Day 5: Wednesday (or, How many missionaries can fit into a 15 passenger van?)

Today was a short day, but not because of the rain (although it did rain today). We decided that we wanted to take a trip to go see the nearby Mayan ruins, so we only worked until a little after lunchtime. Still, we got a lot done in a half day.




We started out with one group going to another school for their religion lesson. It's still very weird to me that they not only don't have a problem with religion being taught in the government schools, they encourage it.








While they were playing with the kids, the rest of us were hard at work getting the wood ready to build forms for the foundation. This involved scraping old concrete off with a wire brush (or pounding it off with hammers and then brushing it off).



(This picture included to prove to my children and husband that I actually did some work)




Another group went back down into the field to cut and clear the brambles.





Then we started building the forms.








After lunch, we took off across country to visit Xunantunich (hopefully I've got the spelling right), some Mayan ruins that are located about an hour's drive away from the camp. Man, was the scenery on the drive beautiful. We got there about 30 minutes before the park was supposed to close, which caused a bit of a panic, but the ferry operator let us on and told us to hurry (did I mention that we had to cross a river on a hand-cranked ferry?)

And this is where the 15-passenger van came in. It's a mile walk from the ferry to the entrance to the park, and there was no way we were going to make it up there in time, even though some of the kids started running as soon as the ferry landed. So Bob W., who was driving, stopped and let us in so we could make it to the top before the park closed.

The answer to the question in the title is at least 24, by the way.



We were very friendly, and it's a very good thing that we like each other.

The ruins were really impressive.

Here, let me just show you.
















And a view from the top:






That little red dot at the bottom is me, by the way.

Ashley and I had decided that we weren't going to climb the whole way up to the top, so we tried to walk around the back of the temple to the other side.

I think it may have been the more adventurous choice, because the path took us through the jungle,


and by the time we got around back, we realized that the only way back to the temple was up. It was a bit tougher than we expected, but we made it, even though a howler monkey was throwing things at us as we were climbing.



We ended up on the first landing of the temple, so I got to climb down anyway.

I wish you all could've seen the expressions on everyone's faces when they saw the ruins and that you could've heard their excitement and awe. I think the best quote, the one that sums it all up, came from Susan B, as she reached the top and looked out over the surrounding landscape: How can you not believe in God?

Good question.

I'm seeing him constantly on this trip, from the way our kids work together and get along and show Christ's love, to the sunrise, to the pouring rain, to the Belizians and their joy in the Lord. I know I said ti before, but what an amazing group of people. I mean, where else would you find someone willing to do this?




-Julie M.