck broke down . . . it wouldn't be a day in Belize without one of the trucks breaking down. So we tried to jump start it by pushing it and throwing it into gear. No luck . . . although maybe one of the funniest moments was when Aaron hit his shin on the hitch, bent down to rub his shin and hit his head on the back of the truck. Quite comedic. . . like something you would see in a movies. No worries though . . . a can of bug spray later, we had the truck up and running.

We have enjoyed getting to know some of the kids around here. Especially Hiro and Douglas . . . they are pretty cool kids. Both work for German with his business and have been a huge part of putting the camp together. We spent a lot of time with them today and feel like we are getting closer with them. They are very thankful for what they have, have a great sense of humor and are very humble. Just a real joy to spend time with. In addition, we have connected a little bit with some other kids from Arizona Village as we have transported them to and from their homes a number of times.

Finishing off this evening, we had a FANTASTIC dinner. German's wife Alice is an incredible cook. When she comes to Augusta we have vowed to get her together with our wives to share some recipes.

Thanks again for all your prayers. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day. We are not sure what to expect but are ready to get the camp started. Pray that the logistics will come together and that everything will start off smoothly in the morning. Continue to pray that God blesses us with good health. Other than Aarons bruised shin and a bump on his forehead, things have been good. Lastly, pray that we will have grateful hearts. God has given us an opportunity . . . and we pray that we step into his will fully so that he can use us fully.

Mike for the guys.

Day 2: Blessings, Ruins and Striding Freely

2011-07-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the end of day two on this trip already. I am already seeing how this is going to go by so quickly. When I went to Africa in April, one of their sayings was "Haracka, Haracka, Hakuna Baracka" which loosely translated means "Hurry, Hurry, you'll miss the blessing." In other words, we can be so focused and so forward thinking and so busy that we miss the blessings that God has for us in the moment. My hope is that when it is all over, we will look back and know that we have impacted lives and made a difference for God.

Today was a good day as we did some preparation work for the camp in the morning and were able to continue to fellowship with German and his family. What a blessing they are to this community and it is evident God's blessing on their lives and ministry. As far as our group goes, everyone one has jumped right in with driving, helping out and being part of the culture right here in Germans world of ministry. It is great to see how we can be a blessing even in the small ways.

In the afternoon, some of us went to the Mayan ruins south of Belmopan . . . the Xunantunich ruins. What a great adventure to see and experience. We had to rush up to the top as we only had 1/2 an hour before they closed. It was a great experience though to stand on the top and look out over God's creation. Pretty sobering to think of the history though, but a great reminder that we serve a God who has rescued us. (I wish I could post pictures but the connection right now is extremely slow)

This evening we had a meeting with the full staff of the camp. It was good to meet everyone and start to get organized . . . tomorrow will be a full day of setup and running around. We have taken on a lot of the setup responsibilities so it will be good to work as a team in accomplishing that for the camp.

Continue to bathe the camp in prayer. Specifically pray that we would be able to connect with the youth there and show them the love of Christ . . . that we are able to show them how cool it can be to be part of his kingdom . . . that we can gain some credibility with them so that when we share it has some personal connection . . . that we can communicate the fact that through Jesus they are rescued . . . and that we will share David's proclamation in Psalm 119 . . . "And I'll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I'll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed."

Thanks for your prayers and continued support!

Mike for the guys . . .

24 Hours

2011-07-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

24 hours later and we finally arrived in Belmopan . . . long day, but great to be here. This will be a quick post as we have a lot to do . . .

Probably the highlight of the trip was the Mexican border. After 6 hours on a bus that was so cold we could have transported meat, Romelio picked us up at the bus station. As he was helping us get past Mexican customs, something funny happened. Somehow . . . and we lost this in translation . . . but we became American Diplomats that the US Embassy was expecting in Belize. It certainly made for a smoother transition through the border. We asked Romelio what happened, and he just smiled and said "lets get in the van and get going . . . quick, quick, quick."

We then got a chance to experience some great driving . . . and arrived in Belmopan about 3:30am Augusta time.

We are off and running . . . James is driving a bus somewhere . . . Jef Flournoy just jumped in a jeep to drive somewhere to get something that German needed . . . the rest of us are planning for camp and trying to stay cool.

Thanks for the prayers and keep them coming . . . pray that the camp will come together and that we will continually get our of our comfort zones and stretch ourselves.

Mike

Planes, Trains, Buses and Automobiles

2011-07-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

Think it is kind of surreal sitting here in Atlanta Airport . . . after leaving at 4am this morning, we arrived in ATL in plenty of time (special thanks to Brian Evans for driving us). Now we are hanging out, getting ready for a day of planes, trains (does the ATL train shuttle count?), buses and automobiles . . . possibly a taxi . . . hopefully no mopeds, but who knows.

We are flying into Cancun this morning. From there we will take a shuttle to the bus station . . . then catch a bus to the border . . . where we will meet German to help us "cross the border" in a smaller bus that is sure to be an experience.

From there we have no idea what in the world we are doing, other than at some point helping at a soccer camp. And yes, we are ok with this.

In case you don't know, the five guys going on this trip are James Thomas, Jef Flournoy and me (Mike Freace) from Quest. In addition, one of my former soccer players Aaron Harris, and my dad (Lee Freace) fill out the group.

One thing I have noticed as this group has come together, is that God has gathered a group of men who will fit right in with the need to be flexible and do what is needed and asked. It is obvious that we all have different talents and gifts and it is exciting to be in a place where we can just open our hands and ask for God to use us.

One of the things that I have been praying for is that God will fill us in such a way that we experience Him like never before. I think sometimes as Americans, we limit how God can come alive in our lives. I think that, as much as we talk about it and try to even predict, that God is going to work in ways through us that we can not expect . . . we just need to be obedient. This is a real life opportunity for us to be the church . . . not just go to church. We know without a doubt that we will Experience God, Experience Relationships and Experience Change over the next 6 days.

We look forward to sharing stories, pictures and experiences over the next day. Internet access will be spotty so please be patient.

Mike for the guys.

April 2011 Mission - Day 6

2011-04-07T16:39:00.001-07:00

None of us could believe today was our last full day here in Belize. At times, because of fatigue, the week has seemed very long. When we step back and look at it, though, the time has passed almost unbearably quickly. Our hearts will be torn to leave tomorrow, though we will definitely be glad to get home to our families.

The teams set out early again today, heading to their job sites for one more day of intense mission work. The Medical team held a clinic in the village of Salvapan, where we have held a very successful clinic before. The day was a busy one (the team saw around 130 patients) but it was a fantastic day of mission and ministry. Once again, the people of Belize captured our hearts as we spent time with them and worked to make their lives a little better with what we bring to the table.

The Construction team got an early start, too, as they worked hard to finish up their projects for the week. The first house - that was begun on Monday - is completed, and the entire Quest team came together to dedicate and bless the home. It was a sweet time of prayer with the family who will live there.

The Care and Connections team was hard at work today distributing care packages around the villages. Thirty more care packages went to families around Belmopan and the surrounding villages. The team members who were able to go on this mission were blessed by being able to personally interact with families in their homes.

We ended the week tonight with a special worship celebration together with the EQC community. This was an incredible time of rejoicing in what the Lord has done this week and openly celebrating what He will do in the future of our relationship with Evangelical Quest Church and the people of Belize.

We're getting up in the morning and heading to the airport. It will be hard to say goodbye to the friends we have made in beautiful Belize, but we're eager to get home and share our experiences with those who have supported and prayed for us as we have been gone. The calendar says that this trip is over, but the Lord is just getting started with our story. Greater things are still to be done in this city.

April 2011 Mission - Day 5

2011-04-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we rested.

Sort of.

As has become tradition for our teams visiting Belize, we took some time off from intense mission work to do some sightseeing. We visit Xunantunich, a site of ancient Mayan ruins in southern Belize (almost in Guatemala). The grounds there are beautiful, and the view from atop the ruins are breathtaking. It is a welcome respite from the hard work of the week, and the team (despite their physical exhaustion from climbing the ruins) was refreshed in a spiritual way from the break in routine.

After the ruins and lunch at a local restaurant, the team went for a visit at a local children's home. Members of Quest had visited the home when we came to Belize in November, and it was decided months ago that we would return there and do something more in-depth with them on this trip. One of our team members had planned a special time of worship, games, storytime, and testimonies with the children in the home, and it was a blessing to everyone as the two groups came together in fellowship and friendship.

As part of the mission team was spending time with the children at the children's home, part of the team was also working with EQC to distribute food care packages to members of the community. Representatives from thirty different families came to EQC to receive packages of rice, flour, beans, and bibles. The personal time of on-on-one outreach was powerful for everyone.

Everyone, by Wednesday night, was really tired.....but we were all ready to see what else the Lord could do through us. It was a good thing, too, because Thursday was a big one!

April 2011 Mission - Day 4

2011-04-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today was the most amazing day so far for our team. In all, the Quest mission team was in 5 different locations today, tackling 5 different jobs. Camalote Camp is echoing tonight with everyone's stories of their days: challenges, victories, God moments. We'll all rest well tonight!

The Construction team worked on two different jobs today, nearly finishing the house they began yesterday and making real progress on the second. For their second construction project, which they began this afternoon, they are placing stucco on the existing house of some of the members of EQC. Currently, the house is made of bamboo poles strapped together; the spaces between the poles are wide enough to see through, and for rain and wind to make their way inside. The Construction team, though, is placing stucco on the walls to seal those gaps, making the house more safe and comfortable for the family who calls it home.

The Medical team worked in 3 different locations today! This morning, a small group of Medical team members went to the nearby village of La Riverra to hold a clinic in a church there. The team saw 40 patients in just a few hours, treating conditions such as allergies, parasites, pneumonia, and diabetes. Many referrals were made to the hospital, and many of the patients seemed to feel better after just having spent some time with someone who wanted to help.

Meanwhile, a few more of the team members made a visit to a school in the Arizona village for a lice treatment and prevention clinic. Our team washed hair, applied treatments, and even gave haircuts to the children who were seen. It was a powerful - and humbling - experience for everyone.

While all of that was going on, more Medical team members were holding a clinic at the location of EQC, addressing various health needs there. When the team arrived in the morning, people were already waiting to be seen; the pace didn't slow down much for several hours. Nearly 40 patients were seen there, as well, and the team enjoyed the fast-paced environment.

Finally, members of the Care and Connection and Spiritual Support teams were bustling from village to village, distributing care packages to families in need. Each family received rice, flour, and beans, in addition to Bibles and other necessities. The team was able to pray with the families and were blessed, in particular, by the prayers of some of the families for the team. Providing such basic needs to families in need was fulfilling and humbling.

This afternoon, many members of the team went to Arizona Field to play with the children there. The children here can't seem to get enough of our team, and the feeling is mutual. We are all happy to spend as much time as we can with the beautiful children of Belize.

