Be Careful What You Wish For

Only 2 days ago, we were melting in bright sunshine and 90+ degree temperatures. Last night a cold front blew through, and today we barely saw 70. The winds last night were wild. The beach this morning was strewn with palm branches, coconuts and other debris. Palm branches blowing in 30 mph winds make some very strange sounds. I would have been very happy this morning with a sweater or sweat shirt, but my rain jacket had to do.

The wet and stormy weather brought out some previously unseen creatures. Mr. Freddy found this little guy on the edge of the campus. Since he is the school colors, we thought we'd make him the Holy Cross mascot. Oddly, the iguana didn't seem too excited about the idea.....

I have been here a full month as of today. It's hard to believe. I knew the time would go quickly, but this is too fast. Only 4 months left with a 2 week visit home. It was also the day to pay the rent. The unknowns such as electricity and water turned out to be really reasonable and well within the budget. Whew.

Tomorrow is a half day at Holy Cross because it's payday for the teachers. I think it's a lovely practice, and strongly recommend we try it at Hill.

We received a number of packages at school today -- donations mainly of books, sent from friends in the US. I looked at the postage stickers and was shocked at how much it cost folks to mail things to us. One box cost $98 and another $124 to send from Spokane, WA. And they weren't especially huge or heavy boxes. People are so generous in their care for Holy Cross. I'm so fortunate to be able to bring things in my second suitcase each year.

The skydivers will be wrapping up their festivities this weekend. There is a video viewing of pictures from their jumps this week. I hope to attend. Also the new,big (ugly) theater right next to the school has its premier entertainer this weekend -- Laurie Morgan who is a singer from the US. There was a dry run and equipment check earlier in the week that drew quite a crowd.That's the theater on the right and Holy Cross on the left of the picture. I think we should be able to have school assemblies in the theater since it's so close.

I hope you all have a good weekend.

Is there a way NC and Belize can share weather? It is very hot and muggy here while NC braces for more snow. Somewhere between 92 and 32, there is an ideal temperature. I actually turned my air conditioner on last night to cool the bedroom down before going to bed.

First thing this morning, I went to the Belize Immigration Office in San Pedro to extend my visa for another month. When you come into Belize, your passport is stamped for a maximum of 30 days. If you intend to stay longer, you must renew your visa before the end of that month. It was a simple procedure -- the agent at the Immigration Office filled out a form; I walked 3 doors down to the Treasury Department where I paid my $25; then I went back to Immigration where my passport was officially stamped. So, I'm good until March 22 -- only 6 days before I leave to go home for 2 weeks. I will have to renew again for those 6 days. Once you leave the country, it starts over.

I used the day to get all sorts of things done. I did some shopping -- mainly looking -- in places I haven't been to before. I went to the bank, the grocery store, all those mundane places. One of the things I needed was needle and thread to sew on a couple of buttons. So I went to the store whose name is my favorite -- War Paint Beauty Supply -- which is really a general store. If they don't have something, it doesn't exist on the island. When I asked if they sold sewing needles, the girl pulled out a little plastic box of needles and asked me how many I needed. They are sold individually. I guess I only need one, so that is what I bought for 25 cents. I also needed thread. Here came a big plastic jar with spools of thread. They were small but probably a more practical size than what I'm used to. So, for $1.50Bz, I have 2 spools of thread and a needle. That's a quarter for size reference.Today I hit the jackpot --- the mail came! This is the first mail I have received since the first week I was here. There were 3 letters -- a Valentine, some mail sent from home and another note. I have one more piece of mail but will have to go to the post office tomorrow to retrieve it. It is considered a parcel so it wasn't sent to the box. There must have been a big bag of mail to come in from the U.S. These were mailed as long ago as February 6. It really is "snail mail".

Tonight I attended a community meeting in San Pedro led by Joanne who is in Belize from Canada giving talks and workshops about domestic violence. She is trying to get a women's/children's shelter built here on the island and to start education programs for adults and children about breaking the abuse cycle. She spoke about many of the same things as she did in the workshop she gave at Holy Cross. There seems to be strong support from key members of the community: the president of the Lion's Club and another woman who has a piece of property she is willing to donate. Things are falling into place, one step at a time, and there is still much work to be done. It will take much more than a building, but at least people are talking and sharing ideas. The incidences of abuse are numerous here.

