Welcome to our mission trip blog. You can follow all of our events and milestones here and find out what we need prayer for as we go forward.
My first idea came about when i attended one of the Promise Keepers events in Toronto. They had mentioned a mission trip and so I asked them about it the next week to find out more information and they told me that they were going with EduDeo. After much discussion with our men's ministry team at church it was decided that we could probably get our own team together. One reason for our own team is then we would be able to develop relationships with our own men and also to encourage men that might not normally come out to connect with other men.
Our first meeting was on September 21 with Tim Bootsma and he provided a lot of great information. There were several in attendance that expressed some interest.So hopefully by the end of October we will have our team in place.
So you might be asking where are we going and what are we going to be doing. Well, we are going to the Central American country of Belize. See map below. We will be situated in the town of Orange Walk (see map) and we will be working at the Presbyterian School helping them complete some rooms.
One of the most frequently asked questions about mission trips is about the food. On the travel Belize web site I found the following about the food.
Food
The eclectic fusion of nationalities in Belize can also be seen in the country's diverse cuisine. From seafood to traditional home cooking, the fare enjoyed in Belize is varied enough to satisfy even the most discerning palate.
The staple of Belizean cuisine is the classic rice and beans of white rice and red kidney beans. It is important to note that the difference between 'rice and beans' and 'beans and rice' is that 'Rice and beans' refers to the two being cooked together in coconut milk. On the other hand, 'beans and rice' refers to the dishes being cooked and served separately. A truly authentic Belizean dinner would pair either of these varieties with stewed or fried chicken, beef or fish.
Stewed Chicken is one of the most traditional Belizean dishes, and one that every visitor should experience. The secret to this delectable dish is to brown the chicken that's been rubbed with an anato paste called "recado" and sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic before adding water, a dash of vinegar and chopped onions and sweet peppers. This method helps to bring out the greatest flavor. Traditionally, the stewed chicken is accompanied by rice and beans, potato salad and fried ripe plantains.
Cultural Favorites:
One Garifuna favorite in Belize is serre la sus. This rich and tasty soup contains fish lightly simmered in coconut milk with onions and spices and served with a mixture of beaten, boiled green and ripe plantains and wafers of cassava bread. Several Belizean dishes also expertly combine flavors from Mestizo, Spanish and Maya cultures such as, Chicken Escabeche with corn tortillas. This meal is a spicy combination of chicken smothered with onions in a base of vinegar, peppers and other spices. The fresh tortillas corn tortillas that complement the dish are prepared with a mixture of ground whole corn with white lime and water.
Seafood Lovers:
Due to Belize's excellent geographical location, the seafood is plentiful, of high quality and available almost anywhere in the country. Conch, shrimp, squid, red snapper and grouper are just a few of the seafood selections found on Belizean menus; with fish being the most common and lobster the most celebrated. There are Lobsterfests on several islands and coastal towns at the beginning of Lobster season in June with lobster prepared in every imaginable manner.
Health Watchers:
Fresh fruits and local vegetables are plentiful all year round. May and June is “mango season” wwith over 20 varieties available. Other tropical delights such as water melons, pineapples and cantaloupes, green plums and craboo are a must try for your palette. Cho Cho and calaloo, are local varieties of squash and spinach, adding to a colorful experience on your visit ot the local markets.
And for those hot day, try fresh coconut water straight from the tree served with a quick machete slash to open the nut and insert a straw!
So as your criss cross the country allow ample time in your itinerary for eating! To truly take advantage of the wide spectrum of tastes Belize has to offer, experience Belizean cuisine first-hand at local eateries and food stands.
The food that we will be eating will be prepared by the school and where we will be staying.
Accomodations
As a team we will be staying together in one of the following locations with 2-3 to a room.
http://www.dvictoriabelize.com/
December Update
We have had several meetings to date and we still need some more participants to go. We have 4 people confirmed so far and we need 4 more. So if you are interested or if you know of any one that is then please let me know at dion.smith@hotmail.com.
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