What Happens in Cayo...
Just back in from a whirlwind trip to Cayo.
Brief geography lesson: Belize has 6 districts. We live in Stann Creek District, and have so far visited Toledo, Belize, Orange Walk and have driven through Corozal. This trip we took to Cayo.
Cayo is home to the only ASL congregation in the country. It wasn't always this way but that's the way it is now. One ASL Cong and one ASL group for the whole country (although technically we are now a pre-group).
The CO came and visited us last week in Mango Creek and he was visiting Cayo next. We had been invited to come up for his visit in Cayo back when we thought we weren't going to get a visit of our own. Since he did come to Mango Creek, we changed our plans. However, a few sisters in our Kriol congregation were going to go just for the weekend and did we want to come along?!
We drove up Friday morning and stopped first in Belmopan for coffee and to meet up with these guys.
If the brother looks familiar, it's because we stayed the week in Orange Walk with his family - his parents and sister. He and his wife are recent graduates of SKE and are currently serving in Belmopan in Spanish as special pioneers.
The two fleshly sisters from our congregation are also recent graduates; they were in class together. Turns out we had also met a couple from their class when we went to the congregation get together in Orange Walk - that couple is serving in Corozal in Spanish.
Belize is a small country population wise (418,000) and it is also small for Witnesses (2,532). This means that not only does everyone in sign know each other but most everyone in English and in Kriol and in Spanish know each other as well.
We had a lovely coffee together in this place, the ArtBox. It is a nice cafe, with attached gift shop.
After coffee, we went to lunch in the Lebanese restaurant where we had previously eaten with Horace & Reymona.
Then we drove west. We headed first to Spanish Lookout, the location of a large Mennonite community. We drove through town and then stopped at one store for some shopping. This store was a like a small Walmart with small Home Depot attached, or like a small Menards, or like a Canadian Tire with a small grocery attached. The girls picked up some things that we cannot get in our area. Then we drove on to Santa Elena & San Ignacio.
Our host family lived in San Ignacio. Horace & Reymona live in Esperanza and our friend Omar from Belize City was staying with them. We didn't have anything to do until 3:00 on Saturday so we asked Omar if he had plans. He said do you want to meet me for a sunrise hike?!
Our friend Kierra came along. Omar picked us up at 5:45 and we drove into the countryside. We hiked up a hillside and then came to a clearing with a fire tower. We made it to the top just before the sun came up.
We spent some time hiking some side trails and then took a tour of this Mayan site. It isn't not a historic one in the sense that it has been there for hundreds of years. Instead this Mayan man, Mr. Jose, built this himself with his family for the purpose of preserving and educating people about Mayan traditions. We had a lovely time.
Now it was time for breakfast! Since none of us are from this area, we just picked a local cafe. The food was delicious. Afterwards we went for a little stroll in the park. Then we went to the market.
Cayo is known for having a large market. This being Saturday, the market was bustling. We were there later in the morning so I'm sure it was quite subdued compared to earlier in the morning.
We walked around and then picked up lunch for later. Omar dropped us off at home so we could get ready for the meeting and then he picked us up for the meeting.
What a treat! Being here in Belize is our first experience with a foreign language group. So what we have been doing for meetings is a combination of watching a streamed meeting and interpreting our live meeting from Kriol. So to be back in a congregation with full sign was a treat.
Also good to see our new friends - the CO and his wife as well as a couple they brought with them. After the meeting, we went home with them to where they were staying and then we all went out to dinner.
Sunday morning we packed up to leave. Over too soon! Our friends were going to their meeting so we arranged to go out in service and then to meet up at lunch time. We met with the group and then went out with the CO and Omar. We visited the beautiful village of Benque and had an encouraging morning.
And just like that, our trip west was over. We met back up with the girls and drove all the way back to Mango Creek.
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