Each spring and summer, we’re blessed to have short term missions teams come to Belize and help with different projects. This year, Cornerstone Presbyterian High School is building its third classroom building, and teams will be coming from U.S. churches to do a lot of the heavy work. For those of us here longer, the teams bring not only labor, but an enthusiasm to minister. They stir the pot and get things going for us.

Recently, we’ve had different missionaries here, very un-American. This week before Easter, we have a team from a church in Guatemala City. They are working at Jacob’s Farm, the rehabilitation facility under construction, as well as doing vacation Bible school at our village church during Easter break. We’ve also had a visit by a dentist who wants to return with other dentists from his Presbyterian church in Merida, Mexico.

  Let's get together:  Guatemalans lead Vacation Bible School

These missionaries who come from neighboring countries have a definite advantage. They are not used to being pampered, and feel more comfortable here. Plus, they speak the language and resonate with the culture better than any of us gringos. What if we could have them around all the time to work with us?

Our team of Mission to the World missionaries here in Belize now has added two of these different missionaries. Pamela Patt, or clinic administrator, and Lupe Peña, coordinator for short term teams, are now members our team. We’re looking forward to having them in on our meetings, to work together for the Lord’s kingdom in Belize.

GUIDED MISSILES

Years ago, I visited Kuwait while wearing an Army uniform. I observed the results of the war there, two years after its conclusion. The most impressive sight was rows of destroyed enemy bunkers, each one with a hole precisely drilled in its roof by a cruise missile. These precisely guided projectiles found their targets and did the job.

The Smith family is launching its arrows this summer. Eldest daughter Erika will graduate from college and marry Aaron Parks, a young man who is starting his career in nursing. Second daughter Deanna will be coming back to Belize in May with Belhaven College’s Joshua Squad, a drama group, whose performances will target young people in our churches and schools. Then, Deanna goes to work as a counselor at Camp Victory in Alabama. Son Nathan, now 16, is to attend YXL (Youth Excelling in Leadership) conference at Covenant College. Then, he’ll join other TCK’s (third culture kids, those who have grown up outside of American culture), in a week long missions trip to that bastion of international culture, New York City. Isaac, our newest teenager, will spend a week backpacking and tent camping at Camp Ridge Haven. Pray for these arrows to have God’s perfect guidance.

WANT ADS

The Smith family is scheduled to go on a year of home ministry assignment summer of 2009. We need a doctor or nurse practitioner to work at the clinic for one or more years. Contact Dr. Smith or Hope Williams (hope.williams (at) mtw (dot) org).

We're looking for an electronics or medical equipment technician who can come fix our clinic's x-ray machine.  Contact Dr. Smith (WSmithMD (at) aol (dot) com).

Cornerstone Presbyterian High School has excess computers, servers and “thin clients,” that need to be sold. Anybody know how to sell things on E-Bay? Contact principal Albert Zantingh (therockjesus (at) gmail (dot) com).

Deanna Smith is looking for a good used car (small, automatic transmission) to purchase in May, preferably located in Alabama, Georgia or Mississippi. Contact Dr. Smith, WSmithMD (at) aol (dot) com.