The Lay of the Land

Here's some pictures of Orange Walk because some were curious about the geography of my fair city. There's no way I can describe it - with words or pictures. Yet here is my attempt to do both. Orange Walk is a mixture of dusty streets interspersed with the most amazing splashes of color. At first glance, the streets might not seem particularly impressive- until you're left to your own devices. Then you realize you're lost in a maze. You could play "Where's Waldo" forever here! For example, my house is across from a shop and a church. There are two other churches that I know of (there might be more...) on my street, as well. I know of six tortilla factories in this one town (does the US have any??). Businesses and residences and vacant lots randomly line every street. Every so often, you'll find a bright pink building...or green or blue. As I've said before, EVERYTHING blooms here. If you take the time to stop (and smell the roses), you see lots of plants poking out of odd places. That's Orange Walk in a nutshell: mazes of color. 

Rainbow!

View from Nancy's roof

Flora and Fauna

Why yes, I have taken a picture of the same tree three times. No, it never gets boring

There's a pot of gold at the end of my street!

...which is San Francisco Street

My house!

Down Town Orange Walk

The bright green building is city hall

Near the Ministry of Education

Also near the Min of Ed

 

Around town (I'd tell you the name of the street, but I don't know it!)

also around town, same street

Me, in town

Yet another view of San Francisco Street

Along San Francisco

The park near down town

These next pictures were taken near the river

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains of the moon.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

"...O'er mountains and valleys where prairies roll....through coral isle, over blue lagoon..."

My blog title is an excerpt of the Belize National Anthem and fits my Easter break perfectly.


I had the pleasure of visiting coral isles and traveling o'er mountains. I must admit it is true: "Nature has blessed thee with wealth untold (except I would change "nature" to "God")." What a jewel Belize is, Father God!

San Pedro (also known as La Isla Bonita) 
For Sulmi (and Gineli's) 15th birthday we took a two day trip to San Pedro. It was such a treat to visit an island. You have to remember: I grew up in landlocked Colorado.Therefore, I find large bodies of water, beaches and balmy breezes fascinating. I could have spent my whole time taking pictures of the sea and it STILL wouldn't have captured the amazing vastness or vividness. Thank You God for the time I got to glory in your creation! I did other things too: dining in restaurant with sand on the floor and a tree in the middle, swimming in the hotel pool, reading my book, swinging in a hammock, celebrating the girl's birthday with a fancy dinner, shopping in town and walking the beaches in my bare feet. Yep, I had a good time being recharged.

Our transportation to the airport? A pickup truck!

Kathy ready to go!

Birthday girls, Gineli and Sulmi, with friend, Kristel

We're on vacation!

Tropic Air airport

My seatmate for the plane ride, Kristel!

View from our plane

Belize Coast

Sulmi on the pier

La Isla Bonita!

Nancy and Kathy

The girls

Downtown San Pedro (S.P.)

Our Sunbreeze hotel room

Swimming at the pool :-)

Relaxing in the hammock

Theme verse of Easter break

Their library is on the beach! How cool is that?!?

Kathy, Gineli, Yosselin (from S.P.), Kristel, Sulmi and Me (AND photographer, Nancy :-) )

That'd be a good place for a picnic

Take a minute with me and be AMAZED at the colors of the sea

Jaguar Creek 
 

There are mountains...

Faraway...

...and up close!

Silly me, I thought because I hadn't seen many mountains in Belize that they weren't there. Wrong! I got to experience them during the last half of Easter break when the Central America region missionaries met for a retreat. Some were from Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. I'm so thankful for the new friends I have made and the insight each person added to the group.

Sheila (interpreter for the retreat!), Nancy and Kathy after our morning stroll

Big leaf, big as my head!

Sulmi, Yelsi and me

Some insights from our time together: 
-Someone mentioned that love and sacrifice are connected. The more you love the less you feel the sacrifice. When you are fully charged, this is so true.
-Put margins in your life. I take this as a way to be both task-oriented, but still allow for relational connections (Holy Spirit connections). It is good to have both.
-It is okay to rest because if, "your output exceeds your input" you're not helping anyone.

Did anyone else know that pineapples grow this way??

The theme for the retreat was, "working from a place of rest." I believe that is what the theme of Easter vacation was for me too. After going nonstop, it was difficult to take that break. Sometimes I didn't want to. I would have rather got caught up on the loose ends I had been neglecting. God had other plans. I spent time alone, but God also called me to spend time with people. Being relational was a good thing. I enjoyed the many meals I helped the Toledanos prepare (and eat!).


Looking back, I cannot believe (though I really shouldn't be this surprised) how God used this break. It wasn't like I imagined it at all. When I saw all that I had planned on doing, I was worried that the time would nothing but busyness. Would I need a vacation from my vacation? Instead, it was most relaxing and refreshing break I've had in a long time! 

Kathy, Yelsi and I stayed in the Armadillo Cabana

The Blue Hole

My Hobbit quote this time is rather sentimental as it looks forward to the coming of the King. I believe that God really has blessed Belize with a little bit of heaven. The Creator simply shines through His creation! I'm glad I was forced to stop and see it. 

The streams shall run in gladness,
The lakes shall shine and burn,
And sorrow fail and sadness
At the Mountain-king’s return!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit