Busy kid, happy kids

The St. Luke's youth pilgrims are now fully immersed in Holy Cross. They have scrubbed exterior walls and are putting a fresh coat on paint on those walls. They have administered exams individually to several Infant I students. They have read with and to other younger students. They have helped me with graduation preparations. They have played games and organized rope jumping. They have exchanged big smiles, high 5's and hugs with many children. They are making a difference at Holy Cross, and I'm pretty confident Holy Cross is making a difference in them. They are experiencing moments of grace and witnessing the Holy Spirit at work in many and various ways.

Last night I joined the group at their place, The Tides. They are staying in the house at The Tides -- the girls are upstairs where there are 3 bedrooms, a bath, a large living room and kitchen. The guys are downstairs with 2 bedrooms, a bath and a smaller living room and kitchen. We had made arrangements for the husband of one of the Holy Cross teachers to cook a Belizean dinner for them. Kenny is a professional chef. He took some of the group on quite a shopping expedition yesterday to get the freshest ingredients (including snapper that was caught the evening before) and the best prices. His dinner of fish baked with peppers, onions and tomatoes, coconut rice and mango/banana smoothies was delicious! We all enjoyed every taste of it.

Tonight the group came to my aparment for supper. I had done most of the cooking on Sunday afternoon so it would easy to have it ready when they came. I too tried to give them an authentic Belizean meal, so I made stewed chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains and fresh mango and papaya. It must have all turned out OK, because there were NO leftovers!! I have to admit that the big hit of the evening seemed to be the strawberry drink --- it's sort of like Kool-aid, comes in a packet and is mixed with water. We even had to send to the store for more. It was fun having them here.

It was also enriching to participate in their devotional time. They will be snorkeling tomorrow and were asked to open all their senses to the majesty of the sea and the reef. To do more than look -- to smell and hear and feel the new things they will encounter. As a friend of mine said recently, "Some of God's most beautiful handiwork is beneath the surface." I'm sure they will have a great time tomorrow.

No pictures from tonight's dinner -- we were just too busy enjoying each other's company. I am borrowing this picture from the youth blog. They were up to see the sun rise this morning, but I was not. I definitely missed something.