Joanne with Cynthia who works with the shelter in San Ignacio.

Sunday - skydivers and worship service

Yesterday the 6th annual Boogie in Belize skydiving festival began. Skydivers from all over everywhere have arrived and are making jumps all day. Their landing site is a flat, dusty, open space just north of the bridge. I walked up this morning and waited for a wave of them to come in and jump. The small planes come first, circling the spot and climbing. Then the jumpers make their descent. The parashutes -- canopies is the correct word -- are beautiful bright colors. A dozen or so jump at a time so it is really pretty to watch them float down. Rookies can tandem jump with one of the skilled jumpers, and there were two of those in the group I watched. I have never been that close to skydiving and was surprised at how fast they come in to land. Here is a short clip.

This afternoon we held a family worship service for Holy Cross. There is no Anglican church on the island, so once a month they hold their own service. If there is a visiting or volunteer priest, then they have Eucharist. But all they had today was me.... The service is held at the high school in their auditorium/basketball court. Today there was reportedly a smaller than usual congregation. Word must have gotten out that I was preaching! All the teachers from Holy Cross were there, many with their families. It was fun to see them all dressed up -- Mr. Freddy in long pants and a sport shirt, for one. Because the congregation was mainly children, they were not very responsive at the response times. But, all in all, we had a nice service. I am not used to leading the entire service -- God continues to lead me (push me?) to new places. Next month I will be more comfortable and more in tune with their customary service.

The cold front is now a thing of the past. Today was bright, sunny and hot again. Once the sun goes down, it cools off quickly. Every day is a little different.

I had planned to write about the high school performance of "Fiddler on the Roof" which was last night. As a former high school drama teacher, I was looking forward to it. However, my mother always told me if I couldn't say something nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. So..... I will only state the facts and clear observations.... Those St. Lukers who have met the "world-famous Julliard trained violinist" who lives here in San Pedro will have some understanding when you learn he was in charge of the performance. The choice of "Fiddler" then allowed his playing to be show-cased rather than the young actors from the high school. I am afraid Julliard would be extremely disappointed. In what is often called "Belize time", the show started about 40 minutes late because several key performers had not arrived yet. Understudies and a teacher stood in for them until they came. The show had been rewritten in more modern "lingo" and a more modern setting -- Golde took Tevye's dinner out of the microwave to serve him.

I must confess that I left at intermission. I wonder how many others in the audience did too. The program listed five acts before intermission and another three after intermission. The Broadway version I saw only had 3 acts. Even the free refreshments couldn't entice me to stay any longer.

Here is what I saw on my way home. This little guy had been to the top of the tree and kicked down 2 or 3 coconuts. A better show than the one I had just left.

Have a great week, y'all.

The last couple of days have been pretty quiet at Holy Cross. There have been a few visitors who have brought supplies and toured the school. We have sent home lots of sick kids -- and adults. At least one teacher has been sick each day this week. Two left early today. Hand sanitizer is flowing like water!

This afternoon the boys' soccer team played New Horizon and lost 2-1. They had a strong first half but let their guard down late in the second half. The new uniforms still have not arrived. Maybe they will provide some new energy for the boys. The playing field is basically a flat rectangle of packed down dust with a goal at each end. There is no grass on the field, only a little along the sidelines. Some of the boys play barefooted. A good sized group of Standard VI students, along with their teacher, Ms. Joy, were in the stands to cheer for the team. I walked back after the game with Ms. Joy and a few of the girls. It was a long walk but pretty along the beach. It was fun to hear the girls chatter and giggle.

This weekend begins a 10-day event, Boogie in Belize, which involves dozens of sky divers. They will jump throughout the next week. Of course, plans include parties, music, and parties. One can do a tandum jump with some of the real jumpers. Don't get excited -- there will be no pictures of me as I jump. I plan to watch some of the jumping but will have my feet planted firmly on the ground!! I see no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I will try to include some photos of others floating to earth.

Have a good weekend.

Ash Wednesday at Holy Cross

We began the day with chapel -- this week on Wednesday rather than Thursday. I conducted the 3 services this morning and imposed ashes on just about all the children -- one by one. It was a long process, but a good one. Many of the children have a good understanding of Lent -- when it is, how long it lasts, what we do, etc.

