Reflections on Belize 2009

Twenty-one St. Michael’s lay missioners traveled to Holy Cross Anglican School on the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize, to minister with the children and staff of the school from April 4-12, 2009. Again this year, the trip was conducted during the Wake County Public School Spring Break, so that high school youth could join the team. Youth from our EYC have participated in all three Belize missions, and have become an integral part of the ministry that St. Michael’s provides--and an inspiration to all. In addition to the nine youth, the 12 adults on the team ranged in age from 20’s to 80’s, with every decade in-between represented. This diversity made for a truly outstanding group of Christians who lived, learned, worked, worshipped, had fun, and grew together. I was humbled and honored to lead this group of people, whom I learned much from.

Lindsay Stewart and Carly Lippart gather children in a group
during morning VBS at Holy Cross Anglican School.

After settling in at our island hotel on Sunday afternoon and attending a team dinner Sunday evening, Monday morning came early – that 6AM wake up call quickly reminded us why we had come. And while Monday morning on any mission project is a challenge, this time it was seemingly more so because full time missionaries Francis and Vernon Wilson were leaving on a Holy Week pilgrimage later that afternoon. One of their very closest friends and supporters on the island had recently died, and they needed time away to reflect. So after the first of our five mornings of vacation Bible school and construction, Francis and Vernon gathered us in the new computer learning lab for team orientation. They could tell that we were a little fidgety – especially since we knew we would not have them to lean on for the remainder of the week.

Part of the community of San Mateo, just a few yards away from Holy Cross Anglican School

Vernon began with a story. “When you are dealing with God, you have to change your perspective.” Vernon had typically had no problem getting free passes over the small toll bridge that separates San Pedro from San Mateo where the school is located. San Mateo is one of the worst slums in Belize, and the team would need to cross the bridge at least twice each day going to and from the school. Vernon wanted us not to have to pay the toll. But that morning, bridge officials stubbornly refused to give Vernon his “missionary passes” and instead directed him downtown to police headquarters. Frustrated, Vernon wondered why God might lead him to waste at least an hour or two of valuable time. Then the police chief entered the room. He said to Vernon, “I hear that you have a group that is hosting a Vacation Bible school this week, would it be possible for my children to attend, and, oh by the way, you’ll need these bridge passes.” In an instant Vernon recognized why God had provided this diversion—clearly, it was important that the police chief’s children attend the VBS that we had come to provide….

Chris McHenry leads outdoor games during VBS.

As our week progressed, that story seemed to take root in our hearts and minds. The VBS team – led by Mary Currin and Collins Chalmers – began to jell, looking for God’s presence in each activity that occurred – planned or improvised. While “Under Construction” was the theme for the week, each morning provided new opportunities to learn Bible stories, make and take home crafts, play high energy group games, snack on watermelon and sing worship songs. Nell Finch, with the able assistance of Sara Jo Manning, Ellen Currin, and others, helped lead Bible stories. When Nell started to feel ill and had to stay back at the hotel a couple of days, the huge number of spontaneously written get-well cards from her VBS children helped us all to realize just how quickly God’s love can intervene into a seemingly frustrating situation. When Sara Jo was uncertain about why God had called her on mission, all she had to do was experience the children sitting on her lap appreciating her warm smile and kind words. And when some of us were concerned that we weren’t getting enough construction done – despite insulating the entire ceiling in the cafeteria, hanging 17 blackboards in classrooms that had not had real ones, building a platform deck/walkway between the computer lab and the storage shed, and painting two sides of the storage shed – Lenny Jernigan was there as our construction leader to help us all take the pace of the work in stride.

Craft time was a big hit during Holy Week VBS

Being on mission during Holy Week also had an impact on our experience. This year, we attended Palm Sunday services at the Cathedral in Belize City, and then held evening reflections, informal worship, and singing each evening on the island. Thursday evening we celebrated Maundy Thursday with washing of the feet; Friday morning we held a children’s Good Friday service at the school, and Friday evening conducted Stations-of-the Cross while attending the customary Good Friday procession held each year near downtown San Pedro. On Saturday evening, we held a shortened form of the Easter Vigil including an agape feast. These times of reflection and worship allowed Vernon’s words to resonate and deepen our experience, but also helped us realize that our mission is rooted in the saving death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior who is so powerfully present in our times of fellowship, praise, and prayer—especially so during Holy Week.

