Christmas in Belize 2024

God Made A Way

As the sun rose over the tarmac of the Richmond International Airport on December 4th, a small group of the 28:19 Ministries board waited in eager anticipation to begin our journey to Belize. Over the next hour, our plane remained grounded, delayed to the point that we’d only have minutes to make our connecting flight in Atlanta.

By the time we landed, we had to run—sprinting from one end of the Atlanta airport, onto the plane train, and then running again toward our gate. Miraculously, we made it – even boarding before the pilot and crew! 

God made a way for us! Soon enough, we were on our way to Belize!

When we arrived at the Belize airport, we were greeted by the warm smile of our sweet friend, Hez, who had traveled all the way from Pomona to pick us up. The greeting was made even more special, because Hez picked us up in our brand new ministry vehicle! In August, God blessed us with the opportunity to purchase our first vehicle in Belize, so we could provide reliable transportation for people attending the Gathering. Now, we were experiencing this miracle firsthand!

On our way to Pomona village, Hez gave us a stunning tour of the country, including stops in Belmopan, the mountains, and gorgeous sunset views. Finally, we arrived at Davis Falls Inn, a family-run-inn owned by our longtime friends, which has been our home base for 12 years.

That night, Amy visited the local grocery store. While there, she ran into Mark, who we spontaneously baptized this past July. In July, Mark was our team’s tour guide on our rest day. Mark was boldly obedient to the Holy Spirit and asked to be baptized. We were so thankful to see him again!

At the store, Amy, Annamay, Marvin, and Hez picked up our order of 700 pounds of rice and 130 pounds of beans. For the rest of the night, we packed small bags of beans to distribute at the school the next day. 

When we woke up on December 5th, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by our longtime friend, Miss Shirlene. Miss Shirlene lovingly cooked most of our meals, always making sure to prepare our favorites.

Sharing Joy at St. Matthew’s Anglican School

After breakfast, we loaded the ministry vehicle with supplies and went to our partner school, St. Matthew’s Anglican School. As soon as we arrived, a group of Standard 5 boys approached us with open arms, ready to help. We set up an assembly line in the small church at the edge of the school’s campus.  

Each class was invited one by one into the church. There, Taylor took school pictures of each student. Our helpers packed and passed out care packages filled with supplies that were generously donated from our Amazon Wishlist. Because of the generosity of our supporters, every student left with: a reusable tote bag, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap, a comb, candy canes, two pounds of rice, a bag of beans, and a Christmas card. 

When the first class arrived, the church flooded with more than thirty preschoolers, who were already chatting away, jumping, and singing at the same time. As our helpers handed each child their tote bag, shrieks of joy and excitement burst throughout the room. The little students plopped onto the ground, unpacking all of their new goodies! They proudly showed off their toothbrush or Christmas card!

The little boys jumped for joy as they practiced what they’d say to their moms later, “Mom, I brought dinner home for you!” 

Throughout the morning, over 350 students and teachers experienced this same joy. Our hope is that this small gift is a reminder of how God provides —through His people, in His timing, and always abundantly.

Building Community

That afternoon, we visited the village we have loved and partnered with for more than a decade and reunited with dear friends. Our littler friends were eager to recall our visit to their school that morning. One of the moms shared with us, “I didn’t have anything to cook today. Then, he came running home from school with his sack of rice and beans! He was so proud to bring me lunch!”

It was such a joy to see the impact of our work only a few hours later! Our visit in the village was filled with games, piggyback rides, and life updates. 

That night, our dear friend, Cristy, hosted us for dinner and a game night. She generously prepared a beautiful spread for us at her home, including fresh-squeezed lime juice, a charcuterie board, and pizza. It was so sweet!

The Beauty of His Creation

We were woken up early on December 6th by Cristy’s husband, RJ, who was excited to take us on a tour of his farm. We crammed into RJ’s truck and drove up the side of a nearby hill (at a mostly 90 degree angle). The jungle-filled hill eventually opened up into one of the most beautiful views we had ever seen. From that perspective, we could see the entire valley community we have loved and served for more than a decade. 

That afternoon, Hez took us on a tour throughout Placencia. When we arrived at the beach, it immediately began to rain, and it continued for the entire day. Even still, we were thankful to see the beauty of Belize. 

On our way home, we visited Ernest. During the Mission Experience, we met Ernest on our rest day. It was his first day working for a tour company, and he happened to be giving a tour on the same beach as our mission team. Some members of our mission team invited him to join us for a “church service” in the sea. Amy, our team leader, invited people to make the decision to get baptized, and Ernest immediately raised his hand. He had been begging God for a sign, and we were it. 