As soon as the final chapel ended, I hopped in Mr. Victor's taxi to go to the Lion's Club for the National Spelling Bee. There were spellers from the 5 schools on the island. Two of the Holy Cross children made it to the semi-finals but missed out on the finals by one word each. We are very proud of their showing. The girl who won had been a contestant for the past 3 years. Pretty tough competition.

Back to school for a yummy lunch.

Then an Ash Wednesday service for the students and teachers who were at the spelling bee in the morning.

I gave a couple of tours today. I met the new owners of Banana Beach, a hotel/resort. They want to make regular contributions to Holy Cross most likely with the feeding program. They will be good partners.

I was invited to dinner by some of my neighbors - two great ladies from Wisconsin. One is going home tomorrow but the other is here for another 3 weeks. I think I will enjoy getting together with her. Everyone here at Paradise Villas is so nice and friendly. It's like walking through the neighborhood when I come home each day. People stop me and ask how my day at school was or at least wave and say hello.

It looks like Duke is going to beat Miami. From what I've heard, I think I'm glad I missed the first half.

Shrove Tuesday

While friends at home are eating pancakes, I am staying close to home. The tradition in San Pedro -- and the rest of Belize, I suppose -- is to run through the streets, dousing others with paint. The children have been at it since the weekend, but tonight the adults are in action. While I have said I want to be a part of the community and culture, being covered in paint is not on my list.

Things have been pretty quiet at Holy Cross this weeks. There are no volunteers working at the school, so I have been catching up in the office with some of my other duties. I've planned the Ash Wednesday services for the school tomorrow, created 2 new bulletin boards and dealt with a number of sick tummies and assorted boo-boos.

The biggest issue today is that a huge shipping container of construction materials and tools has arrived in Belize City. Currently it awaits release from Customs. Then it will have to be brought to the island on a barge. Each stage in this journey requires specific paperwork and personnel. We are waiting for letters from the Ministries of Finance and Education that will allow the materials in duty-free. Then a licensed broker will go to Belize City to claim the container and its contents. Hopefully once that hurdle is covered, there will be a barge big enough and with space to bring things over. Mixed up in all of this are several boxes of printer ink cartridges that require letters of their own. Nothing is simple.

Country singer Kelly McGuire was in San Pedro last weekend at one of the resorts for a concert and made a generous donation to Holy Cross. Ms. Linda the office manager, Ms. Jamira a teacher, Ms. Grace the principal and I were delighted to receive it.

Maybe some pictures I took today on my walk to school will warm you up until your weather does.

Some of you will recognize the house in the photo below -- and the dog too. Yep, that's Sparky. For those of you have never been here, you are looking at the 2nd story of a house that is built up on stilts, so it's pretty close to 3 stories high. Sparky had only stood up to change his napping position; he prefers the view from up there.

I wish you all a holy and blessed Lent.

Weekend Odds & Ends

Lazy and quiet are the best way to describe this weekend. Aahh....

The St. Luke's team finished off its week with a lovely dinner at Sunset Grill. The food there is some of the best on the island .... and pretty too. See my Mango Tango snapper with coconut rice and veggies. The spikey things sticking out of the olive are battered and fried lobster antennae.


The team left early Saturday morning. I went to see them off at the water taxi and almost missed them. They loaded the boat early -- nothing is ever early in Belize!! It was good to hear last night that they got home safely and without delays. Both teams worked so hard, and Holy Cross is a better place because of their work.

It was a double/triple phone day -- any time you bought up to $49.99 was doubled and above that was tripled. I have loaded up my phone and will be good for calls for awhile. I talked to Mike and Emily, who were having more snow, and got the latest on Ruthie too. I can't wait to see them at the end of March. Also chatted some with Mother. It's nice to hear live voices!

Later in the afternoon Kim came by. We visited awhile and then went in search of lunch. We ended up at Wet Willie's. It was good to spend some time with her, getting details straight about particular kids and their situations. She also introduced me to a number of people here in the complex and in town and gave me a list of good, cheap places to eat. She left this morning but will be back with Ole Miss students in mid-March.


