My beloved, Ms. Conroy, just called a bit ago from Belize.
Things are much more . . .. um . . .. "rustic" (yeah, rustic, that's the word that was used) than anyone imagined.
There is NO access to the Internet - not even dial up (so yes, Auntie Ann, I will not be bringing my laptop.You'll have to wait for the story and pictures when I return). They did spend $200 on a cell phone which costs $20 per minute to make a phone call. YIKES!
The word is that everyone is well and adjusting to the heat and humidity with a few predictable headaches for those who did not believe in the preventative magic of staying hydrated. Everyone is now drinking water without complaint or reminder.
Amazing, isn't it? I never cease to be amazed at how 'natural consequence' is always, always and forever reliable as the most effective teacher.
She also reports that the kids are "starving" - poor banished children of Eve - there being no vending machines with junk food readily available for them to chow down. They may yet learn to appreciate fresh fruit as a snack.
We'll file that one under "unplanned lesson well learned." I trust there will be more to come.
Ms. Conroy says that the biggest challenges for her so far have included negotiating the sharing of her window ledge with a toucan, convincing a few wild turkeys not to enter her cabana, and having to sharply reprimand a few geckos in the middle of the night for attempting to sleep in her bed with her.
You know, just the usual hustle and bustle of "rustic" mountain life in the beautiful Caribbean.
She promises to call with a brief daily update, which she is able to charge to our credit card. I'll pass the updates along to you until I leave on the 8:55 AM flight on Tuesday morning.
All will be well.
They start working on the playground on Monday. I can't wait to get there.
I'm so proud of our kids, I could just burst.
I'm so looking forward to reading all about it when you get back! I wish I had done this kind of mission work as a teenager. I was in my 30's before I was able to do something similar. God bless you all -- may you touch many lives.
ReplyDeleteBTW, another life-saver for me, in addition to bug spray and mosquito nets -- oh yes, and composine (sp?) (an anti-nausea drug) -- was granola bars. I brought plenty so what when the food was less than appealing, or just didn't agree with me, I'd have something to eat that was easily portable and not too terribly unhealthy.
Prayers and traveling mercies being sent along to you and the whole group.
Susan
Prayers for your kids and for your back. BTDT (like the morning I got back from General Convention last summer trying to pick up my suitcase from the curb). Forget the computer. Go to Belize and get yourself fullyin the culture. And, yes, drink lots of Agua Cristal, or whatever the local bottled water is. I find in El Salvador that beer is really tasty (when I never drink it up here) but I guess since you're with kids, you can't go that route.
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