Ernest was the first of three Belizean men to make a bold decision for Christ that day.

The Power of Unity

The next morning, we invited women who attend the Gathering to join us for “Coffee & Cookies.” Each table was set up with a different cookie recipe and ingredients. The ladies worked together in groups to follow their recipe and bake their cookies. The ladies made peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, cake box cookies, and peanut butter sandwich cookies. It was sweet to watch the more expert bakers share tips and tricks with the ladies who had less experience in the kitchen.

As the women sprinkled and decorated, they enjoyed hot chocolate and sweet fellowship! The women worked together as one team to prepare a special treat for the Pomona Candlelight and Tree Lighting that evening. Then, we gathered in a circle to play a white elephant game narrated with the Christmas story. 

At the end of the event, the women gathered to decide how they would serve at the Pomona Candlelight & Tree Lighting later in the evening. The women each considered their gifts and capacity to determine which roles would suit them best. Joyfully, everyone volunteered to serve alongside our small team. They collectively decided to wear their matching T-Shirts that say, “The Gathering.” It was moving to watch this group of ladies step up to serve their community in total unity.

Later in the evening, we arrived at the Pomona Village basketball court to set up for the Pomona Candlelight & Tree lighting. The basketball court stands between the busy highway and the village. When we started to set up the luminaries and movie screen, people grew curious about our event and took a seat. 

The ladies from the Gathering and friends from the village served in their roles. They made hot chocolate and passed out sweet treats. They passed out Christmas cards and candles. They greeted our guests. 

The Light of the World

As the sun began to set, the luminaries glowed around the court. On the movie screen, we showed the Chosen Christmas Special. We wanted to create a unique experience for people to tangibly experience the Good News of Christmas, and the story told through the Chosen does just that! It was particularly special, because movie theaters are very rare in Belize. 

While the movie played, we walked around to get a glimpse of the crowd. All 75 chairs were filled. The bleachers were filled. People were standing in the grass and sitting on benches nearby. Vehicles lined the dirt road parallel to the screen, filled with families enjoying the movie. On their front steps, people in neighboring homes watched on. We believe far more than 200 people were gathered, listening to the Good News that night. 

After the Chosen, an incredible group of women from local churches led worship. It was powerful to have the opportunity to declare God’s holiness and authority so publicly, while we stood at the front of the village. Our worship wasn’t hidden or confined behind church walls. It was a truth we proclaimed for all to hear.

Following worship, Pastor Lord shared a message on the transformational power of following the Good Shepherd. Pastor Lord has partnered with 28:19 Ministries since August 2023 to oversee the spiritual growth of the Gathering. 

As rain began falling, Pastor Wayne, another local pastor, began sharing a message about the power of the Christmas story. As the rain turned into a downpour, the crowd found cover nearby, running in every direction.

Quickly, the rain lightened up, and we began lighting candles to remember the hope we have in Jesus. He is the light of the world, and He brings light to the darkest places. Due to the rain, we had to pack up our technology, preventing us from playing any further worship songs. So, a group of ladies led us in singing Silent Night acapella. 

As the crowd began to sing the familiar Christmas hymn, people returned from the shelters they had found. The dark night filled with bright candles. After the chaos the rain brought, people running in every direction for shelter, the quiet unity that fell upon the crowd as we lifted our candles was a sight to behold. 

In one group, we walked toward the community Christmas tree with our candles. We counted down from three and watched in awe as they lit the tree! The community continued to stand together, candles still lit, singing Christmas carol after Christmas carol.

As the village gathered together, we were reminded of  the hope we have in Jesus. 

The Gathering

The next morning, we joined the Gathering Disciples Sunday School. This past fall, members of the Gathering launched a Sunday School as an outreach ministry to teach children in nearby villages about Jesus. While we were there, the Gathering Disciples were practicing for their upcoming Christmas pageant. Upstairs, the older kids learned about the Christmas story, so they could prepare for their roles in the nativity. Downstairs, the younger children practiced their dance. They couldn’t wait to show their parents!

Later that night, the Gathering had planned a special potluck for us. Our team was so amazed by the growth of the Gathering. In only a year and a half, the Gathering has become a family who supports each other and grows together. 

Throughout our trip, one truth resonated: God’s miracles begin with a simple “yes.” Through Mary’s obedience, the world received the greatest gift—Jesus, God with us. And through our small yeses of many—packing bags, baking cookies, lighting candles—we hope to lead people to that same truth. Jesus is God with us! 

And that is very Good News!