Lenny Jernigan, Alan Cox, and foreman Mr. Freddie prepare to install ceiling insulation in the school cafeteria. Without air conditioning, the insulation keeps the temperature 10-15 degrees cooler as students eat lunch.

To all who served on the 2009 team and worked so hard and committed so much time and talent, and to all who supported us in prayer, thought, and in financial material of any kind, a very deep thank you from the children and staff of HCAS. St. Michael's is making a huge difference in the lives of so many children from a part of the world that provides them with little opportunity. And the children and staff of Holy Cross, not to mention our dear friends Francis and Vernon, are making a deep impression on us through their affection, friendship, and love that knows nothing but a gratitude born from God's hope.

Lenny Jernigan measuring and cutting wood for decking between the computer learning lab and the work shed.

Madeleine Campbell leads songs during VBS (top), while Hannah Waddell and friends hold hands

For these reasons and more, the Adult Mission Committee will again be sending a team to HCAS during the WCPSS Spring Break, 2010. The dates of the trip are Saturday, March 27th through Sunday, April 4th, which will again be Holy Week. The overall cost of the trip will be about $1200, and some scholarship help may be available on a select basis. An informational meeting will be held on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 11:45AM for those interested in attending. Please also speak with myself (John McHenry--306-3659) or John Gibson if you are interested in joining the 2010 HCAS mission team.

JohnnyMac

Holy Cross Anglican School Mission Team, 2009. Pictured, left to right, front to back: Sara Jo Manning, Collins Chalmers, Lisa Bazemore, Gwen Nicholson, Nell Finch, Sarah Lane, Hannah Waddell, Ellen Currin, Lindsay Stewart, Madeleine Campbell, Carly Lippart, Lenny Jernigan, Mary Currin, Karen Ryden, Nanci Atkeson, William Coe, Chris McHenry, Alan Cox, Miles Chalmers, John McHenry (not pictured: Kathryn Suttle)

To Appalachia with Love, by Vaughan (Bubba) Wagoner

On October 9, 12 of us from St. Michael's set out for a couple days of mission work with Appalachian Service Project (ASP) in the hills of West Virginia. This trip came about after the Missions' Committee decided to try something different. Previous trips had been a week or so in duration, and we realized that many folks at the church simply could not commit to a week away from job, family, etc. So, this trip was designed for a long weekend that might work better for some, and might also allow family participation. We had never partnered with ASP before, but several folks were familiar with the organization and had worked with them in previous years, and their mission of improving the housing facilities in an impovishered area is certainly consistent with what we're trying to do thru St. Michael's mission work.

Several things struck me as the trip unfolded. First was the region - coal mining country, where mining still goes on but jobs are scarce because of automation in the the mining industry. What used to take 20 workers to do, is now done by 2 workers with machinery. And the isolation - it was a 40 minute drive to get to a lumber store or a hardware store. Same thing for health care services. A lot of money is used up just getting around. Makes one think about the real definition of "need."

Second is the amazing willingness of people to stretch themselves WAY beyond what they may perceive as the limits of their capabilities, when answering the call to be the hands and feet of Christ. If we had asked the group of 12 volunteers that went on this trip if they could install carpet, or hang crown moulding, or erect roof supports, I'd guess that most would have said, "No," but, that's exactly what we did on the two dwellings we worked on. And that feeling of accomplishment that you get when you stretch yourself, and achieve something greater, is hard to describe.

And finally, the opportunity to get to know fellow members of St. Michaels is always a treat. Folks from all sorts of backgrounds, with some GREAT stories of their life's journeys, assembled for a common cause to serve God thru working to improve the lives of others. Seeing folks as they are when they get up in the morning, when they work hard and do it right as well as make a few mistakes, and when they relax and talk about themselves and the world around them, is a recipe for building bonds that just cannot happen in more formal settings.

Thanks to each of the folks that participated - John and Susan and Nikki Eick, Scott Reid, Nanci Atkenson, John Dempster, John McHenry, Phil Lambe, McKenzie Smith, Kathy Smith, and Roxanne Gwyn. "Christ has no hands but yours, no feet but yours."

Adult Missions looking back, looking forward!!

