Farms, Nailpolish, Tatoos and Friends!

You are all probably wondering about the title of this post.  I know it's a weird mix, and some of you may have become a little frightened about the tattoo part, but I can explain it all! 

Our family has been living in Belize for 17 months!  Can you believe it?  I hardly believe it myself.  Time has really flown by for us! We enjoy living here, and have been blessed by so many things.  Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in our days and schedules and forget to step out of the box and out of our comfort zone to experience what God has created around us.

Well we found our day to step out of our comfort zone this last week! Emerson and Juliana asked our family to join them and take a trip out to their farm.  Some of you might be thinking, " So what's the big deal?"  WELL for us it's a big deal.  We live in the JUNGLE and to go to a farm here usually means that you will be walking back into "the bush" to get to this farm.  If you are like me, I instantly begin to think about the heat, the animals, SNAKES, and how us "white folk" are going to handle this, supposedly simple trip!

So Travis signed us up!  The kids were super excited it was a chance to experience Belize in a different way than we are used to.  We all suited up and headed out!  WITH our bug repellent, machetes, and water!



Always the fashionable one!

AND so...... our journey began!  We drove the truck about 1/2 a mile to where we were going then, we walk through "the bush" about a mile in all to the farm (NOT far, but far from comfort).  First stop was to collect worms to fish.

 

Crossing the bridge made of tree branches

Then...paint nails and get tattoo's!

Juliana said that as a little girl this is the plant they would use to paint their nails

 

They also used ferns for temporary tattoos
 

 

 Juliana peeled some sugar cane and Isabelle could not wait to have some of it to chew on!

On our way home...

 

 SO....we survived and really enjoyed our trip! We are so thankful for all of our friends here in Belize. One of the hardest things about leaving the States was leaving all of our friends and family. God has been so faithful in providing us with friends and family in our home in the jungles of Belize!  I could not ask for better friends, and we are reminded everyday of God's goodness when we are around these loving people daily.  We are so blessed to be apart of the ministry here and to have such wonderful friends. 

 This is Pastor Gideon Richards and his family.  I (Liz) taught the two older boys, Ian and Gian in kindergarten.  Just last week we were able to celebrate their 18th birthday with them.

 

This is Eduardo and Marita Chub and their cute baby girl, Zeannie!  Travis taught Eduardo when he was in high school. 

 

 We are so thankful for the opportunity God has given us to work with the ministry of Toldeo Christian Academy, BUT even more thankful and blessed by the friends and family he has given us here!