I'm not sure if I mentioned that the Kemps building used to be the missionary home, but when all of the missionaries were reassigned the Kemps were asked if they wanted to move in...and they did.
So we head out to the Kingdom Hall to meet the group for field service. The Kingdom Hall was very nice!!!
There we met two sisters who were visiting here from England, their names are Violet and Bethany and they are staying in the upstairs apartment from the Kemps.
We had the pleasure meeting one of the special pioneers in the congregation named Sister Pratt! I didn't find her again to get her picture and she is leaving town tomorrow, but her experience was in the 2010 Yearbook when Belize was featured...
*** yb10 pp. 243-247 Belize ***
“WOULD YOU PRAY FOR US, MRS. PRATT?”
For three days in October 2000, the inhabitants of San Pedro on Ambergris Cay were battered by Hurricane Keith’s 125-mile-an-hour [205 km/hr] winds and torrential rain. Ladyville, 10 miles [16 km] north of Belize City, was flooded by some 32 inches [80 cm] of rainfall in three days. Forty-two brothers sought refuge in the Assembly Hall in Ladyville. Almost all the homes on Cay Caulker were destroyed. The 57 publishers on Ambergris Cay and Cay Caulker lost most or all of their possessions, and both cays were without electricity, water, and telephone service for several weeks. The prime minister declared the Belize, Orange Walk, and Corozal Districts as well as Ambergris Cay and Cay Caulker to be disaster areas. A mandatory curfew was enforced throughout the stricken region in an effort to stop looting.
Cecilia Pratt, a special pioneer on Cay Caulker, heard the hurricane warnings and prepared a bag in case she had to seek refuge when the hurricane struck. That day, she had just collected the field service reports from 12 sisters and had intended to take the afternoon boat to the mainland to turn them in to the branch. Cecilia carefully wrapped the group’s field service reports in plastic and put them in her emergency bag. Sure enough, during the night, Cecilia and some of the sisters had to take shelter in a concrete school building, while the rest of the group found protection in the health center.
“The wind ripped the zinc roof off the first classroom we were in,” relates Cecilia. “We all had to grab our things and dash to another room. It felt as if the whole building were shaking in the wind, even though it was made of concrete. When we peeped outside, it seemed like the sea was all around us—there was no land. Our little group stayed together, and we prayed intensely. The 40 people in the classroom, all from different religions, were terrified. Some were saying, ‘This is God’s work.’ A Catholic lay preacher came to me and asked, ‘Would you pray for us, Mrs. Pratt?’ I answered, ‘I can’t. I’m a woman, and I don’t have a hat.’ The man replied, ‘Well, I have my cap.’ I wasn’t sure if I could pray for everyone, but I wanted to let these people know that it wasn’t Jehovah who was bringing the hurricane. So I prayed with our little group loud enough for everyone to listen. Just as I finished praying and everyone in the classroom said ‘Amen,’ the wind went quiet! At that point the eye of the hurricane was passing over us. The Catholic preacher said: ‘That was a good prayer. Your God is the true God.’ After that, they didn’t want us five Witnesses to leave the shelter, and for the next three days, they gave us food and coffee.
“I was worried, though, about the other publishers. The next morning, when the wind stopped, I left the shelter to look for them. There were fallen trees and destruction everywhere. Some houses had been moved 40 or 50 feet [10-15 m] by the wind. I looked in the community center first and found two sisters and their children. Another sister’s house was gone, but she was alive.”
She was a really nice sister who is experiencing some health issues and has to go and take care of them.
This is the Kemps car that they call "The Hooptie"! LOL
We headed to the territory...
Gwen and I spoke to a really nice lady by the name of Ms. Norma. They are so respectful of the Bible here. Even though she was really busy, she invited us to sit down and spoke to us for a nice while. Gordon and Henry had a really nice conversation with a young man who asked Gordon, "What you got good for me?" Gordon says you should never ask a Witness that question! LOL So he had an enjoyable time with that young man who invited Gordon to return on Friday.
It was so interesting watching Gwen writing....or should I say drawing her house to house records. There are only a few street names and not any house numbers, so you have to be very creative!!! Was quite fascinating!!!
