January 2015 Update on what is happening in Belize!

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1

As much as I intended to do an update last month but never did find time to do it. We have had a busy but fruitful past months. Cory started 10th grade in September and always enjoys meeting new friends and teachers. It was a struggle the first two months to get serious with his studies but is working at improving his study time. He will be in exam week this coming week and we appreciate prayers. 

Treajone came to us in Oct of 2013 and has brought life and laughter to our home. He will be placed with his adoptive parents this coming week. We will miss him and the longer it takes the harder it is to let him go. I feel blessed that we will still get to see him as he will be placed with a Christian couple that we are good friends with. He has had a few visits already and calls them mom and dad. 

As most of you know since end of June I have had the twin girls in my home that came to me two years ago as three month old babies. The first few months we were not sure how long they would be with us but now we know they will be with us for sure till end of February. Their mom has started to make weekly visits and is working at getting them back. She is a busy mom with a one year old, three year old and seven year old besides the two year old twins. I keep praying for her salvation and God’s perfect will for the twins. 

Just before Christmas we were told that Treajone would be placed with his new family and also that the twins would get a one week visit over Christmas with their parents. That is when I asked the social worker if it would be possible for us to have Douglas for Christmas who was placed in the Kings Children’s home. Just before Christmas I was informed yes that Douglas could come but the other children would not be leaving. God knew this in advance as always and brought Abigail Shaw beginning of December to help out. Yes, we had five children for Christmas and New Years but having the second adult to help out around the house was a blessing.

Abigail came two years ago to help out for three months when the twins were small. She made a lot of friends while she was here. Her desire also to instill Godly values to the teens on our street to just being a friend to those that God placed in her life. Right now she is helping with youth group in our church as well as takes time to hang out with the teens on our street.

Wally and Kathy Chopee have once again returned to Belize to serve where God directs them. They have come yearly since 2010 and have also made many friends over the time. They had a rough start as they both got sick the first week of being here. Praising God for the healing He is doing in them. 

God blessed us with extra car seats so I could safely buckle in the little ones when I drive. The only thing is when I buckle in my three little ones there is only room for one other person in the vehicle. The truck has been a blessing in getting us where we need to go but with extra children and friends coming down we just do not have enough room for all go out together. I have been talking to different people that know more about vehicles then I do. I wanted to know which vehicle would stand up to the rough roads we have here but also have enough seats for this family that God has placed in my life. When I talk about my family we have Marisol and her two children that come to church with us and Abigail who is living with us right now as well. Marisol has been like a sister and friend to me over the past seven years. I was told the Toyota Hiace or like an SUV that has that extra seat would be good choices. They both tend to be durable and have 4X4. I know God our provider knows more about our needs then we do and now praying specifically for Him to provide. It is a joy to be able to have the room to offer rides to church and now that Abigail is working with the youth we hope a bigger vehicle will also help for her to offer rides when needed. 

I always appreciate you interceding in prayer for us! I know we could not do this without your prayers and support! Thank you once again for being there for us!

July 2014 update!

Psalm 119: 10-11 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! YOUR Word I have hidden in my heart, so that I might not sin against You!   

End of June I received a phone call from the social worker to see if I would be willing to take in the twins back that I had last year for five months. I did not think twice and said yes. They came about three or four hours after the call. They were in a sad shape with sores all over their arms and legs. I was given meds for them for three days to help them with worms and parasites. Slowly they have been healing up and doing better. Their names are Kabe and Kiana. Kiana is the bigger twin but she seems to have more medical issues then Kabe. They are both walking and full of fun. With 21 month old twins and a two and a half year old, keeps me busy. Takes some planning to get to the store or if I need to go anywhere with all three.   

I would appreciate prayers for complete healing for each one of us. I have developed a rash this past week and not sure what it is. Not sure if it is something that came from the twins or something else. 

More prayer please!

