Mission House Completed

Immigration, customs, flight delays, time changes, sleep deprivation...these are just a few of the challenges we met as we made our way home. But, praise God, all are home safe and sound and glad for it! In due time we will have more pics and vids to post, but in the meantime I wanted to publish a couple of photos of the building completed...at least at the stage that we came to complete. It sits on a lovely piece of property in a growing neighborhood. At 20 ft x 24 ft it is quite compact but will serve as a mission house and Bible study hall, and later will be a nice little residence for a worker.

Trusses set in place

We have a bunch of video clips from Cave Branch river, Xunantunich and Sunday services to share but not much time. Here is a clip I managed to get while the trusses of the building were being installed.

Today we were with the saints at Grace Chapel and Berea in Belize City. This afternoon we will be joining them again at 8 Miles for a special meeting in about an hour. This evening we will all go to Bethany Chapel in Burrel Boom again.

Today's verse is Psalm 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want."

Adios for now,
Sean

Team Canada visits Shark-Ray Ally

Tonight we wanted to give you a view of last Saturday's excursion to Caye Cualker. Erin (Auburn Bible Chapel) produced this video clip for us.

Tomorrow we hope to finish putting the roof on the mission house under construction. Today the trusses were placed and braced. The Lord has blessed us with beautiful weather, health and strength and unity. Janie who was injured in a shower continues to improve - thanks for praying.

On behalf of the team,
Sean

Day 7 Vidoe + Mark's comments...

The latest footage of progress of Team Canada's mission project in Corozal Town. Today I'm handing Erin's laptop (a Mac!!!) to Mark (from Bancroft Bible Chapel) who will give us a few words for today's post...

alrihgt .. well the project has so far gone very smoothly considering the tools we have to work with. the team is getting along very well together and it is visible to see God working here. the last of the blocks were laid today and we will begin to assemble the roof tommorow. it will only be a few more days before our part is complete. It will be a blessing to see the building complete, however, it will be upsetting to leave so soon. we are looking forward to the next few days and we keep you informed with what is happening here. God bless.

Thanks, Mark! Today's verse from this morning's devotion by Bob Vaillancourt (Grace Bible Chapel, Timmins) will complete our late blog entry: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved" (Romans 10)

Team Canada at Cay Caulker etc....

e-greetings to our praying friends in bloggerland! Here are a few shots of our mission as we continue to enjoy Belize. Most of the team is here at the Leslies resting after a day at Cay Caulker, a tiny island off the coast. We are having so much fun working, fellowshipping and enjoying the sights. There have been setbacks. Bob Hoover from Bancroft was bitten by a scorpion the other day - it was hiding in his workboot! He is fine; he actually insisted on going to work after we got him some medicine. Also, Janie slipped in the shower at the Dr's house. Please pray for her as she is in a lot of pain.
Other than that the project is pregressing very well. The pictures show Jeremy trying his hand at laying a few block with his uncle Derry. Mark is seen at the top of the wall as they place the last row of blocks on the wall. Next week we hope to finish the cement work and put the roof on. One of the shots pictures the team enjoying a hard earned meal on the island of Cay Caulker.
Tomorrow we will be at several assemblies with some of the team members speaking and shareing testimony. In the afternoon we will visit 8 Miles where the previous team helped renovate the building into a little chapel. All of us will be joining the saints at Bethany Gospel Chapel in Burrel Boom for a gospel meeting. Let us keep this wonderful news of God's love for us in Christ ever at the centre of our hearts and lives.
Now, it is late and others are waiting to check e-mail. Thank you for visiting our blog and stop in again sometime soon. We appreciate your prayers.

Sean on behalf of the team....

Corozal: Day 2

Hello folks,
Due to heavy rainfall we had time to edit and upload the latest video. The rain just stopped though and we're going to try and go back to the site again. Hope you enjoy our little video clip. The team is working well together and sends greetings to all at home.