Once we left the market, Henry and Gwen took us to see their Belizean mother, Sister Lucy Witty. It was interesting walking into her house, because they use planks as a walkway. When it rains hard, they mentioned that her yard totally floods...
She just had a leg amputated and his resting at home. When she saw Gordon walk in she said, "You look like my daddy! You look like my daddy!"
She asked Henry and Gwen to open up her curtains, and Henry done knocked down the curtains, we were cracking up!!!!
We then stopped by to see Gwen's Bible study, Jenny. We met her mom, little sister and her two children. Her son's name was Jeremiah and Gordon just harassed the mess out of that poor boy, trying to bribe him with candy to be his friend. Jeremiah kept hiding, but when we were leaving he was quick to wave good-bye! LOL
Jenny's mom was there and she grating coconut that she was going to get the milk out of to make rice. Everyone makes their rice with coconut milk here, it really gives it a very nice flava!
We stopped by and met Arlene's husband, Newton. Arlene was one of the sisters that we met when we arrived last night...he was very nice!
Last night we received an email from Lori and Dave (those were Rick and Donna's friends from Caye Caulker), they were coming to Dangriga for the day and wanted to try to meet with us. So they gave us a call, and we went to meet them, and the Kemps in their Kemp fashion invited them to the house and prepared lunch for them. It was great to see them again!
Gwen turned us on to some cookies that are called "Hard Time Cookies"! They are so good and you get a zillion and one of them for about $1.25 US. I'm bringing some home!!!!
Gwen is trying to learn the Garifuna language...and here is some literature.
Okay, now it is about 1:30 pm and you know what I'm about to say...it's 1500 degrees outside. We weren't right on the water like in Caye Caulker, so it was a different hot...it was hot with out a break! It was I'm wanna take off all of my clothes and run around bucket necked hot! (Not that's not a typo!!!)
The Kemps are such an example in showing love to those in the congregation, especially to the older ones. I mentioned Sister Witty early, but then this afternoon they took care of Brother Turner. They picked him up from his home and drove him to the clinic to have his bandages changes, took him home and then went and bought him lunch. It was such a wonderful example and display of love, patience and kindness!!!
This is a walkway that they use at houses that they call "London Bridges". Why? Well, let's sing the song...."London Bridges FALLING DOWN...FALLING DOWN....FALLING DOWN!" Oh, sorry I'm back! LOL
This was the clinic that we drove Brother Turner to, and the hospital that is next door.
So we get Brother Turner all settled back in...and we are well spent! We had to stop by first for some more "Hard Time Cookies" because they was banging and we headed back home! We were just all so exhausted!!!!
The Kemps did give us a great tidbit for not if, but when we move to Belize, that you can have a 50 lb barrel shipped from the states full of stuff, for wait for it...wait for $150!!!!! Wahoooo! I said to Gordon, now you know Mikalyn will hook us up and send us a barrel of supplies....if ya'll saw the way she took care of her son Ethan when she sent him off to school....you know that she's going to hook me up, I mean she's known me a lot longer!!!!!! LOL So Mikalyn and anyone else reading...this is the barrel!!!! LOL
The rest of the night we did...NOTHING!!!! We were wore out! Gordon did finally get in touch with a brother in Big Falls, so we are planning on taking the EXPRESS BUS tomorrow for an overnight stay. We are planning on getting up early with Henry to go to the bus station to preach and then just catch our bus. There is a Canadian couple that is also heading down to Big Falls from Ladyville tomorrow, so we look forward to meeting up with them!
Ya'll pray for me that I don't act a fool if and when I see a big hairy spider or a scorpion or snake...pray for me please!!!!! And please pray that if we have to ride the Chicken Bus again that I can endure. I mean I wish I had smellivison, because that Chicken Bus just had to many body odors all mixed together...it was crazy! Then on the way back from Big Falls we are going to meet back up with the Kemps in Hopkins (Curtis we'll be sure to send your love to the Vangervs!)
Below is a map of Belize so you can get an idea of where we have been...and are going!
Okay, so I have an early morning tomorrow, so I'm heading to pack for our next scouting mission and then off to bed!
Love you all and thanks for reading!!!! (FYI - too tired to proofread so sorry! LOL)
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