Tonight, the Quest team joined the members of EQC for their weekly Bible study and worship. Everyone came to Camalote Camp - it was pretty chaotic as everyone scrambled to different places with their groups, but everyone was blessed by the discussions and lessons. The evening was rounded off with worship (singing "God of This City," which is emotional every time), and the EQC bus took the church members home as the Quest team relaxed for the night.

Today was a very, very full day, and we are very, very tired tonight. While everything we have encountered thus far has been challenging and has stretched us beyond our limits, we are all confident that we are better and stronger because of what we have experienced. We are so thankful for this opportunity, and are eager to continue in the mission field tomorrow evening. Tomorrow morning, though, we get to be tourists! Expect lots of pictures tomorrow!

April 2011 Mission - Day 3

2011-04-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Quest Mission Team hit the ground running this morning, beginning the day with a time of reflection and prayer before heading out to their job sites.

The Construction team was working today on building a house for a woman and her children who have had no home of their own for approximately 5 months. The team is building them a house measuring 16 x 20 feet, and it will be a home she and her children can call their own. It will be a tremendous blessing for them, and it has been an honor to be able to minister to her in such a concrete way. They are ahead of their schedule for the week, and will likely finish that project tomorrow afternoon....and will start another one!

Nearby, as the Construction team was hammering nails and putting up walls, the Medical team was checking blood sugar and administering medication. The team held a clinic today, under the supervision of the Regional Health Director, in a small church in the village of Arizona. A total of 48 patients were seen, three of which were critical enough that they were taken immediately to the hospital for further treatment. There were so many wonderful men, women, and children that came through the clinic, and it was a privilege for the team to be able to meet them and bring peace to situations that have been causing them stress and pain.

One change we made in the team as a whole for this trip has been the addition of two new work teams: Spiritual Support and Care and Connections. Those teams, as their names suggest, are responsible for the less tangible aspects of mission work. As the skilled teams (Medical and Construction) are doing their jobs for the week, Spiritual Support (SST) and Care and Connection (CCT) are working alongside them to ensure that relationships are formed in the name of the Lord and that spiritual needs are met as well. These teams are instrumental in being the hands and feet of Jesus as they reach out in whatever ways are needed to make sure that everyone experiences the love of the Lord in real, life-changing ways.

It has already been a phenomenal experience for our team. Tomorrow is another big day, and we're all looking forward to more flexibility as we make ourselves available to do what the Lord needs us to do. We don't know exactly what tomorrow will look like, but we are sure of one thing: it will be good.

April 2011 Mission - Day 2

2011-04-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Day two of our Belize mission was a very full - but very, very fun and fulfilling - day. After a good night's sleep, the team awoke and prepared for worship with our friends from EQC at Camalote Camp's tabernacle. As we gathered together, friends from another Belizean church in Mayapan (a neighboring village) joined us for Sunday morning worship. Our relationships with each other and with the Lord were strengthened as we worshiped together - very powerful!

Following worship, families from EQC joined us for a family reunion-style lunch of hotdogs and chips - - - and the Belizean children discovered a new love: chips and cheese dip!

Once everyone had eaten, the games began! One of our team members had planned a great afternoon of games for the children of EQC to enjoy together, and everyone had a blast playing soccer, volleyball, and other games at our camp. More time together meant relationships were solidified more and more!

It was a hot, hot afternoon, so after we finished the games, some of the team relaxed while others took a trip to the river to swim, relax, and spend more time together. This was a nice break from the organized activities of the day, but the team found plenty of ways to reach out to and love the people of Belize.

Tonight, teams are preparing for their first day of field work tomorrow. The medical and construction teams will be beginning their work, and the Spiritual Support and Care and Connection Teams will be accompanying them as they go into the villages to meet the needs they find there.

God is working - in the team and in each individual heart here - and it is more exciting than words can say to see everyone seeing Him in new ways and changing so deeply. We're already eager to share what we've experienced - and the week has just begun!

April 2011 Mission - Day 1

2011-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

"The internet is working! It's working!"

That is the cry around Camalote Camp this afternoon, as everyone celebrates the repairing of our internet connection. No one has been able to get online since we arrived in Belize yesterday, but that has only helped our adjustment to the philosophy of these trips. Our mantra is, "Be FLEXIBLE!" and that is how we are learning to see everything. As we do that, God has already shown our team that His plans are above our own and that He, ultimately, knows where we need to be and when we need to be there.

We made a late arrival to Camalote Camp yesterday afternoon, due to a delay in our flight, and the team immediately began exploring the camp and getting comfortable in our home for the week.

We had dinner and while some teams met to plan their ministries and activities for the week, other team members were able to visit nearby Arizona Field to meet some of our neighbors and get to know some of the people (especially children) from Evangelical Quest Church (or EQC, our sister church in Belize).

While we did not have many planned, organized activities for Saturday following our arrival, the Lord has been hard at work, showing us His presence and assuring us that He is present in this beautiful country. Even after Saturday - the first day (and not even a complete one, at that!) - we could feel God's hand changing us and using us to reach the people of Belize. We are so grateful to be here, and are eagerly anticipating what the Lord has for us for the rest of the week.

Stay tuned - Sunday's update is coming soon!

Belize Trip --- April 2-8, 2011

2011-03-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

Our next Belize trip is less than a week away!

Be sure to check this blog daily beginning this Saturday, April 2. You will be able to read stories about our trip, view pictures, and more!