The weather yesterday was about as close to perfect as it could be. Cloudless blue skies, mild temperatures, sun. Perfect for sitting by the pool and reading awhile. I'm not the parasailor, just a spectator.

Today has been a very "domestic" day. I took a taxi south to the Island Supermarket to do some grocery shopping. They have more variety than the smaller markets near my apartment. I can't tell that the prices are any better -- everything is very expensive here. For example, cartons of yogurt were $1.50 each, a small jar (16 oz) of mayo was $3.50, and an 8-slice package of American cheese was $4.25 (US money). On the walk back, I stopped at a little fruit stand and bought fresh pineapple. The lady there gave me a tract - "Your Ticket to Heaven" - along with my fruit. She was very pleased to hear that I am a church goer.

Speaking of church, there are only 3 churches on the island that I know of -- Church of Christ in San Mateo, the Roman Catholic and Seventh Day Adventists churches in San Pedro. Next week, the priest will come from the mainland for an Anglican service.

When I got home, my clean laundry had been delivered. Nellie's, the property management company for my apartment, also owns the local laundry. They will pick up, wash, dry, fold and deliver laundry for $1 per pound. Nice. Laundry is cheaper than food....

So I put away groceries and clean clothes. With the help of some clothespins, I was able to revamp my make-shift closet. A few more hangers and I'm set.

It's about time for a stroll down the beach or some sitting by the pool. I have barbeque waiting for me for supper. There are no large groups of volunteers coming to Holy Cross for the next couple of weeks so I should be able to focus on things in the office. I need to write an update for donors and friends of the school, redo a couple of bulletin boards, and plan the Ash Wednesday services. I also have some follow-ups from the St. Luke's medical screenings to work on. All in all, it should keep me busy!

I hope your weather, wherever you are, is beginning to warm up with an end to the snow. Surely spring will come soon. I do love hearing from everyone, so keep those emails coming. XOXO

A Picture Post

Today was the Valentine's Fair at Holy Cross. Each class -- generally the teacher -- has a booth, either a game or food. There was also music with Valentine's dedications and face painting. While most of the St. Luke's folks mingled with the children, work continued on the buildings and with data entry. There was more painting and more sand shoveling too. It's been a very successful 2 weeks at Holy Cross with great folks doing great work and having a great time.

Another Busy One

It was cloudy all day which made for cooler working conditions. The St. Luke's team has done amazing amounts of work this week at Holy Cross -- the back deck is almost finished, tons of sand have been shoveled to fill in and create new land, and many, many children have seen the doctors and/or had their vision screened. We've found some kids who need to be referred to the opthalmologist or other local doctors, but we have also seen a lot of healthy children. Our data on height and weight of the children shows that every child is growing and gaining weight -- a tribute to the feeding program at Holy Cross.

I was on the go all day, back and forth between the office and the screenings, helping teachers, helping volunteers, finding needed items and touring some very generous visitors. It's never dull.

The last couple of days I have been confronted with some heartbreaking stories of child neglect and abuse. I need to learn about these children while Kim, the social worker, and Jim and Peter, the doctors, are here. I will be the one providing follow-up in the weeks to come whether it's with the next dose of worm medicine or being the one a child comes to talk to when he/she is upset. Today Marie and I worked with a tiny boy (age 6 maybe) who, because of a very upset stomach, had dirtied his clothes. She got him cleaned up, and I found him clean clothes. When we said we were going to call his mother to come get him because he was sick, he got very upset and started to cry. He said his mother would beat him because of his soiled his clothes. When she came to school, the mother assured the principal and me that she never beat her children, and he would be fine. When I handed her his filthy clothes, she said, "I will let him clean them when he feels better." That combined with the look of pure fear in his eyes as he walked away with her leads me to seriously doubt her words. I can't understand parents who punish a child for being sick, but this is not the first one I have encountered. I learned of another child who isn't currently in school, but who some of us had worked with in past years, whose mother frequently made her and her little brother sleep outside beneath their house -- which is built over a swamp -- as punishment. She tells them they must sleep with the crocodiles when they misbehave --- and there really are crocodiles in that swamp. Yesterday there was a boy with a healing broken rib caused by a beating he got at home. Then there was the boy we volunteers have known from the beginning -- one of the jewelry sellers. The principal called the police today on him and a girl who were arguing and fighting. The policeman gave him a stern talking to about behaving himself and doing his work in school so he could get a good job, etc. He walked out of the office with a smirk on his face. He is 13 but only in the 5th grade because, by his own admission, he doesn't want to work. He'd rather "beat the system". Those were the hard ones today. I will pray for them and for a way to make their lives a little better.