Thanks for your prayers,
Sean

Team Canada arrives in Corozal

Hey! We made it! After a long day traveling we finally made it through costoms and were met at the airport by our Belizean friends, including Shannon. He helped us transport all our gear to Corozal Town about 2 hours north of Belize City.

The ladies made a trip to a local supermarket to buy some supplies.




Today we were able to begin laying the block (208)! The foundation was finished before we arrived so we could begin the structure. It's not too hot and the food has been great. The internet is slow though and people are waiting, so I will sign off now. Hopefully we can post further updates soon and possibly a video or two.

The team sends warm Belize greetings to all. Thank you for praying!

Yours truly,
Sean

Jars of Clay

Greetings from Fonthill!

We are at Eric's house. The team is scattered between here and Buffalo. Jeremy, Erinn and I were at Ridgeville Bible Chapel this evening. We looked at the Potter and the Clay from Jeremiah 18.

1. God is the Potter
2. We are the clay
3. Life is the Wheel
4. Marring is Disobedience
5. Trials are the Furnace

As the Potter, God has power over the clay and if we yield to Him he can mold and make us into a vessel of honor, useful for service.

In a few hours Eric and his dad will transport 7 of us to the airport, with a pitstop at Tim Horton's of course. Hopefully we can bring you up to date soon after our arrival in Belize. Please pray for the team as we travel.

But we have the treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Youth Mission to Belize - August 2006

As we prepare for our next short-term mission to Belize it is nice to post this video that summarizes the last mission. Young people from a number of Ontario Assemblies visited the Assemblies of Belize to help with children's work and evangelism. We were blessed to lead such an enthusiastic and joyful group of young people. Please click on the link and enjoy... (Oh!..don't forget to have your speakers on!!)

John 3:16

I'm trying to upload a few highlights from previous missions. Here Joanne teaches the memory verse during DVBS at 8 Miles community last August. What a joyful sound!

Oma feeds the chickens

I was pretty exasperated by the time I finally figured out how to imbed a video on the blog. However, it is only fitting that my mom should be the first to be featured - Praiseing the Lord while she feeds her precious chickens. My twin recorded this a year or so ago. He is here now and we are just about to jump into our Honda and head for Buffalo where he will board a plane for Belize. He will precede the team to get materials together and begin site preparations. So, hopefully we will be able to post a video or two during our mission.

Thanks for your patience as the blog has been hibernating kind of,

Sean

Valentine greeting

For God so loVed the world,
That He GAve
His onLy
BegottEn
SoN
That whosoever
Believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life."
John 3:16

Did you get the message? That's the best Valentine greeting you could ever recieve! Now look back over the verse: How many words are in John 3:16? What is the middle word? Notice the words leading up to the middle word show us God's part and the words after the middle word give us our part. What beauty and balance! "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19)

There is an ocean of truth in John 3:16

Countdown to Corozal

Hi,

Isn't it beautiful?! That is the northern coastal town of Corozal (See below for details). Only three weeks remain before our short-term team leaves for Belize. Fifteen of us will be working with assemblies of Belize to build a new building and open up a new area in the north of the country. The location is called Corozal Town. I have been there on two previous occasions and look forward to taking this team to work in the area.
Corozal Town
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Coordinates: 18°23′52.24″N, 88°23′18.36″W Corozal Town is a town in the nation of Belize. It is the capital of Corozal District. Corozal Town is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population is about 8,100. Corozal was a private estate before becoming a town in the 1840s, mostly settled by Mestizo refugees from the Caste War of Yucatán. Much of the town was built over an ancient Maya city sometimes known as Santa Rita; this may have been the original Pre-Columbian town called Chetumal. The town was badly damaged by Hurricane Janet in 1955 and was substantially rebuilt afterwards.

Today in our world...