Day SEVEN in Belize - Friday, Nov. 26

2010-11-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

Friday. Our final full day in Belize. Tomorrow morning we rise early, have one last incredible breakfast (props to our amazing cooks Austin and Deli this week), have a quick devotional, and then jump on the bus to get to the airport to head back to the U.S.

It's a mixture of feelings for everyone. We're so tired. It's been a very full week. I told one guy tonight that it feels like we packed two mission trips into one. But it's been so good. And while we don't want to leave these new relationships we've formed with the people of Belize, we're ready to get home to our friends and families that we've missed so much. It's hard to believe that in less than 24 hours (I'm blogging at midnight) we'll all be home in our own beds. Wow.

So -- just a few more words and pictures about our final day. It began with a "suprise" unveiling for German and his wife, Alice, who basically runs their kids ministries. Our team spent time this week renovating their kids facilities. New tables and chairs, toys, crafts, and freshly painted walls. We all stood in the room as they entered to see it for the first time this week. They were so happy with it and we're so glad it will enhance their already incredible ministry to kids. Here are a couple pics from this event....

After the kids room was unveiled we moved into a cross "dedication" service in their sanctuary. As I blogged about earlier in the week - Ron Hartshorn and a young man named Noah built the cross that we gave to German and his church this morning. It is a stunning piece of work. The most incredible thing happened in the service. The young man who helped Ron build the cross walked up front, shared his story, and told us how he gave his life to Christ this week. We all burst into applause. He then walked right over to Ron and gave him a hug. Everyone cried. It was one of the most amazing moments of my ministry...

Following this cross dedication service, we packed onto the bus and headed out to visit and pray with Ms. Rush - who owns the small home the construction team helped to double in size this week. She is a beautiful woman with an amazing spirit, and it was a real joy to see her new home and pray with her and the rest of our team.

Following this time, most of us headed back to camp. The construction team had a little work left on the house, so they stayed to finish.

About mid-afternoon most our team headed out to "Arizona Field" for our second night of revival services. Before the service our kids team put on a high-energy carnival for the children. Over 150 kids showed up. It was awesome!

The revival began at 7:00 and lasted a couple hours. Over 250 people came. Like the night before, it was in an open field in the middle of a village. We stood on the back of a flatbed truck. It was really amazing.

Immediately following the service, we served hotdogs and drinks to hundreds of people.

As I sit here and reflect on the day, and the entire week, I cannot help but be moved by what I've experienced. This has been a life-changing experience. And not only for me, but for the other 31 on this trip as well. A door has opened that cannot now be closed. We've begun a new journey with the people of Belize. And I can't wait to see where the journey takes us!

This is my final blog for the week ... I'm signing off ... but look forward to blogging again upon my return to Belize...

Day SIX in Belize - Thursday, Nov 25

2010-11-25T21:59:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving. Gotta admit - really doesn't feel like it down here in Belize. Belize doesn't celebrate this American holiday. Though it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving in the traditional sense, though, the Quest Mission Team has so much to be thankful for. We've had an absolutely incredible experience this week, and we've met and become life-long friends with some amazing people ... for which we are all very grateful.

Our week is winding down. Today most of our team wrapped up their week-long missions, and we've turned our focus to a two night "revival" that's being held in a huge field in the middle of a Belizian village. It is an extremely poverty-stricken area where people live in tiny homes - many with thatched roofs.

In the morning, several people went to this village to deliver food and clothing to individual homes/families in the community and to invite them to the Revival. Here is an example of one of these visits where our team would pray with the household after delivering the food and clothing.

Tonight at the Revival, I personally prayed with the woman pictured in the hammock above. Our team's generosity compelled her to come. She needs surgery but cannot afford it. I prayed for God's healing in her life.

The following picture demonstrates the irony that you will sometimes see here. German Gallardo talking to a couple teenage boys who live in a small thatch-roofed hut. Yet they were watching movies on laptops.

The Revival tonight started at 4 pm with kids activities. About 150 young children from the Arizona community came out. Our team did an awesome job of teaching them about God and scriptural principles. At 7 pm we began a worship service. Over 100 people from the community showed up. Our "stage" was a semi-rig trailer. We collected benches from around the community for people to sit. There was alot of set-up for this event, but it was so well worth it. I prayed with a couple who want to walk with Jesus, and another woman came forward to dedicate her life to Christ for the first time.

Here are a few pictures from the Revival....

_____

Tomorrow we're headed to German Gallardo's church after breakfast (his church is his place of business that he converted to a church facility). We'll be surprising him with a redesigned kids space and also presenting him with an 8 ft beautiful cross that Ron Hartshorn and a Belizian teen named Noah built together this week. Pictures of that tomorrow.... After that we're headed out to see the work the construction team has been a part of and to pray with the family they have become close to through building an addition on their home. After that, it's back to camp for some preliminary packing. Then we're back out to Arizona Field for kids ministries and night two of the Revival. Will be a late night since we have to tear down and get everything back to town. Then we'll pack more and head out the next morning.

It's been a good week. We're tired. But we're so THANKFUL for all that we've experienced!

Day FIVE in Belize - Wednesday, Nov 24

2010-11-24T22:24:00.000-08:00

Today was a day of "rest" for most of our team. A time of Sabbath and renewal. We took the opportunity today to head an hour west toward the border between Belize and Guatemala to visit a famous Mayan ruins site called "Xunantunech." Words cannot even describe the beauty of this area and what we saw today.