In my last email update in June I shared about Diana whom I have been ministering to.   She came to my gate this evening after being on the streets with her two children all day looking for a place to stay or asking for help from anyone that was around. She came to ask me if I knew of a place where she could go. I called the social worker to see what should be done and she told me I needed to call the police and that is how she could get involved in this case. Diana has refused to seek work and says there is no need to work because she prays to God to provide for her. She says she does not like to beg but that is what she is doing. 

Because I work under the social worker I am not allowed to take her in. Also it would not be safe to take her in as she goes off on tantrums at any given time. She has taken it out on her family many times. 

I am blessed to have a fenced in yard and it keeps it safe from having just anyone coming into the yard unannounced.  

The police ended up coming for Diana and her two children. The social worker told me they would find a place for them to spend the night. Please pray for complete protection for the children as well as for Diana. Desiring God’s perfect will in their lives. 

Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.

Psalm 47:6-7

June 2014 what is happening in Belize!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6&7

In my last update I had asked for prayer for the eleven year old foster girl that I might be getting. I met with her and felt that I should take her but in the end the social worker has chosen a different placement for her. I have prayed for God’s will in her life and ours as well and believe that this was God’s best. Thanks for your prayers.

Treajone (two and a half yrs) is still with us for sure until August. We continue to pray for God’s best for his life. He is a joy and brings a lot of life into our home

We had a super productive time with the team from Virginia in April. We had two teams back to back and they were able to get the school room painted and finished as well as a railing put on Marisol’s deck. They were also a huge blessing to the girls at Marla’s House of Hope in Belmopan once again. Thank you Crossroads Community church in Virginia for coming to Belize and blessing us with your talents and love. So far we have not received the OK to start a school for fall so we hope to start an after school program for the children to come get the help they need for homework. Praying for the provision of a computer, printer and supplies that we would need to help children get their projects done for school. Also praying for a worker or two that can tell the bible story and love on the children as they get helped.

The end of May we had our 8th annual ladies retreat. What a blessing to have 78 ladies attend. Thank you to Laura for coming from the States to teach us on how to decrease so that Christ may increase in us. One of my high lights of this retreat was that we had seven ladies from Gales Point attend. As some of you know Brian and I used to travel to Gales Point every Sunday where Brian taught in the village church. Special thanks to Pastor Kenny for bringing the Gales Point ladies and for picking them up on Sunday.

Back in 2007 when God gave my friend Denise Meyer and I a desire to organize a ladies retreat we had no idea how many years we would continue doing this. I remember Brian told me this was the first annual retreat of many! I guess I generally do not look that far ahead but I can see how God has been faithful in supplying a team of workers to help organize and plan these weekends. After the first retreat Anna Mensie from Seine Bight came on board as well and Rachel Plett from Spanish Lookout. All four of us live in different areas of Belize but we are still able to unite and plan. God is good!!

In the past few months a local lady named Diana has been visiting me. She would sometimes ask for groceries or other things and seemed very depressed and at the

point of giving up. When I shared the gospel with her she told me that she believed in

God but did not need the rest. Sometimes she came over four or five times a week, sitting in my home three to four hours without saying much. Other times she would ask my pastor’s wife to call me and tell me she needed to talk to me. I continued to share the gospel with her and eventually she told me that she had prayed to receive Jesus. I told her that was great but now we needed to focus on who we are in Christ. Our walk with Christ is very important- just believing He exists is not enough! As I had her write out scripture pertaining to who we are in Christ I seemed to notice slight change in her. Right now we are going through the first book of John.

Diana’s Mom (Miss Carmita) attends my church. A long time ago, Miss Carmita asked me to pray for her daughter and for her grandchildren. On Sunday Miss Carmita told me that she can see that the prayers are working and they are seeing a change in Diana. We are praying that Diana will have victory in her life and will give herself completely over to HIM. May she find forgiveness in her heart to those that have wronged her and also able to ask for forgiveness for those that she has wronged.