As the summer wanes and folks return to a regular schedule, Adult Missions is looking forward to another very active year! Having just completed a strategic planning meeting, we are excited about living out our local, regional, national, and international missions calling. Locally, we will be involved in assisting low income seniors that are in need of wheelchair ramps or need home repairs through Wake County's Resources for seniors program. In addition, we will be hosting another "Stop Hunger Now" event, where we package up to 30,000 nutritious meals in our parish hall--all for shipping overseas to communities suffering from chronic malnutrition. Regionally, we will become involved with a gleaning program, where after-harvest vegetables -- probably pumpkins -- will be collected from farmer's fields and delivered to shelters and soup kitchens. We will also continue our commitment working with migrant farming camps through the Episcopal Farmworkers ministry. Each month from late Spring-to-early Fall, St. Michael's provides a volunteer team that hosts an activity for Hispanic migrant men. This has become an important, much appreciated break for men that often work 70 hours each week harvesting food while living in very difficult camp circumstances.

Of course, there are opportunities for many St. Michael's parishioners to volunteer part of a Saturday and join one of these teams! Later in the spring, we will also be investigating and beginning a project designed to help military veterans cope w/ re-adjusting upon return from combat zones.

Nationally, we will be hosting at least two missions -- one in early October with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), and a second to the Gulf Coast following the Christmas holidays. ASP is an ecumenical home repair ministry started by the United Methodist Church to serve low income families in Appalachia. St. Michael's will send a mixed Adult/Youth team to an ASP year-round center over a long weekend. We are also excited to return to the Gulf coast,where there are ongoing severe needs stemming not only from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 but also from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike very recently. During Spring Break, we may send a third team on a weekend-style mission, place TBD.

Internationally, we will be thrilled to return again to Holy Cross Anglican School in Belize(see post below). Last spring, we had a very moving experience helping with floor and wall construction for the new computer learning center, hosting an after-school Bible and recreation program for students, working in the classroom as teacher aids, providing daily devotions and song-leading for many classes, teaching classroom religion, and leading songs and preaching for weekly worship (again, see below). It was a wonderful week, but it went all too fast!! In fact, it went so fast, and we were so busy, that we had little time for posting blogs!! But, pictures we did take and pictures we do have--and many many thanks to Alan Cox for taking these and for posting on the following web-site: here!

This year, our trip will be during Holy Week, which also coincides with the Wake County Public Schools Spring Break -- so it will be a mixed Adult/Youth team. We are tentatively planning a Vacation Bible school and a construction team, but the possibility is also there to bring a small medical team with us. As always, music will be a big part of our trip, and we hope to make a recording of some of the children singing!

As we look ahead to Belize 2009, we are mindful of the many recent blessings and large challenges at HCAS. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and leadership of Episcopal lay missioners Francis and Vernon Wilson, HCAS has developed rapidly. But, it still cannot meet the needs of approximately 200 children that had to be turned away due to lack of space at the school. Nonetheless, it has grown from about 65 to about 500 students in just three years, resulting in significant financial needs. Adult Missions along with members of previous-year Belize team(s) will be attempting to raise awareness and hopefully funds as the year progresses -- through art work that will show beautifully framed pictures of the students, through publicity stemming from the Outreach event "Gifts of Grace," and through a CD project entitled "Songs for Holy Cross."

Drum roll please -- and that's not all!! We have just completed making the initial commitment to send a team to the L'Acul mission in Haiti based on the results of last year's fact-finding trip. The Haiti mission will take place next fall, in 2009. And, we will also be exploring the possibility of sending a team in a future year to work on the Navaho reservation in western New Mexico/eastern Arizona.

Our vision is: "St. Michael's living the Gospel through missions." We are blessed with a fabulous Adult Mission committee, wonderful clergy leadership (thanks to the Rev. John Gibson--but also to the vision of Rector Greg Jones and the participation of other clergy!), and clear direction..... Now all we need is YOU! Maybe God is calling you to be a part of one of these exciting opportunities for service this year. Looking back, maybe God had it planned all along...

JohnnyMac

Mission Team Thriving in Belize!

It's Thursday afternoon, and I am just getting around to posting our
first "weblog" from this the second in a series of St. Michael's Mission
trips to Holy Cross Anglican School in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, BZE. I guess that's no wonder, as the daily schedule has been packed full with new challenges -- and new rewards -- ever since we arrived late Sunday afternoon.

That morning, we had attended services at the famous (oldest
Anglican Cathedral in Central America) Cathedral of Belize City.
Fr. Neal, Dean of the Cathedral, led the processional, but we soon noticed that his voice was weak and scratchy. Further, the Sunday bulletin stated that he was just returning after a seven week medical absence in the United States. I knew this meant he had been diagnosed with something serious.

