More Pictures from the Sea Dogs!

Commissioned Service and Sea Dogs!

We felt incredibly blessed to be commissioned by our church family.  Receiving prayer from so many hearts was very humbling and to see some tears of joy being shed was more than we can express!  We are so excited for this new experience, but just as excited to come back and tell all our stories to those who have supported us and sent us out.  We know that God is with us, and that the prayers so many people will cover us wherever we go.  Thank to you all who have contributed time, money and volumes of prayers to our preparation - now we ask you to continue to pray for our continued protection and safety, as well as God's Spirit on us as we do His work!! 

This is from Kingdom Come (Jr. Youth Group) who gave each of the Away Team a bracelet with six colored beads, each representing something different and their initials. The Kingdom Come kids worked very hard on them and were much appreciated. It was just a small token of our support!

Jason

Some Pictures of Where We'll Be Staying

Bathrooms

Fellowship BBQ

Beds

Finished Cabin

Dinning Hall

Kids at Play

Less than 2 Weeks Away!!!!

Hi Everyone,

 

It's hard to believe, but the Belize team will be leaving for the mission in 9 days! We are really excited for the days ahead.  Last night, our usual Tuesday night meeting was changed into a Birthday Party at a SeaDogs game.  Happy Birthday to Carly Logan, a wonderful team member who turned 17 yesterday.  To celebrate, she invited the entire team for pizza and cake shared at a SeaDogs game.  It was a great evening of fun and friendship.  It comes as a nice change from our regular meetings which are full of teaching and preparation for the trip.  Just to let you know what the next 9 days hold for the team:

 

This Sunday: Our commissioning service at 10am at the Church of the Resurrection.

 

Next Tuesday: Our final team meeting to discuss last minute details, pray together and prepare our hearts for this mission.

 

Next Friday: Begin our drive to Portland Maine for our flight that leaves early Saturday.

 

Thank you again for your continued prayer support. We have felt blessed these past months in all of the preparations.  We ask for your continued prayers especially for the following:

 

1. Good weather as we travel to and from Belize.

2. Strong health for all of the team members (especially with all the bugs going around)

3. Unity and discerning hearts for everyone on the team.

 

We can't say thanks enough for your prayers and encouragement.

 

Sincerely,

 

Anna Caines

On behalf of the Belize Mission Away Team

Less than 3 Weeks to Go!!

Hi Everyone,

 

It's hard to believe that there are less than three weeks left before our departure for Belize.  We were supposed to have a meeting last Tuesday but the weather prevented us from getting together. Thankfully, we were able to meet last night and we had an awesome team time that involved a check-in, worship, and a discussion surrounding cross-cultural experiences.  It was important for us to discuss as a team how we may be affected by our week spent in a different culture. We were able to brainstorm some ways that we can help make our adjustment to a new culture as smooth as possible.  A highlight of the evening, was when our Kingdom Come group gave the mission team bracelets.  Each bead of the bracelet was significant, and they read various scripture verses to us to share their message.  What a blessing!

 

In the background to all of this, is the almost constant flurry of paperwork, immunizations and details that need to get sorted out before we leave.  It's amazing how many things need to happen to make sure that we have a safe and productive trip. 

 

 

We would like to invite everyone to the commissioning service that is taking place on February 27th at 10am at the Church of the Resurrection. This will be an opportunity for the team to receive the prayers and blessing of the larger church. We are encouraging all prayer partners to please make a special effort to attend this service. It would be a great opportunity to connect with your prayer person.  

 

Please, feel free to check out our blog, at:  http://www.2011belizemission.blogspot.com/

 

We will be putting new photos up on a semi-regular basis in the weeks ahead. We want to thank everyone for your prayers and support, especially for the following:

 

1. All of the money has been raised for the trip. We have truley been blessed financially.

2. Our team is growing together in friendship and unity.

 

We ask that you please continue to pray that:

 

1. Each team member will be able to complete the details and paperwork necessary.

2. The team will be kept safe in the days ahead and during the trip.

3. We will continue to grow closer as a team, especially as people's roles shift in the weeks ahead.

4. That all of us will continue to grow closer to God in the weeks ahead.

 

 

Thank you so much for joining us on this journey! We really appreciate your support!

 

Sincerely,

 

Anna Caines

 

On Behalf of the Belize Mission Away Team.

February 5th - Team Day with PICTURES!