BUT, I also got about 150 hugs and 300 huge smiles. I got to watch and listen to 5 little boys who were major trouble-makers last year play their drums. The drum group is a reward for good behavior and good grades. They all have really turned around. They are good little drummers too. I watched the Standard VI students make, decorate and distribute hundreds of Valentine's cupcakes. Works of art!

Tonight the St. Luke's group had a "dinner on your own" night so I stayed home to catch up on email and some other work. In addition to the internet being unreliable, the wireless connection at the apartment was changed and no one told me. It has taken me a couple of days to get it all straightened out. I am so dependent on the internet! Somebody remind me what we did before we had it!!

I will try to take and post lots of pictures tomorrow at the Valentine's Fair. It should be a fun morning. The volunteers will continue to paint and enter the screening data onto the computer. I know they are sad to see their week coming to an end. I am so happy to be staying!!!

Good luck to all who are anticipating more snow tonight and tomorrow. Stay safe and warm.

The Internet Has Returned

We finally have internet service after 2 days without it. It feels good to be "connected" again.

Our Superbowl party was fun, and just about everyone was pleased with the outcome of the game. For anyone who's been to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, it was easy to see how important the victory was to the city. I still remember those awful years when the Saints fans who showed up for games wore paper bags over their heads!!

The work has been amazing at Holy Cross this week. The construction crews have just about finished the decking around the back of the building. They have also shoveled a lot of sand.

The medical screenings are going very well too. We are focusing on vision screenings but have also checked out the Standard V and VI kids from tip to toe. There are quite a few "walk ins" with an assortment of ailments. I am learning a lot since I will have to do the follow-up after our doctors and nurses go home. Yikes!

Yesterday the Holy Cross football (soccer) team had its first victory, defeating St. Peters 5-0. The boys were so excited and proud. My buddy scored the first goal. The next game is not until next Friday, and I intend to be there.

Monday was the busiest day I have had yet. We had 2 volunteer groups in for their first day as well as dentists in the clinic. I gave 6 tours of the school before lunch! We also received many generous donations. Everyone is always so impressed with the school that it is fun to show it off.

Yesterday was by far the hottest day since I arrived. It was at least 90 degrees (reports vary) and muggy. We were all really tired and drained by the end of the day. It rained in the night and is cloudy today so we have some relief.

I am seeing more and more children every day. Yesterday afternoon on the way home, my friend, "Baltimore" was riding his bike home. When he came alongside me, he hopped off his bike so he could show me how well he can walk now. He is so proud to stand up straight and tall and walk without any limp. He was born with 2 club feet and spina bifida. Through Holy Cross and Shriners Hospital, he had a series of surgeries in the US 2 years ago. I met him the first year I came to Holy Cross - he was in the special ed. class because of his physical challenges. He is very smart and now has jumped ahead to Standard III. He is definitely one of the miracles of Holy Cross.

As the doctors screen the children, I have seen several children who are clearly the victims of abuse and/or serious neglect. There are children with scars from beatings, healing broken ribs, or other bones. There are others who return from every vacation having lost weight because they have not eaten the entire time. This is the hard part.

We will celebrate Clara's birthday at dinner tonight. There was a cake for her at school today. It is also Mr. Freddy's birthday. Lots of cake!!

I will try to add some pictures later. Now that I think the internet issues at my apartment have been resolved, I should be able to do more. It would take all afternoon to post pictures from this computer at the school.

For the Original St. Luke's Belize Team....

Debbie, Terri, Joyce, Jean, Wade, Michael, Joshua, Mike & Margaret, John & Jean, Jim & Joanne -- this one is dedicated to you.

Today Jean, Joanne and I went to Caye Caulker. It's been 5 years since any of us was there. When we worked in other parts of Belize, we would go to Caye Caulker for the day so folks could snorkel. Now that we are in San Pedro, there is no need to go. Except that Jean and I were dying for fry jacks and conch fritters. We took the 9:30 water taxi and went straight to the Sandbox. It really has not changed at all except for new personnel. We had the fruit with yoghurt (their spelling) and granola and the world's best fry jacks. Aaahhh..... I must say that with only 3 of us in there, it really was empty and quiet. Where was that big noisy group at the long table????

