Day 8 - Sad Good-byes and a bumpy ride!!!!

Well, today is the day that we must say not good-bye to our friends in Caye Caulker, but say see you later!  I was up late last night because I wanted to write letters of encouragement to Marley, William and Richard.  They are really good kids, and so I wanted to let them know how much I care about them.

So we finished packing, and had Fatima call a taxi for us to get to the Kingdom Hall.  Fry Jack Head didn't have enough time to get a fry jack because the line was too long and we couldn't be late for the meeting because he was doing the discourse!

We had to get a formal picture with Rick and Donna for memory sake!

I kept asking myself where the bathroom was for the Kingdom Hall so I had to go and peep it out...

So the meeting began and my baby was up on the platform giving the discourse.  My mind went back to when we first visited Roatan Honduras in 2010 and Gordon was playing around like he was giving a talk and had the goal of one day giving a talk in a foreign land.  And there he was in Caye Caulker, Belize giving a public talk...

When he came off the stage I just looked at him and smiled.  Then it was time to sing the song, and I got so choked up I couldn't even sing the song because I was crying.  I was so emotional about Gordon's talk about my new found friends and about having to say good-bye to this wonderful congregation!  It was just wayyyy too much.

Well, I got myself together and it was time for the Watchtower discussion.  Oh by the way, Dayani didn't make it the meeting, but we hope to see her again in the future.

It was so adorable, little Phillip made a few comments during the Watchtower discussion, and when he did I gave him a thumbs up.  He smiled.  So when I commented he gave me a thumbs up.  Then I peeked at him while Gordon was giving the closing prayer and he was giving Gordon a thumbs up!  It was so adorable!

The meeting was over and everyone was a buzz!  It was not only our last meeting, but it was also Mirella's last meeting as well.  The water works for turned on real high!  Mirella and I hugged and hugged again and hugged again, and told each other how much he loved each other!  She's a sweet girl and a life long friend...even though she's stuck living in Nova Scotia!  LOL

Janice taught Richard how to give moose ears instead of simply rabbit ears!

William has a little sister named Leah and I gave her a little light up bracelet...I told her so that she would remember me!  She gave me a big hug!  She's a sweetheart!

Tracey was there with her daughter Kya and son Malachi...

And here are Diane and Larry Haggerty...as Diane says, "not all dingy like they were the first time we met them!"  LOL

So then someone had the idea to do a group photo, so everyone gets on the stage and gets ready, but little Phillip has to do his after the meeting job which is helping to sweep the Kingdom Hall...

We called for him to come for the picture and he took off running...so Gordon started chasing him!  Everyone is on the stage waiting and there is Gordon chasing after Phillip outside in the yard!  LOL  So Gordon picked him up broom and all and carried him inside for the picture!  LOL

If you look closely you will see the broom in the picture! LOL

Then if you notice Phillip has on Marley's sunglasses...trying to be cool!  LOL

I think we finally get a keeper!  Boy was it hot standing there!  I thought that I was going to pass out during the meeting!  Gordon was sweating during his talk, and the brother handling the microphones who back was wet!!!!!

Oh yea!  Guess who came to the meeting today?!??!  Snowy!!!!! He sat outside waiting for his family during the whole meeting...cool!!!

It was so cute, after the whole group photo scenario, I was talking and crying with everyone and I feel these little arms around my waist from the behind...I look down and it was little Phillip.  I would rub his head and he would run off.  A few minutes later he was back again giving me a hug from the back, he did this about three times that finally I picked him up for a picture!

Then of course Richard had to get in on the action...and so did Where's Mirella?!??! the professional photo bomber!!! LOL

Every time I would come across Donna I would just walk away...I just wasn't ready to say good-bye!  I just love her so much!!!!

So Gordon and I started to grab our luggage and take it out of the Kingdom Hall, and Richard came up to me and grabbed my suitcase and said, "No!  Don't leave!  Stay!"  and he would not let me move!  LOL

I gave his mom Rosita a hug and told her that I wrote Richard a little letter about doing better in school.  She thanked me, gave me a hug and said, "I feel like I have known you for so long..."  and I told her that is how it is in Jehovah's organization! I hope that she continues to progress and draw closer to Jehovah!

I also said good-bye to Sister Hernandez (Marley's mom!)  She is such a sweet sister and I will be keeping Marley in my prayers!