Another example of God’s provision was through the visit of Mary Lou Ticknor, a missionary in Mexico who came to visit a local girl that she has been sponsoring for high school. While Mary Lou was here Diana showed up at my door. I was not sure what to think but Mary Lou was able to minister to her with the love of Jesus while I took care of things around the house. When the ladies from Alabama came to our church to do a study on choices we make and teach us some crafts Diana joined Mary Lou and I. What a blessing to have these ladies come share with us from God’s word and a blessing that we could bring friends to this study. I felt like it was a time of filling up as I had poured so much out in the past months. Once again, God knows our needs before we do and He is faithful in providing.

Looking forward to see what God has in store for us this summer. Once again, thank you for your prayers, love and support.

 Belize update March 2014 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1

Once again it is that time of year where students need to be registered for fall. Schools like to know by end of May which students will be returning and which new students will be enrolled. In the past when I home schooled Cory it was just ordering the books and we get started when the books arrive. Now with Cory going to school I can feel the pressure of how the parents feel with needing to save up those extra funds for school fees. God bless those of you that have been led to help out those in need of sponsorship. For this past year we had 15 students sponsored in the primary school and two high school students. It will be exciting to see one of these high school students graduating in June.

Please be in prayer if you are to sponsor these same children and if you do desire to, please let me know. This way we can get the funds to the parents to pay the registration fee on time. 

Two year old Treajone is still with us and doing really well. His stay was extended past the three months he was originally supposed to be with us.

In January we were blessed to have Carmen join us from Susanville, California for four weeks. It was a blessing to see how God used her with our church worship team and she also taught  one of the local ladies to sew a uniform for her daughter. Carmen also loved on my boys and to this day Trea my two year old will still ask, “Where did Ms Carmen go?” When God lays it on your heart to come, it does not matter if you know what you will do. God always opens up the door for you to do what He desires with the skills you have. Thank you Carmen for taking that leap of faith and coming to serve in Belize and blessing us. 

Wally and Kathy Chopee also came to serve in January for three weeks. They have been here yearly now for the past three or four years. They are another example of living in faith in taking that step as the Lord leads. Many times there are a few jobs lined up before they come but God shows them specifically what to do when they get here. One was that Wally built a cage for my baby chicks to keep them protected from the older hens. He did this along side of one of my local friends as this specific person needed the encouragement of a brother in the Lord. Today I was able to give two of the chickens that were raised for eating away to a family in need of food. Wally and Kathy also help sponsor a young girl for high school and minister to several families in this area. Thanks again Wally and Kathy for being obedient to the calling God has placed upon you. 

Mid January the social worker brought a teenage girl into our home for a two night stay and even though I cannot share all the details I thank those of you that prayed for God’s will in her life. I have been asked to take in an 11 year old girl who is suffering from cystic fibrosis. She is not able to go to school due to her anger outbursts and I have agreed to taking care of her for a week and see how she adjusts into our home. I would appreciate your prayers concerning this young girl. I do not know her name and I also do not know what kind of school work I could do with her seeing she will be home with me all day. Many unknowns for me but I know that God already knows what is before us and He will direct as long as we seek His will. I also believe it is in His timing the girl will arrive and if He sees a better place that we accept that as well. 

Family blessings!

What a blessing it was to hear that my sister Helen and her husband Les were coming to visit!! Les spent countless hours with Cory, playing basket ball, watching videos, and answering the many questions. He was also the Mr. fix it for around the house. Helen encouraged not only me and my children but was a blessing to the many ladies we visited during their stay here. The day they left my baby sister came in and we also spent countless hours catching up and showing her around. Martha blessed Cory and I with a trip to San Pedro for a weekend. It was very relaxing and a great get away. 

Now it is time to get ready for our first mission team of the year to come next month. They plan on doing some construction and fixing up things around my place as well as work on the school room. They will also be doing a VBS here in our area and working with Marla’s House of Hope in Belmopan. This team from Virginia were here last year and we are looking forward to reconnecting and getting to know a few more new friends. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6&7

Thank you once again for listening and for praying for us. We do need God to direct us daily.