We strolled around the island -- Front St. has changed a good bit and not necessarily for the best. More beach front bars and shops, less open beach space, MORE people. We first walked to the Split. The Lucky Lizard is just about to fall in, but you can buy a 2 acre parcel of land across the split. Anyone with a styrofaom box already has the means to get there.

and on the way back, stopped in Chocolate's. Chocolate himself was there and told us of all the awards he has won in Belize for his efforts to protect the manatee. Then we walked to "our" house on the back side of the island. I could tell from the road that the septic tank is still doing a great job. Aren't those doors and windows lovely too?

Of course we had to stop outside of Daisy's. The iguanas said to tell everyone 'hello'. We had a momentary shock when we thought Daisy's had given away to a new high-rise building, but we were a block before there. Daisy's looks just the same, doesn't it?

We finished off our trip with lunch back at the Sandbox -- the conch fritters were every bit as good as we remembered them.

I'm glad we went. It was fun for the 3 of us to be there together and walk down memory lane. I think -- other than possibly the fry jacks -- I don't have any desire to go there for another 5 years. San Pedro is definitely where I'd rather be.

Saturday by the Sea

It's a little cooler today. Yesterday the high was 88 degrees. (oops, sorry NC). Pretty uncomfortable for the folks who were working outside at Holy Cross. The St. Luke's team one finished their week by painting the "porch" and the exterior of a classroom building.

I spent my day in the cool of the computer lab at a workshop on domestic violence. A woman from Canada has been presenting workshops and organizing interest around this issue in Belize for the past couple of weeks. She is pulling together a variety of resources to build a woman's shelter here in San Pedro. There are only 2 domestic violence shelters in all of Belize (but there are 8 animal shelters....). The 3 speakers are all survivors of spousal abuse, and several of the teachers shared their own stories either of abuse by spouses or of when they were children. The leader had some good information for the teachers. It is estimated that 1 out of 2 children at Holy Cross (and in Belize) is either the victim of physical abuse or witnesses it in their homes. It's pretty clear why the teachers need as many tools as possible to work with the children.

I met the 2nd St. Luke's team at the water taxi around 3:00. Once again a group was thrilled to have gotten out of RDU before bad weather could ground them. We took their suitcases full of donations to the school. Some of Team 1 had gone to the soccer game, where by the way, the boys of Holy Cross played an excellent game that ultimately ended in a 0-0 tie.

Everyone gathered for devotional at Ruby's and then all 27 of us went to dinner together! We had 2 huge tables at the Blue Water Grill. It was a great evening as Team 1 members shared highlights of their week, and Team 2 folks asked lots of questions. We hope the weather will not be an issue for Team 1 as they head home today.

Today most of the group is going out on a beautiful 2-mast sailboat. For me, to get on a boat, there needs to be some purpose or destination. Floating around all day on the water is not my idea of a good time. So, 3 of us are going to Caye Caulker. Yes, that involves a boat -- the water taxi -- but there is a purpose and a destination!! I haven't been to Caye Caulker in 4 years since we started coming to San Pedro. It was the first place I ever went in Belize -- where I fell in love with Belize. It will be interesting to see how it's changed in 4 years. The Sandbox Restaurant has been calling my name -- the world's best fry jacks are there. I will post pictures this evening if the internet will let me.

I am hosting the St. Luke's Superbowl party here tomorrow. I don't have the 52" flat screen projection TV that some of the bars are offering, but we can have a cozier time! Everyone will bring snacks/drinks. I hope it will be fun. I'm not sure where the team loyalties lie or if they are strong enough that we will need to divide the room into the Saints side and the other side (who is the other side???). I hope to have pictures to post of that as well. The real "division" will come Wednesday night when the group splits into the 2 shades of blue for the Duke-Carolina basketball game.

It's about time to slather on my sunscreen (oh, sorry, I did it again) and head for the water taxi dock. Have a wonderful weekend.