Afghan Shia Muslims flail themselves in a procession during the 10 day mourning period of Ashura in Kabul, Afghanistan. (www.bbc.com)

When you look at this picture how do you feel? Do you feel sorry? Confused? Angry? Excited? When I saw this picture I was shocked and then Mark 5 immediately came to mind. Also this verse:

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.(1 Kings 18:28)

There is a lot to think about here, especially from our western culture and our 21st Century. Whatever we think or feel, we should take the time to find out what Christ said and did. Read carefully the following:

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many." And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, "Send us to the pigs; let us enter them." So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the pigs, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."(Mark 5:1-19)

Your Passport

As far as travelling in our world today, a passport is a must. Our son Jeremy is planning to accompany me on our next mission to Belize, so it was time to get him his very own passport. Because of new laws in the US requiring Canadians to have a passport to enter by air, there is a mad rush and long lineups. Today we went to an office in Brampton and were in and out in 45 minutes!

By the way, have you got your passport to heaven? How can you get a passport to heaven? Just read this...

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6)That's right; the passport to heaven is Christ. Recieve Him today! And, oh, did you notice? There are no lineups or waiting!

CE = Christianity Explored

On Sunday Eric Kalmback and his wife shared their experienc of running the CE course at Markham Bible Chapel. Two other ladies, one of which was saved through the studies, also were with us at Northside. According to the CE website "Christianity Explored is an informal course for people who'd like to investigate Christianity, or just brush up on the basics. It explores who Jesus was, what his aims were, and what it means to follow him."
Northside is planning on running this course here in Barrie in the Fall. We will try and keep you posted right here on our blog. Please pray!

CONFLICT!!!

Conflict...we see it everyday, we have it all the time; how do we deal with it?
Last Saturday George Butcher from Orillia shared a session on conflict resolution with the Joint Elder's meeting held at Northside Bible Chapel. George explained that we have many ways of dealing with conflict, many of which do not really help. Some of the bad strategies we use: withdraw, win, yield, and comprimise. The goal in conflict is RESOLVE, working together with respect and responsibility to find a solution. Read Romans 12:9-12

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Iraq War Cost

She shoots....SHE SCORES!!!

It was a great time piling into the car with our dog and snowboard to visit Northern Ontario for the Christmas break. Here are some highlights: "The good ol' hockey game", there was not enough snow to skidoo, but the ice was great on the lake. You can see Rachel streaking down centre to pot the wining goal! And there's old gramps sqeaking out a tune on his fiddle. You can see "Opa" Tom and grandaughter Elisabeth accompanying with the guitar. Our trip included a few preaching stops too, including Iriquois Falls Bible Chepel and Matheson Gospel Chapel where we enjoyed a great New Year's Eve getogether. Praise the Lord for family and friends!

Apple seeds...

Happy New Year to all our prayer partners in blogland. I think there should be a law against neglecting blogs, but now it's 2007 and we have another year ahead of us. Let's begin this year by reminding ourselves that this could be the year that our Lord Jesus Christ returns! With that thought I will post this first entry of the year with a quote. I don't particularily like the source, but hey, a sign of getting older is the wisdom to listen more to others and talk less (just look at your head; two ears, one mouth!)

Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. ~Robert H. Schuller

Whiter than snow!

Prayer and Bible study was cancelled tonight due to severe wheather. As I shovelled my driveway I was amazed again at how white snow really is! Look at these images of snowflakes. Is it not an amazing fact that there are not even two snowflakes the same - ever! Here's something even more amazing: A prayer of King David, "Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalms 51:7) So, I sent up a prayer for the many commuters navigating "whiteout" conditions and also thanked God for His forgiveness that is so full and perfect that it is "whiter" than snow! Selah

Noah's Troubles: Bird Flu?

Hi,
Imagine some of the challenges that Noah and his family faced as they floated day after day with all those animals.

Through it all they made it through the storm. God is faithful! And remember...the ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals!

