Update From Belize

NOVEMBER 2008

Dear Loved Ones,

I woke up this morning at a few minutes before 6 am. I had nothing to get up for or anyone to meet, as I'm resting because I've sprained my ankle on Monday and I am suppose to stay off of my foot for the next 2 weeks or so. With no one here to help me, I am just biding my time waiting for the next teams arrival tomorrow on Friday. Story to continue, so I decided I would just sleep in. NOT! That's not happening today.

I need to go back to Sat. of this past week. Mandy (Our school teacher affiliated with the Belize Mission & is working in the Gov't school in the village) got the team off, much to our dismay, we had our crying time after they left. They were such an incredible team, they touched so many lives, continued on working to build their relationships and built a house. Along with the spiritual growth of many of the team members. One of the men on the team who has been walking away from God for the past 20 yrs, reconnected with God on this trip. He didn't even know why he was coming on this trip, however, in the end he knew why and is now reuniting with his true Father. Also a couple of the team members are considering Missions as a full time position. WE need to be praying for all of them. (I'll try to remember to keep this shorter then most of my emails)!

After leaving them Mandy and I spent some time bonding, getting to know each other, having some just plain ole "girl time", it was great, we laughed and cried and had a wonderful day. Near the end of the day, I wanted to stop by one of the villagers home she was staying in with her daughter. Karen, some of you know her (aka: Crack lady), she was sick before Basil and I went back this Sept. and she hadn't come back to the village yet. So I found her and we went to visit her.

As we walked in the door, who should be standing there but Jared, her son and Janeto's son who was actively involved in the stealing of our boat engine in June. He's remained out of the village ever since the event of the thievery (not sure if that's a word or not)! Well, low and behold there stood Jared. All I could muster up was "WELL . . . HELLO JARED?" That's the best I could do, he immediately left the room. I continued my purpose for the visit and talked with Karen, her daughter Jamelia and I was able to bless a brand new baby, who belongs to Kayla (one of the girls we've been mentoring and sending to school) and "JARED"! I blessed and prayed over the baby inspite of his father. Jarend just disappeared. I thought after we left, I wished I had been more bold and confronted him. However, I'm sure God held me back from that.

Alright now, back to this morning. So I toss and turned, my mind going a mile per minute thinking about the visit with Karen and her son Jared and how frustrated I was for not confronting him, finally I just decided to get up and have my quiet time with God. So I grabbed a devotional (one of many here in the apt.) it was the one titled "Grace for the Moment" by Max Lucado. I went to Nov. 6th, the title called The High Cost of Getting Even. Thus my subject line. After reading this and reading the scripture ""Do not take revenge", my friends, but leave room for God's wrath for it is written: "It is mine to avenge ; I will repay", says the Lord."" Romans 12:19. So now if I should run into Jared, instead of confronting him, I plan just to greet with please read Romans 12: 19 and just walk away. I don't need to worry about the revenge, as I've shared with others, but sometimes, you just have had enough, you know? Yet, I still want to remain as Christ Like as I can. So for those of you who have something similar to mine and it's eating away at you, just tell the person who needs the message to read Romans 12:19.

Update on Basil: Basil had to remain in the states while I returned to Belize to be with teams coming down. He has seen his new Infectious Disease Doctor, at first the Dr. didn't think that there was anything he could do for him except IV antibiotics. He reviewed his notes and looked something up and he is giving Basil a different coupld of Antibiotics for a couple of weeks to see if they will work. At this time Basil has an upper respritory infection, unfortunately it isn't getting better. Basil has promised me he's watching it closely and if it gets any worse he will see the Dr. before his next visit on the 14th. Please add him to your prayers, that this Dr. can come up with a better solution for Basil to fight infections in his body. The Dr. did say that it would seem that his prostrate is passing the infection into the urinary tract.

I will be returning on Nov. 22nd. It's been hard being here w/o my hubby, I miss him terribly. It would seem we've traded positions, as the past couple of years he has had to come back to Belize w/o me, now the table is turned and it's my turn.

I want to share one more thing with you that touched both Basil and I before we returned to the states in Sept. We had to go back to the base before we left the country to pick up items Basil needed. No one knew we were coming into the village, we attended church on Sunday morning. WE were so BLESSED because of the service. First we heard that the village had been praying for Mr. Basil, and then we got to hear Kenny Welch give his FIRST MESSAGE for the service, he is one of the young men that we have been mentoring for several years and he also went thru the discipleship program that Jude did this past summer and also David and Brittany had been mentoring him while they were here this past year. He did an awesome job we were so blessed by his message and the church was filled with villagers which were intensely listening to him! Then Mandy and the choir got up and sang a song that I've been wanting to hear in this church since I first heard it in Belize, it's called "These are the days of Elijah" it was awesome singing, it made me cry. Then they asked Basil to come to the front and they laid hands on Basil and prayed for him. Do you have any idea how it touched us to see a sea of black hands layed on Basil and hearing them pray for him? This was worth all of the years and tears and hard work. I just wanted to share with you so you know that inspite of ourselves ministry continues on and God is continuing His work in the village no matter where we are. Seeds have been planted and are blooming!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

God's blessings, I'll keep you posted and your prayers are definitely appreciated and needed!

Love in Christ, Basil and Vera

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