A Picture Post

Since I've not included any photos in the last couple of posts, I'll do one that is almost entirely pictures. Sunrise

My humble abode - #11A

My space in the office -- or at least until Francis returns and reclaims it as hers

Still building over the swamp

and sunset.....

It's a Data day...

The St. Luke's folks have spent most of today working on the medical records of the children. They have measured height and weight for every child in the school and entered all the available information about each child into the computer. The hope is that these records can be maintained and updated each year. There is still work going on to build the decking around the outer building, and Amy and Hope have continued their individual tutoring.

Today we had chapel services as we do every Thursday. There are 3 chapel services, beginning with the Infants. They recite the prayers, listen to the readings and sing with great joy and gusto. We had visitors for the service this morning from a local mission training group.

Yesterday was a different kind of day for me. I worked at the school until mid-morning and then took the water taxi to Belize City. I had been invited by Bishop Wright to come and meet with him. Amy went with me so she could ask some questions and get some information for the up-coming St. Luke's youth mission trip. I had a good meeting with the Bishop. He is very welcoming to clergy and other volunteers. He remembered me from a previous visit. The meeting was an opportunity for him to share his vision of the Church in Belize so that all the small parts, like mission team visits, can fit into the greater whole. I was pleased to learn that the wheels are turning for establishing an Anglican church here on San Pedro. The wheels turn slowly, but at least they are in motion. Amy got some great information for the youth trip, including the Bishop's interest in getting the St. Luke's youth together with some of the young people in Belize for dinner and conversation. It was a productive day.

Ms. Rosalea, who heads the Holy Cross kitchen team, had asked me to go to the large grocery store in Belize City while I was there. I had a long list. The Bishop was late to our meeting and then graciously spent quite a while with us. So, we didn't have time to get the groceries and make our water taxi home. Needless to say, we opted for getting to the boat on time. We arrived back in San Pedro just in time to gather with the St. Luke's folks for the day's reflection and then go to dinner.

Last night was Chicken Drop night. We had dinner at the restaurant that overlooks the big event. Miss Linda from the school was last night's MC. Quite a crowd!

I have seen more and more of the children today, first at chapel and then as I walked around the school. I love their smiles! Today they could wear their regular clothes -- no uniforms. Usually they do that on Friday, but since school is not in session tomorrow, they could do it today. I can't count how many Miley Cyrus and High School Musical shirts I have seen today!!! Not to mention NBA and NFL. Just like home....

We hoping the new wave of nasty weather in NC doesn't hinder the departure of Team 2 tomorrow. Safe travels to them.

Pictures later .... I left my USB cable at home so I can't download my pictures right now.

Tuesday evening

I am sitting on my porch, watching a hummingbird flutter through the hybiscus blossoms and the bourganvillia, and enjoying the breeze. It's nice after a very busy day at Holy Cross. The St. Luke's volunteers and I worked hard today in many different parts of the school. They worked on decking and a fence, in the library, escorting children to the dental clinic, and tutoring. This afternoon we organized all the medical files from last year, consolidating forms, creating a simplified spreadsheet for record keeping and getting ready to begin measuring measuring children tomorrow to update their height and weight. They will also try to do vision screening for the children we didn't see last year. We are looking forward to having our medical folks here next week.

I gave some more tours to folks who have heard about the school and dropped by go learn more. We hope they will become generous donors.

The internet was very uncooperative and frustrating yesterday. I could never get online. There seemed to be problems all across the island so I won't take it personally. I did miss being able to check email and say "hi" to you.

Last night I went with the St. Luke's team to Wauraguma's to eat lobster burritoes. Oh my goodness. They were SO good. We had to split them because they are HUGE. I also sampled and learned about pupusas. Yum.

Today I saw one of my favorite students at the school. He's in Standard VI which means he should graduate this year and go on to high school. He lives in San Mateo, the extremely poor community near the school, with his mother and 6 siblings. He makes gorgeous jewelry -- the best of all the boys we see -- and sells it to the tourists to help support his family. I wish I could buy it all!! He walked part of the way home with me this afternoon and then went on to find some customers. I'm sure he would love to be playing soccer or riding a bike or whatever 12 year old boys do, but every afternoon he walks the beach, selling his necklaces and bracelets to the tourists.

I was too busy today to take many pictures but will try to do better.