As he stood in the pulpit, looking out over about 200 black faces and
13 white ones, he welcomed the team from North Carolina warmly. He explained how we were there to help the Anglican Diocese and the school in San Pedro, with which many in the congregration were familiar. He preached about how important the story of the apostle Thomas is to the post-Easter witness, and then gazed out at his congregation and proclaimed, "this team from North Carolina -- they too are a part of the resurrection story."

Almost immediately, it became clear that Fr. Neal was trying to help his own congregation reach out and accept us -- and I also realized that I had never heard a preacher do that when *I* was a part of the minority group! Indeed, it was a very powerful moment, one that many of us from St. Michael's experienced the same way: while we were familiar with welcoming culturally different persons to our parish, we were not so familiar with being the culturally different persons--and that is why Dean Neal's description of us as "part of the resurrection story" held such meaning in that moment.

As it turned out, Dean Neal's voice was so hoarse he had only reluctantly agreed to return to his role as Celebrant. However, when he realized that our priest Fr. John Gibson was with us, he gladly turned the Celebrant's role over to John, who read the Eucharistic prayer from the Prayer Book of the Church of the West Indies beautifully. After service, we learned that Dean Neal is suffering from prostate cancer (he is in his 40's) and had been in the US for treatments. We promised to keep him in our prayers -- and I know that all who read this indeed will.

As we started the day on Monday, it quickly became obvious that to fulfill our role as part of the resurrection story, we were going to have to adapt to a very different situation than the one we left just one year ago ... most importantly, the school has grown from 180 children to nearly 450 in that timespan. It has added 8 new classrooms, all the way up to 8th grade. Holy Cross Anglican School, which is a miracle in itself, is now the size of many elementary schools in Wake County, but it is packed into about 1/5th the physical space.

Because of this, student learning conditions are not ideal--the classrooms are noisy and hot, and some have more than 30 students per teacher. With all 450 kids there at the same time, it is often hotter on the inside than outside at the construction site. And despite the dedication of the teachers, they are mainly young (some just out of high school) and untrained (no formal teacher education): they are learning on the job. Fortunately, they have a warm, experienced and caring principal, and most importantly they are bathed in the love, commitment, skill, and determination of our missionary hosts Francis and Vernon Wilson.

Monday morning, as I was tending to helping our team get acquainted with the "newness" that every Monday morning on a mission trip brings, Francis mentioned that the eighth grade teacher was out sick, and they needed a substitute. Although I readily agreed, I wasn't so sure I was ready for this challenge--something that my pre-trip mental picture had not included!!

But when I walked into the classroom and sat down at the teacher's desk, I looked up at the colorful posters along the wall only to see the following sign: "It's a great day to learn something new!!" At that moment, I knew that God was standing ready -- not for me to "teach" these wonderful children, but for me to open myself up to this challenge--one that would allow me to become more deeply a part of God's worldwide resurrection story.
JohnnyMac

Making a Difference = What Disciples of Jesus Do

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets"

Friends, if we are disciples of Jesus Christ, then this passage from the Gospel of Luke is addressed to us. It really is as simple as that.

This passage is noteworthy because it does not say, ‘blessed are you who are poor in spirit.’ It simply says, ‘poor.’ Luke’s Gospel is focused on God’s special attention and care for the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed and the forgotten by the world. Luke's focus represents a trend found throughout all of Scripture, in fact, the so-called ‘prophetic’ tradition which is very much addressed to questions of social inequity and social justice. This trend is so strong in all of Scripture that many theologians speak of God’s preference for the poor and the oppressed.

Why would God pay special attention the poor and oppressed of this World? Because it is not God’s plan that some have too much and some too little. It is not God’s plan that some starve while others get fat. It is not God’s plan that some die of preventable causes while others live to extreme old age for their own sake. It is God’s plan for all people is that we live together in peace, loving God and neighbor, and enjoying God’s creation. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are called to be a part of that plan.

It is for this reason that the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and numerous other denominations (Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, to name a few) have taken ahold of the United Nation’s Millenium Development Goals in our Gospel-based efforts to help the poor and suffering of this world. This is not some kind of whacky left-wing utopian fantasy here. This is about feeding the poor, teaching the children, offering healing services, and bringing freedom to all people. It is also about being mindful that those who suffer most are typically women and children.