Tiffany

Today we feature "Tiffany" of 8 Miles, Belize. We first met Tiff on previous missions and the last Youth Mission, 80% of which were young ladies and women, adopted her. She stayed with and worked with the team for 10 days. The 1st photo is of Tiff and her little brother, Jusitin (left) and Dion. The 2nd is a shot of her helping with the "Set Sail" DVBS at 8 Miles. As part of our follow-up to this mission the team wanted to help Tiffany go to school. Some ladies of Grace Chapel (Belize City)have started by helping her get enrolled and paying some of her tuition, books and uniform etc. The team is presently working on sending her the remainder needed for her to continue her studies.
Let us pray for her now..."Dear Lord, bless Tiffany in her walk with You. We pray that she would be able to continue her studies so as to be able to serve and honor You better. Thank you for the privilege of knowing and helping her. In the name of our Lord Jesus, Amen."

Weekend at the Whites

"Hi, Y'all" from North Carolina! Here are Jeremy and Rachel with thier missionary kid friends in Waxhaw, NC. Our good freinds, the Whites, moved from Texas and we decided to plan a much needed weekend away to go and see them. They are Wycliffe missionaries who were a great blessing to us and our kids in Guatemala. Their friendship has meant alot to us over the years. Here's a couple of shots that can almost capture the precious moments of catchup time. Included is a must pitstop on the way to take in a breathtaking view of some Virginia landscape.

Sing unto the Lord

The way we might sing some well-known hymns if we were being honest:

1. I Surrender Some

2. There Shall Be Sprinkles of Blessings

3. Fill My Spoon, Lord

4. Oh, How I Like Jesus

5. He’s Quite a Bit to Me

6. I Love to Talk About Telling the Story

7. Take My Life and Let Me Be

8. It is My Secret What God Can Do

9. There is Scattered Cloudiness in My Soul Today

10. Onward, Christian Reserves

11. Where He Leads Me, I Will Consider Following

12. Just As I Pretend to Be

Mine eye affecteth mine heart (Lamentations 3:51)

I saw this image on both my friend's blogs, including Nigel Barham's Prayer Blog Nigel Barham's Prayer Blog and had to include it here. Nigel (former missionary kid, "MK") is serving around the world as George Verwer's (Operation Mobilization) gopher.

The caption reads:
"" PULITZER PRIZE " photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine. The picture depicts a famine stricken child crawling towards a UN food camp, located a kilometer away. The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat it. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken. Three months later he committed suicide."

Nigel challenges us with these thoughts...


"...consider these thoughts: (1) Jesus loved/loves this little boy, (2) Christ called/calls us to share Himself with such as these, (3) Were any of us there? Why not?, (4) Jesus loved/loves the photographer who took this picture (see caption), (5) The photographer did not have the hope of Jesus in his life, (6) Did any of us share Christ with this photographer? If not, why not?, (7) If one of us had been there for the little boy, how would this have impacted the photographer?, (8) How long do photographs like this have an impact on us?, (9) Most of us are comfortable lifestyle-wise and perhaps believe that this is because God has blessed us (don't tell that to John Piper); if this is true, how does this blessing relate to this little boy?, (10) Matthew 43-44: "For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me." Is this true of me? (11) Where were you in 1994? Where was I?

May we examine our attitudes."

Trekers Treking...

Here's an Awana Trecker marking her Bible during one of the study sessions. The whole weekend was packed with fun; even a torchlight hike Friday night. Please enjoy some of the pictures. In the one with the blindfolded Treckers, they think they are going to eat Sardines, but gummy fish were substitued at the last second! The changing leaves of fall provided a beautiful backdrop for some of the few games played outside. It is easy to see why this weekend is a highlight of the year for the Treckers.

Trek Treat at Beacon

Here are the Trekers (formerly Jr. Varisity clubbers) of Northside Awana. Although the weakend was chilly and wet, it did not dampen in the least the fun and fellowship at Beacon Bible Camp near Bala, Ontario. At least one girl from our group ran up to me and said, "Remember when the speaker said we could pray and ask for salvation?" "Yes", I replied. "I did it!" What an encouragment to hear this clear profession of faith in Christ. We will try and post a few shots of the activities over the next few days. Rob Armstrong is pictured with me and the kids and Marlise our director is the photographer.