We had a great day together on Saturday preparing spiritually and practically.  We spent a good part of the morning listening to a teaching about allowing Jesus' light to shine into the dark parts of our lives so we can share that light with others.  It seemed fitting to us that sunlight was streaming in from the windows as we talked about being in God's light.  We took some time to pray and ask God to show us dark things we have done, or that have happened to us in our lives that we could give over to Him.  This was a powerful time of letting God work in us individually, which is important as we grow in our relationship with Him, and prepare to do His work.
In the afternoon we separated into groups and worked on various parts of the VBS program we will be doing at the mission house.  The Games team came up with some great ideas, as well as the Puppet Team, the Craft Team and Songs Team.  The kids really worked hard and practiced leading the activities with the rest of the group.  It was a lot of fun, and we are really looking forward to doing this with the kids in Belize!
We finished off the day with a great 'family' supper, where everyone helped to prepare the ingredients for pizza!  We had personal pizzas with salad, garlic bread and punch.  Carly made a fabulous cake from scratch - chocolate cake with chocolate-hazelnut frosting inside, butter cream icing on the outside and all covered with marshmallow fondant.  It was SO good.  We really felt like a team as everyone pitched in to help clean up and do dishes.  We are learning about serving, and there is no time like the present! :)
We all came away from Saturday feeling like a true team and a family that helps and supports one another.  Belize seems closer than ever and we ask that you keep us in your prayers as we keep getting ready!!  Stay tuned for more updates.

Group discussing

Games Team getting games ready for the VBS at St. Hilda's school

Our Team

The Song Team teaching us some songs (and some rockin' dance moves!)

The Puppet Team showing us their puppet show.

Making personal pizzas

What a good supper!

Eating together is good for the soul

Here we wrote anonymous encouraging messages to one another

Here we wrote anonymous encouraging messages to one another

Carly's cake

Week 4 Update

Hi Everyone,
The weeks seem to be racing by. We are all starting to get really excited for the trip! As it gets closer and closer it is becoming more real for each of us.  On Saturday we spent the entire day at a retreat centre in Dayspring (near French Village).  It was an amazing day together.  In the morning we heard a talk about being the light of Christ, and the team was challenged to ask ourselves: What's the next step in our personal relationship with Jesus? Are we shining as a light?  It led to a great time of personal reflection and prayer. It was amazing to be able to spend the entire morning focusing on this essential part of self-preparation for the mission.
 
   After lunch, we turned our attention to some of the nuts and bolts of the trip. We spent time reviewing the packing list and some of the travel details for the trip.  Then we broke up into groups and worked on our plans for the VBS (Vacation Bible School) program that we will be delivering when we are in Belize.  It was exciting to see everyone's focus and hard work. Everyone came away with the sense that we are pulling together as a team.  In the afternoon we worked on some drama presentations and then we prepared a supper together. The final part of the day was an affirmation time, where we were all able to share encouraging words with each person in the group. The photos for this day will be posted shortly on our blog at: http://www.2011belizemission.blogspot.com/

  
  We are now in the final month of preparation. We are looking to complete a lot of the important details of the mission trip. We want to thank God for the answered prayer of:

1. How He has blessed the team financially, (people are getting very close to reaching their fundraising goals)
2. How He has brought us together as a united team of people
3. How He has been working in the hearts of team members and those on the home team as well

We ask for your continued prayer support for:
1. Safety~ before, during and after the trip
2. Guidance~ for all of us to continually seek God's voice in the planning process.

3. Team unity~ that we would continue to grow as a team in healthy, Christ-centred  relationships.

 

Here are some of the upcoming events for the team:

Tuesday, Feb. 8th - team meeting

Tuesday Feb. 15th - team meeting

Sunday Feb. 27th - commissioning service

Tuesday Mar. 1st - final team meeting

Friday Mar. 4th - Begin the mission :)

 

Thanks to everyone for your prayer and support of this mission. We are very blessed by our home team!

 

Sincerely,

 

Anna

T-Shirts Available!

Belize Mission Team T-shirts are now available for the home team members. The home team is vital to this mission and we would like to make sure that you feel included in every step of the mission.  The T-shirts cost approximately $15. They will be printed by Key Industries so they will have a design on the front and back drawn by our very own Carly Logan :)  If you are interested in getting a T-shirt, please email Marie Helene at: marie.eneleh@gmail.com  Please include your T-shirt size in the email. 

Thanks!

Anna

5 Weeks and counting

Hi Everyone,

We just wanted to send out the next weekly update. Thanks to everyone for their support for the Cathedral Belize Talk on Sunday night.  It was a great evening of learning and fellowship.  We were blessed to be able to listen and ask questions to a team who have worked at the exact same school that we will be going to in Belize.  The Cathedral team presented many pictures and a touching video of their time in Belize. They shared personal stories and testimonies and answered all of our questions.  They also blessed us with money pouches for each team member and pewter crosses that are going to be given out during our commissioning service on Feb. 27th. We are very grateful for all of the wonderful support from the Cathedral Mission Team.

Just to let everyone know, we are only 5 weeks away from the mission.  Team members are busy working to complete their fundraising as well as getting their vaccinations and travel insurance figured out.  We are planning a day long meeting this Saturday so that we can continue to bond as a team and make further plans for our activities in Belize. Could you please join us in prayer for this Saturday. We are praying that God continues to provide direction and unity to the team. We are also praying that God continues to move in the hearts of all the team members drawing all of us closer to Him. 

Anna