Brother Haggerty offered to drive Gordon and I to the water taxi dock.  We ran into Juana once we were there and we were able to give each other one last hug and we didn't even cry this time!  LOL

So we checked our luggage and went to grab lunch...glad we did that because it will be hours before we eat again.

We boarded the water taxi and said good-bye to Caye Caulker...

Now, when we were on the water taxi which was packed out, we realized that there is always that one crazy passenger who has to annoy everyone!  He and his minions were singing and this man was loud!!!!  I felt like I was on the Pittsburgh Port Authority Bus at 4pm on the first of the month!!!!!  This man was a straight fool!!!!  I pulled my phone out and put my headphones on and zoned out!  Poor Gordon...he said that the man talked the whole time!!!!!

We make it to Belize City and jump off the water taxi and into a regular taxi, and then we walked into the bus terminal...it was a little crazy!  Now remember, we were told that we could catch the Express bus at 3:45pm.  I double checked to make sure that it ran on Sunday, I was told yes!  Okay...no, not okay!  We walked in and I asked a man where the gate was and where we pay for the ticket...you pay on the bus and go to Gate 1 because the Express bus fills really fast...okay...we went to Gate 1 and stood in line...

All I can say about the following statement is that Jehovah was with us today...I ask the young man in front of me if this was the line for the Express bus.  "There isn't an express bus today", he said.  I said, "At 3:45?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?!??!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?!??!?!"  He said, "yes the Express only runs Monday thru Saturday."  So pulling up is guess what?!??!?!  THE CHICKEN BUS (que spooky laugh!!!!!!)  He said this is the bus to Dangriga and there isn't another one.  So we going on the chicken bus!!!!!

So everyone is crowding around the gate waiting for the gate to be opened, and when they open the gate is like a stampede...wait they open a second gate so people are coming from all directions.  Now remember this is a school bus and we had to get our luggage to the back of the bus for storage....it was wild I tell you!  "Gordon, I'll take the bags you get a seat!!!!!"  So kindly the terminal manager saw us and took our bags and rushed us to the back of the bus so that we can climb in that way so that we can get a seat before the mob of people!!!!

Whew!  We get a seat, not together at first, but then someone moved and we were able to sit together.  We look in front of us and there is our little helper John.  He helped us sooo much with how things are run on the Chicken Bus!!!!  We would have be stuck in Belize City overnight if we hadn't talked to him!!!!  Thank you Jehovah!!!!

Now, we had a 3 hour ride to Dangriga but it only cost $5 US per person...for a 3 hour ride!  They put so many people on the bus, I counted one time about 75-80 people.  It's against the law for anyone to be standing, so when we pass a check point, the bus conductor tells everyone standing to squat down!  It was madness!

We stopped in Belmopan at the bus terminal and we said good-bye to our helper John.  Then all of a sudden the kids and men come to the bus windows selling everything from pizza to sandwiches!  This one man even had ziplock bags of a liquid...it was yellow and looked like pee!  I said "what the!??!?"  People buy this...

We were off again...the driver was driving like a mad man.  I thought that I was on a roller coaster at Hershey Park!  Gordon said if we crash we all in trouble!  Then you could feel the person's knees in your back behind you!  Gordon said, "this guy's knees are in my back...but I'm not mad because it's giving me good support!"  LOL  It was a bumpy ride, but it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL driving thru the jungle, from ocean to jungle!!!!

And the amazing thing about the Chicken Bus was that it stopped every 50 - 100 yards...people were jumping off and jumping on! It was really an interesting experience!!!!

We FINALLY arrived at Dangriga...we pulled into the bus station and we saw Henry and Gwen Kemp waiting for us!!!  Yea!!!!!

We get to the Kemps home.  The live in the apartment that was used for the missionaries that have been reassigned.  It's a very nice two bedroom, two bath apartment.  I don't have many pictures of Dangriga as of yet because it was getting dark.

We went out to Ivy's Chinese Restaurant for dinner.  I had some shrimp fried rice...something besides chicken!!!!!

Gwen and Henry have the hang out house, and there was a sister by the name of Arlene and her daughter Janeal were visiting...

So we have a full day in the ministry tomorrow, and Gordon FINALLY was able to get a hold of the brother in the Big Falls congregation, so we are making plans to go for a visit.  Now we understand that it is straight jungle down there with snakes, scorpions, howler monkeys and jaguars...we'll see how we do there!

So it's been an exhausting day....but I'm going to bed!  Love you all!!!!  Talk to you tomorrow!