Way to go Trekers!

Sick Router...

Dear Blog Readers and Prayer Partners. Please forgive the lack of blog bytes! Our wireless router is very ill and will die I'm sure. So, hardwired in the living room I'm trying to get this online.
So, let's bring our readers up to speed: first, look at Andrew as he follows the Lord in the waters of Baptism. Jim Comte is baptizing him. You can see a video of this at Northside's website at www.northsidebiblechapel.com and hear him share his faith.
This weekend Rachel and I will be going on the "Trek Treat", an AWANA retreat at Beacon Bible Camp. We'll remember to take our camera and try and bring back a report.

Quote of the Day

"You only believe the part of the Bible you do." - Rick Warren

What a great quote! Selah!

Gospel Folio Press

We would like to thank Gospel Folio Press ( http://www.gospelfolio.com/ ) for generously donating tracts and literature for the Belize Youth Mission. The team was able to distribute hundreds of tracts on the streets of Belize City and gospel booklets such as Ultimate Questions and Final Destiny in the Community of 8 Miles. Also, Sunday School material was donated to 8 Miles Community Bible Chapel.

So, thank you GFP. Keep the presses going and we'll all pray for the seed sown.

"...so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
(Isaiah 55:11)

Motives for Missions

Hi,
Greetings from Sudbury! With SBF (Sudbury Bible Fellowship) for the day I am about to share the presentation of the Belize Youth Mission for the first time. I hope all the technology works! We do have strong motivation to be involved in the greatest mission ever:

1. The Command from Above: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15)

2. The Cry from below: "I have five brothers, send someone to warn them lest they also come into this place of torment" The rich man in hell wanted to become a missionary! Selah! (Luke 16:27,28)

3. The Call from Beyond: "Come over and help us" The Macedonian man calling for the help of Paul the Apostle. Can you hear the call for help? (Acts 16:9)

4. The Constraint from within: "The love of Christ constrains us" This is the best motive. If we have experienced God's love in Christ it will be impossible to keep it to ourselves. (2 Corinthians 5:14,15)

I can't remember where I 1st saw this outline, but it has never left me. May the Lord who loved us help us be faithful to His command, call and constraint.

Is It a Sacrifice?

The biography of David Livingstone inspired me as a young Christian. Today I came accross this challenging quote and blog it for our prayerful consideration.

"People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply acknowledging a great debt we owe to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny? It is emphatically no sacrifice. Rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, danger, foregoing the common conveniences of this life—these may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing compared with the glory which shall later be revealed in and through us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk, when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s throne on high to give Himself for us."

David Livingstone

Suffer the Little Children...

During the course of our mission in Belize there were hundreds of photos taken, the bulk of which we could never publish. Each one is a nano-second glimpse into the world that is Belize. We will try and post a number of shots which we think are blog worthy. Here is one of many taken of the children of 8 Mile. It is an amazing thought that each and every one of these children is infinitely precious to the Lord Jesus. What a privilege and joy to minister to them.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
(Matthew 10:42)

What it's all about...

Well, back on the ground here and back to "normal" life (?) gives opportunity to reflect on the recent mission to Belize. Many times we have tried to communicate just how much a short-term mission will change your life. Today I recieved an e-mail from one of the parents of some of the team members. It was so encouraging to read: "By the way , the girls have a wonderful new God inspired outlook on life and a new found appreciation for all that they have, looking forward every day to spreading God's word."

Jet Lagged Luggage...

Nothing like being home! Yeah! I am happy to report that the team arrived safe and sound from Belize. The only problem was that our luggage did not arrive! That's right - all 17 pieces are somewhere between Texas and Ontario! Hopefully all team members will recieve their bags soon. Thank you for praying and come back soon to get some follow-up news and photos.

I think I'll get a coffe and enjoy some Canadian weather!

Sean