Here are some pics from our day....

________

Our pictures on the blog have been really amazing. On this trip we invited a gifted photographer, Chris Thelen, to travel with us and to chronicle this story in images/pictures. We're so glad to have him along and to share his work with you. You'll be seeing a lot more of his work on this trip in the days ahead...

(Photographer Chris Thelen)

Belize Update from Vickie Veatch, Quest Kids Minister

2010-11-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

Hey Kids! I am missing you and wish you were here today. I have met some many kids that would like to write you and have many pictures of all your new friends. We are putting the hand-prints that you made in the kids room at church. They were so excited and will be making some prints for you. We went to visit some Mayan Ruins today. Above is a picture of my experience! Yes, I had to climb up a huge Mayan Ruin and you will be proud to know that I made it. I hope you can tell in the picture that I am trying so hard to get back to you as soon as possible. Well, have to go but will talk again to you real soon. Please continue to pray for all of us and all the kids that we will be spending time with tomorrow.

Love ya!

Miss Vickie

Day FOUR in Belize - Tuesday, Nov 23

2010-11-23T23:27:00.001-08:00

Tuesday. We're well into this mission now. All teams headed back out onto their locations for various outreach ministries today.

Last night our Kids and Women's Teams informed German Gallardo that they would be doing some renovations to his church facility - especially the kids area. German and his wife, Alice, were very moved by this. I saw some of the progress today - and it's beautiful. Pictures to come later in the week of the big "reveal."

Folks from several team spent some time in "Arizona" today as well - a very poor local community here. We delivered flour, rice, and beans, as well as clothing to these families. We prayed with each family and invited them to our Revival - which will be held in their community on Thursday and Friday night this week. Please pray for this Revival and all who attend.

A couple of other teams went out today to do medical work and construction work in the various parts of the community. The medical team spent time at "Salvapan," a small village near Belmopan. The saw 118 people today - men, women, and children - ministering to various needs. Our team would assess people's health/medical needs, address them, and even pray with them before they left. Here are a few pictures from their time today....

Our construction team has been tremendous this week. They have been doubling the size of an elderly woman's home, who takes care of a couple of her grandchildren. This has been a big project, but the team has come together and is accomplishing the task before them. Here a few pictures from their day.... (the woman you see in one of the pics is Ms. Rash - this is her home)

The construction team has met several families around Ms. Rash's home with various needs. One need is a medical issue with a neighbor. Because the area where Ms. Rash and her neighbors live is so muddy right now, our team volunteered to take them to visit with our medical team that was nearby. Joey Barrs had to get them into a 4 wheel drive truck and take them there. See picture below....

I continue to be utterly amazed at God and His work here. And at my own worldview - the things I think I need, my lack of concern for others, etc. I'm praying for myself and all my friends with me on this trip and back home --- that we'll be completely changed by God's incredible love and generosity towards us in His Son Jesus, and that we'll become His servants - sacrificing our lives in service to our King.

Day THREE in Belize - Monday, Nov 22

2010-11-22T20:34:00.000-08:00

Day three has been an unforgettable day. After a day and a half of worshiping with our sister church - The Evangelical Quest Church - today we launched out into various ministry/mission teams in the local community.

As we concluded the day just an hour or so ago, we gathered for a time of worship and reflection. Members of our team recounted stories from the last two days in Belize. It became very apparent that every member of our team has a story to tell. Here are just a few of them ...

One member of our team, Cindy Keszler, is working with the Women's Ministry. Every day a busload of women and their young children arrive at the camp where we are staying. The Women's Team from Quest has been teaching these women to sew dresses. Yesterday, Cindy met a woman who needs a new Bible. Cindy gave this woman her own Bible that belonged to her late mother. The woman was very moved by this act of generosity and continues coming to the camp daily. She brings the Bible with her every time she is here.

Another member our team, Ron Hartshorn, is building a cross for our sister church while he is here. The cross will be "commissioned" later in the week. Ron thought he'd be working on this cross alone, but as you can see from the picture above .... Ron has a partner in this endeavor. Noah is a local 17 year old with a very rough past. Without a father, he is the man of his house earning money for his mom and siblings. We're not sure about Noah's faith, because the first day he kept his distance. But he keeps showing up for worship and other events. He met Ron, and a friendship was struck. Ron asked him to help him build the cross this week. Noah immediately agreed and the two spent today gathering the wood and beginning to work on this project. As they gathered the wood, Ron was explaining to Noah how they would take the old, blackened wood ... and scrape away the rough exterior to reveal the beauty inside. He then explained how this is what Jesus does in us when we give ourselves to Him. Noah has taken to Ron in an amazing way and a beautiful friendship is emerging. Can't wait to see what the remained of the week will be like as this one story continues to unfold....

Our medical team headed out to a remote area of town to hold a medical clinic. They shared amazing stories tonight of the people who came to them with unbelievable medical needs. Linda Smith (pictured above) described how these people with such intense medical needs were coming to to them ... instead of a hospital. Our team is all that is available to them. They also discussed how we really can't understand poverty and struggle until we see it in this new way. Wow. Again - another amazing story. Our medical team has done outstanding work in just one day, and are ready to take on the rest of the week.

