Jaguar Preserve

Even though we are here on missionary work and this blog is mostly related to that, I thought it worthy to take a moment to discuss some of our experiences outside of our missionary efforts. These past two months we've been so focused on getting settled and focusing ourselves on service opportunities that it's been all too easy to forget that there is a whole other world outside of Punta Gorda and it's surrounding villages. So we decided to take a much needed excursion before school starts to view some of that world. While we for the most part, subsist on the donations of our supporters, we also have personal funds for just such getaways and this experience was well worth it.

Our family decided to take a two day overnight getaway to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (aka. Jaguar Preserve). Cockscomb is about 1 1/2 hrs north of PG and it is a jungle basin surrounded by the Maya Mountains. The area is a true rain forest, and thus it is not without it's fair share of beauty. The nature preserve is only about 6 miles off the highway but feels worlds away from civilization. Upon our arrival we were greeted by Gregorio Chun, who owns and operates Tutzil Nah Cottages and Tours. He was an original inhabitant of Quam Bank village, the village forced to relocate once the area was declared a preserve in 1985. 5 Of those families, including the Chun's, relocated 6 miles away under the new name, Maya Center. We stayed on Gregorio's property in simple but clean, and cheap, accommodations. Our original intentions were to spend one day at the nature preserve and one day at a nearby beach but after just a few hours, the decision was unanimous--we skipped the beach and opted for 2 days in the jungle. Because the road into the preserve is unpaved we decided to pay Gregorio to give us a ride there both days. He does do guided tours, which I'm sure are well worth it, but the wealth of info that he shared with us on the ride in was even priceless.

The second day of our visit was definitely the more relaxing day. We rented some inner tubes and took a float down the river. We were able to really observe the rain forest from the river--not only a peaceful experience but also an excellent way to view some of the unique birds there. Our first day was the most active of the two yet uniquely spiritual. We hiked to an amazing waterfall (one of two in the park) and then up to a bluff with gorgeous panoramic views of the Cockscomb Basin and surrounding mountains. The waterfall was cool, clear and shallow and everyone loved the refreshing swim. All the while we kept stopping to think, here we are in a place as beautiful as can be, in a place like what we read about in school! To stop, and soak it all in is nothing short of overwhelming--every flower, every butterfly, every beautiful bird. These are the infinite details that remind us of God's beautiful creation, that of which we are all a part. How amazing it is the way He puts it all together to create such a beautiful world.

Then, to make it up to the top of the bluff, to see the view--that is where both Andy and I can really see God's work. To hike up a mountainside, with a toddler on Andy's back, and myself carrying a 3 year old about half the time stretched us to the limit, physically. But to suddenly get to the point where we find ourselves peering over the trees, into a space of openness--it literally takes my breath away. How could I ever doubt the amazing abilities of God when I get this opportunity to look at his magnificent creation--stretching for miles upon miles? "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help." (Ps. 121:1) "Great is Yahweh and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, the mountain of His holiness." (Ps. 8:1)"In [His] hands are the depths of the earth; and the height of the hills are His." (Ps. 95:4)

While Belize does have it's fair share of problems--poverty, poor infrastructure, etc--it is one of the most beautiful countries in the Western Hemisphere, if not the entire world. To immerse ourselves in that beauty for a couple of days has proven to be very spiritual & therapeutic for our family. I would gladly recommend a visit to this country to anyone who asks and I'm so thankful that God called us to be here.

Village Church Dedication

(This post is from an experience on day two but we are just now getting around to posting it along with the photos. We hope you find it to be informative nonetheless.)
 Shortly after our arrival in Punta Gorda, the pastor, Fr. Perl, invited us to a church dedication in the village of Delores.  Delores is one of the most remote villages in all of Belize and just a couple of miles from the Guatemalan border.  They had just built a new church and were having a dedication ceremony.  Fr. Perl suggested that it was a unique opportunity and worth the trip.  So in spite of just having traveled 12 hours to reach our final destination in PG, Belize,  myself (Julie) and our 11 year old anxiously awaited our pick up at 7 a.m. the next day.
  While Delores is only about 45 miles away, it takes over 2 hours to get there via bumpy dirt and gravel roads.  Being so new to the country, that didn't bother my daughter and I as there were many interesting sites to take in along the way.
   We passed several villages with houses made of wood and thatched roofs.  To see bare breasted women was not uncommon nor was it unusual to see women and and children bathing in the river.  Chickens and pigs ran loose and we could even see farmers working in their fields (without the advantage of machinery).  The last few villages we passed had solar panels hooked up to their homes (enough to power abut 2 light bulbs) as their only means of electricity.  The village of Delores, however,  has fresh water but no electricity.
   Finally we arrived at Delores.  There is a town center where the church is located and about 300 villagers were waiting.  People had come from neighboring villages (some had literally walked 4 hours to get there) to participate in the celebration.
   The first thing we noticed were the people.  Delores is a Kekchi Mayan village.  Southern Belize is made up of mostly Kekchi Maya but also Mopan Maya.  The Kekchi women have a distinctive plaid skirt and a solid color blouse.  Most noticeable of the Mayan women are that they carry their babies (up to 2 or 3 years old) in a hammock style sling that they wear hanging from their heads (see pics).  Women are usually under 5 feet and by speaking with some of the children, we learned that they tend to run about 6 inches shorter than a typical child in the US.
   Then the festivities began.  They starting things off with a traditional Mayan dance called the Deer Dance.  Only men participated and they wore masks, elaborate capes, and several layers of clothing.  It was great to watch but looked to be very hot (see pics).
   After the dance came the procession.  Villagers, along with the priest, processed into the plaza carrying a crucifix, burning incense, and carrying a statue of St. Peter, all while members sang hymns in their Kekchi language (see pics).  They processed around the church several times, sprinkling holy water on the building and setting off fireworks intermittently.  After the procession was mass but because so many were gathered, mass was held outside.  About half of the service was in English and the other half was in Kekchi (including the Bible readings).
   After mass it was time to eat.  The village had killed 5 pigs 2 days earlier to prepare for the celebration.  The meal consisted of a traditional Mayan dish called caldo (literal translation is "soup") and pach.  Caldo is a spicy broth with large pieces of meat in it (usually one per bowl)--in this case, pork.  Pach is similar to the masa in a tamale minus the filling but a bit more firm and cooked inside a banana leaf.  Both are meant to be eaten with your hands.  Both dishes had been cooked in a communal kitchen over an open fire (see pics).  Being the adventurous eaters that we are, both my daughter and I really enjoyed ourselves.  Clean up was at the town's only clean water source--a spigot near the central plaza--though my daughter and I did notice some villagers drinking the murky water from the creek.
   For it being one of our first experiences in Belize, this was a true delight and a blessing.  Fr. Perl told us that this was probably one of the biggest celebrations he had been to in his 15 years in Belize.