With Love,

Margaret, Cory and Treajone

Praise & Prayer requests; 

1. Health and continued safety for our family 

2. For Cory and his studies 

3. Treajone, God’s perfect will in his life. 

4. Thanking God for helping us sell the old truck and the ability to making payments on a newer truck. Another missionary couple here in Belize were looking at selling their truck which is in better shape then ours was. They also understand that we live on support and have given us the grace to make monthly payments. 

5. I was asked to take in an 11 year old girl with Cystic Fibrosis and I do not know when they will bring her nor do I know her name. please pray for God’s will in her life and if it is meant for her to come with us that God would give me wisdom for this next assignment. 

6. Thank you Lord for providing the school funds for Cory. He has an hour bus ride to school each morning and an hour back again. 

Psalm 119:10-11 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against YOU.

Prayer requests;

1. Health and continued safety for our family 
2. For Cory, his studies and his walk with God
3. Treajone as he adjusts and God’s perfect will in his life. 
4. The truck we have had now for 8 years has been giving some problems and has been in and out of the mechanics because it has some starting problems. Praying for God’s will, if this truck can be fixed so it is reliable or if God provides another reliable vehicle that can handle the muddy roads in the rainy season. 

    

October 2013

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  ~ Philippians 4:6&7

The above verses have been one of my key scriptures for the past two months. As I shared in the last update, we began a new believer’s study with those that recently accepted Christ into their lives. It was super exciting at first, but we had to make sure we did not give up when some of them would cancel a study or not show up.

There are many unanswered questions when sharing Jesus with those that have made a profession of faith: Are they serious? Have they truly accepted Jesus into their hearts? Fortunately these are not for me to judge. I just need to be faithful in what God has called me to do—share His love and the gift of salvation He offers. One of the ladies we have been ministering to told us that she desires to be baptized based upon her new faith in Christ. It’s very exciting to see new believers reach this point of personal conviction and decision. 

                                  Seventh annual ladies retreat

In 2006 Denise Meyer and I first thought about a retreat for the ladies we were ministering with. We had never planned or organized anything like this before. We did not realize how many ladies would come from different areas in Belize. I know that God brought Anna Mensie to us at just the right time. She has been a great help in organizing this event through the years after our first retreat. Her past experience of retreat planning in the States provided the direction and support that we needed. To God be the Glory!

We praise God for the provision to have the ladies retreat this year in a camp where all the rooms had AC and the setting was very relaxing. We thank Debbie Douglas from California and Sarah Vincent, missionary in Mexico, for coming and blessing us with God’s Word. Many times speakers from the States worry about making sure the message they are about to give will be culturally friendly. One thing I see over and over again is that we all experience the same problems—maybe at different times—but we all need to hear what God’s Word has to say to us. We all need to forgive and love one another no matter how different God has created us. 

Many have asked if I have had any little ones in my care since we came home from our trip north at the end of July. Truthfully, I did pray and ask God, if it were His will, to please not let the social worker call until the 7th of October. I desired the first month to get Cory back to school and to plan our 7th annual ladies retreat without little ones to care for. I had no intentions of turning down a little one in need. So, I had to chuckle when the social worker ended up calling on the 8th of October. The little one, however,  was not ready with his supplies to come to us until the October 11th.

Treajone will be two years old at the beginning of November. Yes, he is a little small for his age. I do not know his family background so I do not know if his family is of small stature or if he has suffered malnutrition. He has adjusted well and is a joy to have around. 

September 2013

                                             

Many of the people that we visited door-to-door accepted Jesus as their Savior. We are now spending time teaching and following up with these new believers.

It is exciting to be doing a new believers’ study with this family. Please pray that they will continue to be excited about walking with Jesus as their Lord.

There is always something for everyone to do. All we need to do is listen and see how God wants to use us.