_____

Several other teams and events happened today as well, but let me conclude with just one more quick story. Just before dinner, we gathered up around 20 of us and headed to a local orphanage where 38 kids of all ages are living. As we got off the bus at this orphanage we were immediately struck by the condition of the orphanage. Old, decaying, dimly lit. This was their home. As we walked in, though, the darkness became brighter by the smiles and lives of these beautiful children. They immediately began jumping into our arms and hanging out with us. They LOVED that we came by for an hour or so. We played guitar, blew bubbles, played on the playground, and just hung out and talked. Getting back bus afterward was a pretty somber experience. We'll never see those kids again. There are still without moms and dads. They are still going to be living in these conditions. And in just a few days, we'll be going home.

But we won't go home the same. We're going home changed. How can we not? We have seen God and His people in the beautiful country of Belize. We must bring this home with us.

Day TWO in Belize - Sunday, Nov 21

2010-11-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning in Belize. Our team awoke, had personal devotion times, and then headed to breakfast. Following breakfast we gathered again with our sister church here in Belize - The Evangelical Quest Church (EQC, as they are calling themselves). One note - most of the people from this new church are picked up for worship services by the pastor, German Gallardo. He drives around town in a 60 passenger bus picking them up, and then bringing them for worship. It's incredible, really. We had a great worship service this morning - focusing on the mission Jesus Christ calls His followers to - speaking and living out the Good News of the Gospel. The following are a couple pictures from worship this morning.

Following worship we had a quick lunch, then packed out a 60 passenger bus and headed to the river for the baptisms of 4 teenagers - who made commitments to follow Jesus in the past couple of days. Several of the kids team leaders stayed back at the camp and did some amazing kids ministry with about 55 young children. In addition, our women's ministry spent time teaching several local women how to sew and make dresses, etc. Incredible. The river baptisms were a personal highlight for me. An amazing experience.

Here are a couple of pictures from the kids ministries today...

Our construction crew headed out today to check out the project that they will begin tomorrow. The only vehicle that will reach the house they are working on is a 4 wheel drive. Ms. Rash is an elderly woman living in a 128 square ft house with 3 or 4 grandchildren. Most of our bedrooms are larger than her whole house. The team will be doubling the size of her house this week.

Our day ended back at Camalote Camp with dinner and one more evening worship service with The Quest Evangelical Church....

Tomorrow our medical and construction teams head out early. They'll be out in the community doing their work. Kids and women's ministries will be spending most of the day at the camp. More to come tomorrow.....

Hello from Miss Vickie!

2010-11-21T20:36:00.000-08:00

Hey Kid Venture kids!!!!

I sure missed seeing you this morning at church... but I sure thought about you! I am having a great time with the kids in Belize. I gave them the banner you made for them and they are excited about making one for you. We are teaching them about The Armor of God and doing a lot of crafts. We are teaching them the song "Jesus the Soccer Star," but have to say "Jesus the Football Player" because that is what they call it. I am getting to know them and they are getting excited about writing you letters. I have a great new hairdo! Can't wait to show you a picture of it later! Well gotta go... and I will write more later. I love ya'll and will see ya soon!

---Miss Vickie

Day ONE in Belize!

2010-11-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

4 am. 32 of us arrived at The Quest Church in Martinez, GA. 12 hours later, at 4 pm, the same 32 arrived at Camalote Camp in Belmopan, Belize. Our sister church in Belize, The Evangelical Quest Church (EQC), is hosting us for the week as we are the hands and feet of Jesus in this beautiful country and among these amazing people.

Today has been an a long day of travel, but concluded with a beautiful time of worship and communion with our sister church here.

Here are a few pictures and descriptions of our day....

This is a picture of our team right after arriving in Belize. German Gallardo, pastor of The Evangelical Quest Church picked us up in a used 60 passenger bus his church recently acquired. From there we grabbed lunch locally, and then headed on to Belmopan and our lodging at Camalote Camp.

After arriving at camp, we settled in and then had a quick dinner - locally prepared tamales and nachos! Then is was on to our first worship time together with our new friends from The Evangelical Quest Church. The above picture is from some of the worship time together. John leading on guitar, and German Gallardo singing.

Here are a few more pics from worship tonight ....

John preaching with German Gallardo interpreting into Spanish.

John and German serving communion together to The Quest Church and The Evangelical Quest Church of Belize.

Youth from The Evangelical Quest Church leading a song.

Jessica Bolyard closing tonight's worship service in prayer.

Hanging with the kids following the worship service.

Another pic of some of our team hanging with the kids.

______

Tomorrow we will gather in the morning for worship with our sister church again, then lunch, then we head to the river to baptize 6 or 7 young boys who recently decided to follow Jesus. I will assist German in baptizing these boys. Our teams will begin their work in various ministry areas as well ---- medical, construction, women's and children's ministries, etc.

God is moving. We're already experiencing it. Pray for our week as we step out and serve God this week!

ONE

2010-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

Quest takes off for Belize, Central America, in just 3 days! We'll arrive there Saturday afternoon in Belize City. From there we'll travel to the capital city of Belmopan - just over an hour inland. We'll settle in, then gather for a meal with the church community we are helping to plant/grow there. After dinner, we'll all gather - Americans and Belizeans - to worship together. I (John Kenney) will be preaching that night - along with the pastor of the Belizean church (German Gallardo). Our theme that night is "ONE." We're preaching from Ephesians 4:4-6 where Paul calls the fracturing church (cultural issues in the first century) to UNIFY and focus on what they hold in common - JESUS - instead of what could tear them apart (differences that just don't matter, really).

Pray for German Gallardo and I as we prepare to preach this message of UNITY the first night. We need God's Spirit to guide us and to overtake that worship space as we gather. Pray that we would truly UNITE AS ONE CHURCH in Belize.

Belize bound,

John Kenney

Quest is headed to Belize in less than a week!

2010-11-16T06:26:00.000-08:00

32 Quest missionaries are headed to Belize, Central America, this coming Saturday, Nov. 20th. We'll return on Saturday, Nov. 27th.

Please be in prayer for our inaugural trip as we form relationships with the people of Belize and get involved in the Kingdom work there.

Check this blog daily beginning on Saturday for pictures, updates, etc!

For the Kingdom,

John Kenney,
Pastor, The Quest Church USA

Fall 2010 Trip to Belize!

2010-03-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars! Our first trip to Belize as a church will be:

November 21-27, 2010

More details and costs to come soon!

*** Also remember that we'll be giving a presentation about Belize and our upcoming work there on Sunday, April 18, in both morning worship services @ Quest!

Days 3 and 4 in BELIZE

2010-03-05T21:20:00.001-08:00

Our third day in Belize began with a trip to Belize City from Belmopan (where we have been staying for the first 2 days of our trip). On the way out of Belmopan we stopped to see a man named German, who is starting a church out of his local business facility (he does road repair, etc). The picture above is of his local business (that doubles as a church 3 or 4 days a week!). This next picture is where they meet in that facility for worship.

German is an incredible man with an incredible heart for God and people. He and his wife and children have a ministry to many young people in the community - especially those not connected with a church. Their desire is for these young people to know Christ and to experience His love in their lives. German is living this out every day in his world. Here is a picture of German and I together. What a Godly man he is.

Following our time at German's new church, we continued on to Belize City to meet the President of the Methodist Church and his staff.

The President and another staff member took us one hour north to a small town called Santana where we met the staff and students of a local school there. In Belize, the schools are almost all run by churches. This one was being run by the Methodist Church. The school has 3 teachers and 68 students in grades K-8. They have a tiny building with 3 classrooms that they meet in. We arrived just in time for lunch and had a great lunch together. Following that we went out and played with the school children (they were having recess). They taught us some games, and of course Vickie Veatch taught them some games as well!

Vickie Veatch set up correspondence with the head teacher of the school and talked about kids from Quest and kids at this Belizian school exchanging letters, pictures, etc. The following picture is one that my daughter, Morgan, made for one of the kids. This little girls name was Britanny and was very touched that she received this picture. She showed it to all her friends.

The following picture shows you the school building (this is the only building - very small) and the students and teachers. They were incredible kids. Very loving. Very fun. But there is also great need at this school. They have food needs, curriculum needs, facility needs, and the list goes on.

One other note - this school also serves as a church on Sundays, as well as a hurricane shelter.

Following our time at the school we stopped by some ancient Mayan ruins that were very close by. That's Vickie Veatch, Eric Brisendine, and Heather Barrs at the top!

After our time at the ruins, we headed to a small island off the coast of Belize called Caye Cauker. We've been there last night and today relaxing and reflecting on the incredible week we've had. We had a great 2 hour worship and reflection time tonight just reminiscing about the week and all that we've seen. We shared memories and where we feel God leading us as a church community.

Tomorrow we head home - early in the morning - so this will be my final blogpost for now. I'm so thankful to be a part of such an amazing church community with an amazing developing vision for international missions. The team is excited to share all we've learned with you and where we feel God is leading us as we seek a long-term relationship with the incredible people of Belize! See you soon!

A Message from Vickie Veatch, Kids Minister --- BELIZE MISSION

2010-03-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

Hey kids! I just wanted to say hey and let you know I miss you and can't wait to tell you all about our trip to Belize. We were able to meet a lot of kids this week and even went to a school where we were able to play with the kids and teach them some new games (see the picture above - that's me at the school with the kids). I have an address so you can write them notes and they will be able to write you back. I have several names of kids that we will be praying for. We ate lunch with the kids at their school and the lunch was pretty good. We gave out all the bubbles and they were so excited to get them. We were blowing up balloons and couldn't do it fast enough. Miss Kelly and I had a great time spending time with them and playing. I have lots of pictures and will show them to ya'll when I get back. Pray for us tomorrow as we head home and keep praying for the kids in Belize. I love ya'll and miss you and can't wait to see you on Sunday with lots of stories to share!

Love -- Miss Vickie

PS. Miss Kelly and everybody says "hi!"

Day 2 in Belize

2010-03-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Our second day in Belize began with loading into a large van and eating "meat pies" as we headed out of the town we've been staying in - Belmopan (meat pies are a Belizian breakfast delicacy - they are small "potpies" with a meat mix in them - very spicy and very good!). We headed southeast toward the town of Dangriga on the "Hummingbird Highway" - just outside the Mayan Mountains (rainforest). We then entered the rainforest - some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. Along the way we hit the town of Pomona and stopped to visit a local church there - where Rene and his wife pastor. The picture above is the church building they built - about 600 square feet total - where they hold worship and other services several nights a week. The following picture is of Rene and his pet parrot (parrots are everywhere here - we've seen a bunch).

Following this stop we continued on south for another half hour or so and stopped to have lunch at a shrimp farm close to the coast. Incredible meal prepared by some friends of the missionaries we're staying with here. Then we hit the vans again and continued south another hour until we arrived in Bladen - a Mayan (actually Mopan Mayan). There we met Ecedro and Isabella - the pastor and wife of the church there. They have 7 kids and live in thatched roofed homes. They are in a village of several hundred people. Currently they have a very small church building (wood) and are trying to build a 1500 square foot block building - that will serve not only as a church building - but also a hurricane shelter (there are many hurricanes that hit Belize). Hurricane shelter are a huge need here. The following pictures are of our time in Bladen with the Mayan people.

