Hola! I know I've been slow on posting lately, but better late than never, I suppose! The reason I haven't is quite the story, but to make it extremely short, I had my daypack stolen after being in Belize for six hours. This bag included my phone, camera, passport, money, and a lot of other important items, including my journals from Haiti and Jamaica. I have had to replace my camera, and now have no way of uploading any photos I've taken, so those will come when I arrive home.
I have spent the last five weeks in a little village called Siete Millas. It is located siete millas (seven miles) off the main road...hence the name. That seven miles, however, can take up to forty-five minutes to drive, as it's a very hilly, rocky, and pot-hole-y road. The village is home to about 175 families, has five churches, one school that educates children grades one through eight, and one main shop where you can stock up on anything you may need.
My family here is absolutely incredible! My host mom, Dalila is twenty-six, and is not only an amazing mom, but has become a great friend! She has been married to Oved for nine years, has a nine-year-old son, Danielson, and a one-year-old daughter, Kate. We actually live in Dalila's parent's house, Odilia and Carlos, but Dalila lives in her house right out back. It is extremely hot here, most days reach over 100 degrees. June is Belize's rainy season, so the past two nights it has rained a wonderfully cooling rain, which is actually the first time it's rained for four and a half weeks!
My days are spent hanging out with Dalila, helping her cook when I can. Yesterday we made flour tortillas - so fun! I've learned how to bake an "Impossible Cake" (it's mindblowing), and fry tortillas, fried jacks, and plaintain chips. To some, days here may seem mundane or boring. But on this trip, I have honestly learned to take life slower. In Belize, days are built by small, but very significant moments. The moments when the entire family piles in the back of the newly fixed pickup truck to go driving around the village. When my host mom and I exchange language lessons. When we participate in the trash pickup with the school children. When I try (and fail) to teach my little sister to walk. When we come home from church and drink hot chocolate and talk about Belize with my host parents and grandparents. I don't wish my days to be anything more than they are here.
This week is the first week we'll be able to help at the school. We are going to be working in the Infant 1 & 2 classes (translates to grades one and two) helping during exam week. I'm excited for this opportunity to work in the community!
Church here is very different in the sense of how often we go. I attend church six times a week, every day except Mondays and Fridays, but twice on Sundays. It's all in Spanish, which I don't speak, but I enjoy going and learning how this culture worships God. Even though I don't speak the language, I always take those two hours to pray, read my Bible, or journal. I honestly love going to church here!
I come home in twenty-four days. It's literally like waiting for Christmas Eve. Trust me, I do NOT want to leave my family in Siete Millas. But Lord-willing, I will be back to visit someday (with my future husband, Dalila says). However, it has been 148 days since I've seen my family in Minnesota. I miss them more than words could express. I am ready to go home and implement into my everyday life what I've learned on this trip. Leaving here in twenty-one days will be a very sad, hard goodbye as I leave my family of two months. Leaving Indiana on June 30th will also be a very difficult as I leave my family of six months - my team. I have learned countless things on this trip. I've loved hard, cried hard, laughed hard. I've been happy, sad, angry, homesick, adventurous. Each of those emotions and feelings have led me to life lessons and have actually made memories.
Thank you for all your prayers, especially after having my things stolen. I appreciate all my prayer warriors.
Sierra
