A different world

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride an amusement park ride for about 2 hours straight? Well our trip to the Mennonite village was kinda similar to that! Our whole group (40 plus people) took all the vans south to Little Belize for an adventure to another way of life! We had to take 2 small ferrys on the way - that were powered by a hand crank! Then a very long bumpy ride throught the country. You thought our pot holes were bad...I have not experienced anything this bad! But the ride was enjoyable seeing lots of things along the way! You could tell when we were approaching Mennonite country because all of the fields were very neatly manicured and there were fields and fields of pinto beans growing (and by the way they pick those all by hand!!!!!!!!)
We arrived at the clinic with several buggys parked outside and people waiting in line. We took a quick tour of the immaculately clean inside and then we began to unload and set up for the day. We brought a lot of our supplies because we didnt know what we were going to incur. The visits began with the family docs and then they would send them to the surgeons if necessary to either schedule a surgery at the hospital the next day or perform a minor one there in the clinic. They had several rooms that were equipped with beds, a pharmacy, and a back room that had a delivery table and a bassinette for the baby. It was there that we performed some small surgeries. It seemed to go really well - but most of the Mennonites speak German so there was a language barrier but fortunately there were interpreters for us!
The clinic was run by a doctor named Abrahm who lived in the house next door. He was a lot of fun to listen to and very accomodating to us and very grateful we were all there.
The kids were so adorable in ther classic outfits! Even though they couldnt speak English - their faces told us a lot! The worship team had brought some crayons and books and some bubbles and small toys to give to them and it was such a joy in my heart to see their faces light up with the simplest things! One young man about 6 years old came up to me to get some bubbles and he had a smile that would melt your heart! He got so excited to see how the bubble wand worked and it kept him entertained for quite a while!
I was asked to do some ear washings on several people that had some bad ear wax build up. I had never done that before but after being shown what to do by Laura (another nurse), she said it can be quite painful and noisy and the kids hate it. Well there is something about those children unlike most of the children we see in the US. You could tell they were apprehensive but they sat there diligently as they were told and hardly flinched. It was after I was done that some tears would fall. Broke my heart!!! But it did a world of good for them so I knew it was necessary
After things slowed down for awhile I began talking to one of the young interpreters named Henry. He was 16 and a very insightful and mature young man. He had no qualms about opening his heart and thoughts to me and I had a lengthy conversation with him. He was born in Canada and lived there for 6 years and then moved to Belize. That's how he knew English and he thought he didnt speak it very well but I had no problem understanding him
His story was intrigung because he really would rather be living in Canada. He has 6 brothers and 2 sisters and one of his brothers lives in Canada and he went there last summer to work. He would get $30/hour up there and only $4 in Belize! He also doesnt really agree with the Mennonite philosophy but is commited to his father and the family. If they leave the country and their home and move away it is considered a sin in the community.
He would love to go to college up there and his boss there even offered to pay but his dad refused. At 16, he says he sometimes drinks with his buddies, and I also saw him smoking and told him it was bad for him. He usually drinks rum and cokes but not too much because he doesn't like to get so drunk that he gets angry or fights or can't remember the next day what he did! He has also tried pot but says he doesn't like the way it makes his heart feel.
He doesn't have a girlfriend and doesn't want one! He doesn't always go to church because he says there is no love felt there - that the preacher is always talking about how the boys are bad and never about bettering yourselves and how to be a better person. And he never talks about the girls and Henry says the girls sometime drink more than the boys!
I asked if he believed in God and he said "Oh yes, - I would be nowhere without God."
I wished him well before we parted and told him to have faith that God would lead him to where he was to go in his life. I am so glad I was able to meet this young man and I will pray for him!
Soon afte we packed up and headed back for a wild (and I mean WILD!) ride home.
Ric was driving and gets a kick out of trying to see how fast he can fly over those pot holes. I on the other hand feel like I need to be in traction from all the banging around in the back of the van! At least he bought us a pina colada when we got back to Tonys!!