After our time in Bladen, we headed back north to a large village called Red Bank - also Mayan. It was much larger than Bladen - with over a thousand people living there. Most of the villagers are children. Just a note - the average age in Belize is around 27 - very young - because there are so many children. In Red Bank we met lots of families, including the local pastor and his wife - Estevan and Nicholosa. There is a large church building that was built there about 3 years ago. It is just over 1500 square feet (I say large in comparison to what we've seen here - these buildings are very small according to American standards). The following pictures are from our time in Red Bank.

After Red Bank, we piled back into the van and made the 3 hour drive back to Belmopan, where we are staying tonight. It's been a long - but great - day. Tomorrow morning we are going to Belize City to meet the President of the Methodist Church of Belize. He and his staff are going to take us to Santana - a small town where they are trying to expand some ministry opportunities there. We'll have lunch at a school there and hear about their vision to expand and grow.

Continue to pray for us as we explore the opportunities God is laying before our church in Belize. This is an incredible country and full of incredible people whom God loves. We can't wait to tell you more about it!

A few more pics of Day 1 in Belize

2010-03-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

Day 1 in Belize

2010-03-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

Day 1 (Tuesday, March 2) began at 5:30 am as the team met at Quest to head to Charlotte. From left to right above is Joey Barrs, Eric Brisendine, Kelly Tremblay, Sherry Brisendine, Heather Barrs, and Vickie Veatch. John Kenney took the pic. We are sad that Cindy Keszler was unable to make the trip due to sickness. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.

We arrived in Charlotte around 8:30 am, and immediately had our flight changed due to a schedule problem that might have caused us to miss a connection in Miami. So we were re-routed to Dallas, then on to Belize. We barely made the flight out of Charlotte since we were re-routed! We were literally running to the gate as they were calling our names out over the airport loudspeaker system. Like the movies!

Once in Belize (3:30 pm Belize time) we were greeted by Gene and Liz Hancock, missionaries in Belize. They took us to Belmopan, the capital city of Belize. We are staying the night at a youth camp there.

Upon our arrival at the camp, we hung out for a little while and then had a Belizean meal prepared by the people of Belize (friends of the local missionaries). About 30 of them showed up! They are absolutely amazing people. Very welcoming. Very loving. We had a great dinner with them. Even spent some time in prayer.

Tonight we're hanging out and sharing together as team, and tomorrow we're headed south to the rainforests of Belize to visit churches and local villages in Red Bank and Bladen.

Pray that God will give us wisdom as we seek mission partnerships over the next few days.

Quest Church - you have SENT us here and we represent our entire church community. Thank you for your prayers and support!

See next post for a few pics of our day today ....

Belize Itinerary and Prayer Requests

2010-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Quest's Belize Mission Team leaves tomorrow morning at 5:30 am. The following is our itinerary for March 2-6:

March 2
* Fly from Charlotte to Belize City
* Drive to Belmopan for the evening

March 3
* Early morning: drive south to rain forest villages and visit mission sites and churches
* Afternoon: return to Belmopan

March 4
* Travel to Belize City and meet with President and staff of Methodist Church in Belize
* After lunch - travel to Santana and Lucky Strike (pics from last blogpost are of this area) and visit local school and church there. Hear about their vision for a new chapel.
* Travel back to Belize City and catch ferry to island for the evening

March 5
* Day of worship, reflection, and sharing about our experiences --- planning for the future of our mission work in Belize

March 6
* Back to Belize City and flight back to Charlotte, then drive to Augusta, arrive home around midnight

Prayers - Please pray for health for our team. Many members have been sick. In addition, pray we would have wisdom to discern where God would have us in Belize - as we seek to establish long-term relationships there. Pray for the people of Belize.

One site we are visiting

2010-02-27T17:55:00.001-08:00

These pics were sent to us by the Methodist Church in Belize. We'll be visiting this village called "Lucky Strike" (interesting name - I'm going to ask about that while there). Pray for this visit. We are exploring the possibility of establishing a relationship with this village and partnering with them to build facilities, grow the church in the area, get involved with ministries, education, and even medical needs. We'll be visiting this village on Thursday, March 4.

Countdown to Belize - 8 days!

2010-02-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Quest Church and friends,

It's just 8 days until 8 of us head to Belize, South America, for the purpose of discovering ways we can be in long-term relationships with the people and church in Belize! Our trip is March 2-6. We will be traveling to several different cities and villages in Belize, meeting different people and mission organizations. We'll also be meeting with the President of the United Methodist Church in Belize, and he will personally be taking us to a small village where he thinks we might be able to set up a long-term relationship with the community there.

Keep us in prayer. This team is going to Belize representing Quest and our vision to be involved in International Mission work. When we return, we'll be sharing our discoveries with you and presenting a long term strategy for our relationship with the people and church of Belize.

In your prayers, remember our team:

John Kenney, Pastor
Vickie Veatch, Kids' Minister
Cindy Keszler, Lay Leader
Kelly Tremblay, Missions co-chair
Eric and Sherry Brisendine, Interational Missions Coordinators
Joey and Heather Barrs, Co-coordinators of this trip

Thanks for visiting this blog! Watch for updates. While in Belize we will be uploading information about our discoveries, as well as pictures, etc!

Journeying with you,

John Kenney, Pastor