No Earthquakes, Pretty Please
It'd been five years since the LAC regional leadership team met at Camp Concordia just outside Belmopan, Belize...and five years since our meeting was interrupted by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Puerto Rico. That reality wasn't far from anyone's mind, but I'm happy to report that this go-round went according to plan - as much as anything does on the mission field, that is.
Two representatives from the LCMS Communications team joined the Santiago-based contingent and our three Area Facilitators (based in Belize, Panama, and Uruguay, respectively) for two days of high-level planning that would take weeks or months via Zoom, WhatsApp, and email.
The "Fab Four" (Tirzah, Jamielynn, Courtney, and I) took our newest initiate on a pre-dinner walk after Herb & I got back from Mexico Monday afternoon.
#viewfromhere for Tuesday & Wednesday. I got to give a brief report on Expanding the Spanish Footprint, YTD volunteer activity, and the outlook for the remainder of the year, especially as it relates to the goal of making 50% of teams "Mission Education" teams (though I stand by the philosophy that all teams are mission education teams).
Girls' night with a group of lovely humans that haven't been in the same place at the same time in a long time.
Thursday, we set out on an excursion that began with chapel at Little Lambs Lutheran Preschool in Valley of Peace, about a 15 min. drive from Camp Concordia.
The Fab...Six?...counting Belize church-planters Pastor BenjamÃn (3rd from L) and Pastor Micah (3rd from R).
BenjamÃn & family are preparing to relocate from Camp Concordia to Valley of Peace. Their house is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was last time I was in Belize, thanks to the master skills of Eleuterio (L).
Then: Green Hills Butterfly Ranch! The largest butterfly in the above photo is a Great Owl Butterfly, so named because its exterior markings resemble the head of an owl.
Can YOU spot the baby caterpillar in the photo?
After lunch at a popular spot, we wound up opting for ice cream instead of Mayan ruins (booooo!). Back at Camp, the entire Belize missionary team came together to provide a fittingly celebratory last supper, then the Wildauer kids regaled us with a magic show (pictured) ;)
Pre-departure morning walk (to see if we could spot any crocs! - no) on Friday.
We all went our separate ways (Mine? To Peru!) knowing the next time we'll come together, as is customary, will be in conjunction with August's regional conference - in St. Louis. I am humbled to be among the ranks of such dedicated, mission-minded, classy men & women of God. My takeaway at the end of two days was that report after report boiled down to one thing: how each of our vocations points toward Planting Lutheran Churches.
Until next time, blessings in Christ!
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