My wife and I served Christ in Honduras directly in country between 1994-1997. We spent many years afterwards returning on yearly mission trips. The facts on the ground are these: women and children suffer the most in the Third World. They suffer from things which they shouldn’t have to suffer from: hunger, thirst, ignorance, preventable disease, outright abuse and near-slavery.

Christians who believe that we are called to actually Follow Jesus need to help them. This basic conviction of Christianity is why St. Michael’s has been ramping up its mission and outreach work over the past few years, and why we hope to continue to do so.

The Episcopal Relief and Development agency (ER-D) is a fine agent of the Church, and St. Michael's has contributed significantly to ER-D in recent years. Especially in the wake of Katrina and the Tsunami disasters.

ER-D explains the MDG's and what they are doing about them here:

The MDGs and You

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education for Children

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Goal 8: Create a Global Partnership for Development

Short week, long memories

Hey once again from Louisiana--

It's been such a short week. Seems like the days have flown way by,
and we are near the end of another wonderful mission trip experience. But as time as flown by, significant, deep memories have been etched in our spirits--and will last a lifetime. Like the memory of helping to reopen the fire station that was near one of the major dike breaks and that captured the entire break on video -- showing water coming from under/within the structure, not over its top. Like the memory of helping clear and landscape homes that are unoccupied as part of the impressive Beacon of Hope project, and all of the friends and stories that have resulted. And, like the memory of Rusty, the *impressive* lead home-builder from "Crossroads Missions" that has partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Under God's call, Rusty has moved his family *to* New Orleans, including his three children and lovely wife, to work full-time for Crossroads in the rebuilding effort. As Rusty told me today, God has fully provided for them as Rusty's potential role became clarified and funding came in -- including a substantial amount from the Episcopal Church here. Imagine moving your whole family to a storm ravaged area to do this kind of ministry...... for Rusty, mission *is* his vocation.

At the end of the day today (Friday), some the group that has been steadily working the four new homes at Jericho Road gathered for a picture (above). Rusty is pictured to the left with his son Zach. We will have many more pictures, stories, and experiences to share with each and every one of you when we get home. Thank you so much for your prayers and support while we have been here. JohnnyMac

Another Perspective from New Orleans

by Vaughan (Bubba) Wagoner:

The amount of work remaining to be done in the city, even 2 years after what is locally call "The Storm," continues to boggle my mind, but the faith-based volunteer effort that is continuing in the area is even more awesome!!! I occasionally stop and try to strike up a conversation with local folks that I meet on the street. Sometimes the stories are "downers" like the lady that pointed to a vacant lot and told me that it was where her grandmother's house used to be - the house that her mom, and her, and her kids had lived in until "The Storm" took it away. She was not a happy person, and wasn't even willing to talk much - just saying that her family was struggling to make it from day and telling me that sometimes you just "gotta do what you have to do to keep something in your belly." Her life had been changed drastically, and she did not see a future for her to get out of her misery.

Sometimes the stories are uplifting, like the 60 year old fellow whose front yard looked like it could come from the TV series "Sanford and Son." He was separating some scrap metal stuff that he had collected to recycle for a few dollars. He told me that he had worked for the school system for about 30 years, but with so few schools open after "The Storm" he had been laid off, but with a promise that as soon as he turned 60 he would be officially retired from the school system and get his pension. Well, turns out he had turned 60 a couple weeks ago, and he had a big smile on his face as he talked about fishing, and rocking on the porch, and playing with his grandchildren. His house had been damaged, but was repairable and had been pretty much repaired he told me. He had "kept alive" with the money he had made from recycling the scrap metal, and commented that for him life had pretty much returned to normal. But, in the next breath, he kinda got a faraway look on his face and said, "You know, this neighborhood ain't never gonna be the same." A real mixed bag of triumph and tragedy and emotions.

I'm sure their stories have hundreds of thousands of parallel ones all over the area - and that's why we are here. That's why we are called by God to be "our brother's keeper," and why we are challenged over and over to live our faith through our actions, more than just through our words. I am grateful for each of the mission team members that gave of their time and money and talent to come and help make a difference. I am grateful for the support from the St. Michael's family that makes trips like these possible. I am grateful that there are groups like the Episcopal Office of Disaster Relief that can so effectively coordinate the efforts of such a diverse group as all the volunteers. But most of all I am grateful to the loving and omnipotent God of the universe who has shown us through His son, Jesus Christ, how we should live in this world, even in the midst of sorrow and misery, and that, yes you can make a difference.