On Monday the teams headed to construction to work on the church, and surgery to perform more surgeries and to the villages of Yo Creek and August Pine Ridge. As we begin Tuesday we stopped to dedicate and celebrate the work the construction team has been doing.

Alexis with 5th and 6th graders

Our tradition has been to start Tuesday with a dedication at the work site. We did not expect the whole school to come out and greet the 60 of us on the trip. There were songs by Alexis, words by Pastor Jim and Pastor John. Rafael Cob explained that all the funding was in place for the kindergarten to be completely finished. The kids were told that the team had learned over the years that helping kids in education is the most important thing we can do in Belize, so we are not here for medicine and building but to encourage them to go as far as they can. The principal explained that the old kindergarten has bats and frogs and is ready to fall down. At the conclusion,an older student sponsored by our teams spoke of her sponsorship and how now she is qualified to be a teacher. As she struggled to speak and cried, there was not a dry eye. We get it, it is about the people and helping one person at a time achieve their fullest potential. Keeping kids in school in Belize through our partners only cost $350 US per student. A lot of us think that is quite the deal to help a student get through 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade in Belize and open up so many more opportunities.

The four construction team have been helping the church build to save labor.

Church expansion above kindergarten

They have given gringo labor to help the church funds go further with expansion. Next weeks team will be able to work some on the school again after the concrete roof has cured for two weeks.

Today the Surgery Team is performing their last day of surgery and packing their supplies for next year.

Dr. Ron Devore and Dr. Kevin Carpenter

Kevin Carpenter, ENT came with his friend Jay Diaz Partlett and nurse Sandy Cain, to join with Dr. Ron Devore and the team. They have had a wonderful time and are part of the newly formed team that will not be able to resist coming back next year. The staff and patients are all so appreciative and patient to wait for their surgery. This is medicine without all the constraints faced in the US nowadays.