Belize, Day 2: One dim light

"Can you bring a proper bible?"

That was the first thing Ms. Conroy asked me.

Yes, she asked for snacks for the kids. Yes, she asked if I had gotten all the tools and bits for the drills Tim urgently asked for today (turns out, the wood is mahogany and they are going through drill bits like Grant's troops went through Richmond . . . at least, I think Grant's troops went through Richmond).

How I'm going to get those drill bits through customs is yet another story to be told. Good thing I'm not planning to wear my burka to the airport tomorrow, eh?

Turns out, it was a good thing I am straggling in on Tuesday. How else would they have gotten the tools they needed to finish the job?

God works in strange and mysterious ways.

Ms. Conroy even asked for some Sweet 'n Low. "They have nothing like that here," she almost - not quite, but almost - whined. (I know. Our Ms. Conroy. Imagine!)

But, first, she asked if I could bring a proper bible. "All we have is my pocket edition of The Message," she said. "And no one remembered to bring a BCP. We're running out of prayers. Good thing you know how to pray extemporaneously."

Ah, I suppose that even though I won't be able to "lift that barge" or "tote that bale," I will still be good for something. I'm bringing the BCP and snacks to the poor banished children of Eve. AND, I can pray extemporaneously.

To paraphrase that song by U2, I may yet finally find what I'm looking for.

Today's report is that everyone is well and healthy. Lots of important community building going on. Even with the delay in adequate tools, the project is ahead of schedule. There was spaghetti and meatballs for supper tonight. A HUGE hit with the kids. God is good. The kids are happy. All is well.

"All we have is one dim light. It's so hard to read the small print of pocket version of The Message by such dim light," said Ms. Conroy.

"But," I said, with no small amount of sarcasm, "the Gospel is the light of the world. A light to enlighten the nations."

"Yeah," said Ms. Conroy, "well, Jesus himself wouldn't have been able to read the small print of this Good News tonight."

I think I'll pack a larger print edition of the Bible.

And, perhaps, flashlight.

This will, no doubt, be my last post until we return from Belize late on Saturday, the 14th.

Keep us in your prayers.