Belize Updates

A couple of notes on our rapidly approaching Belize trip:

• Our next Belize team meeting is June 13 after church services.
• If any teens or parents need a notary for the medical/international travel authorization form, there is one on the campus of PLNU.  Her name is Julie Alexander and she can be reached at 619-849-2459 or juliealexander@pointloma.edu.  Signatures are $10 each and she prefers appointments via email.
• If you still need to get vaccinations, here’s a list of travel clinics in San Diego County: http://sdiz.org/Community/Travel.html
• The recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Tetanus, and Measles/Mumps/Rubella.  And the recommended medications to bring with you to Belize Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and Chloroquine.
• We need everyone to be up to $1,500 by our next meeting.  We already paid American Airlines for our flights and need to send down a big chunk of money very soon to the church in Corozal to buy construction materials before we arrive.
• We also have a few people that have requested financial assistance for our trip.Please continue to spread the word within your community that we are still in need of tax-deductible contributions for our trip.
• I will be standing near the tables right outside the church doors before and after the service if anyone has any money to turn in.

Notes from May 16 Meeting

Thank you to everyone that was able to join us today at our Belize Missions meeting.  Here's the highlights from our meeting:

• Joyce will be calling American Airlines on Friday and making final seat assignments. 
• For seat reservations, we need date of birth and name on passport for everyone. If you have not given us this information, please do so ASAP.
• We are also purchasing t-shirts for all team members.  If you have not given us your t-shirt size, please do so ASAP.
• If you are not going on the side trip afterwards, then your travel dates are June 26 through July 7.  You will be leaving San Diego at 7:05am on the 26^th and returning at 10:55pm on the 7^th.
• If you are going on the side trip, then your travel dates are June 27 through July 10.  You will be leaving San Diego at 7:05am on the 27^th and returning at 10:55pm on the 10^th.
• All teens that will be traveling without their parents will need a notarized letter signed by both parents authorizing them to leave the country and to receive medical treatment, if necessary.  Marc will be contacting teens that need this letter.
• We need volunteers for VBS puppet coordination.  Please contact Ryan If interested.
• The second $500 was due on April 18.
• The third $500 is due by May 30.
• Each family group presented their research information: Marc (History), Jared and Sophie (Religion and Politics), Jeff and Becca (Culture).  Joyce’s group will present at the next meeting.
• Next meeting is June 13.

Notes from April 11 Meeting

Thank you to everyone that was able to join us at our last Belize Missions meeting. Here's the highlights from our meeting:

• We raised $400 at the coffeehouse fundraiser last Sunday evening. This fundraiser was to raise money for all the mission trips. Thank you to everyone who helped out at the event.
• Sarah walked through a training session on being a missionary and the myths of poverty.
• All airline seats and dates are now locked in with American Airlines. Any changes now could result in a financial penalty.
• For seat reservations, we need date of birth and name on passport for everyone. If you have not given us this information, please do so.
• Health and medical information on Belize was presented – sleeping nets were also recommended.
• Latest budget was also presented.
• The second $500 (now totaling $1000) is due by April 18.
• All remaining funds are due by May 23.
• Construction projects have been posted to the blog.
• Family groups were also announced – each group was assigned a homework assignment to research and present at the next Belize meeting: Marc (History), Joyce (Economy), Jared and Sophie (Religion and Politics), Jeff and Becca (Culture).
• Next meeting is TBD.

Construction Projects

There are several construction projects planned for our trip. In the order of priority:

1. Complete the construction of the church sanctuary - finish the roof, finish the plaster forms, finish the windows, run electrical, etc...

2. Make repairs to the school - repair the plaster walls and paint the buildings.

3. Demo the existing parsonage.  A new parsonage will be built in the future.

Coffeehouse Fundraiser on April 11

Do not miss the Coffeehouse fundraiser this Sunday night from 5p to 8p featuring live music, poetry, and art in the Ellipse Chapel. Coffee and desserts will be sold with all proceeds going to the mission teams. Several vendors will be onsite selling their wares and donating 25% of their proceeds to missions as well. Please feel free to invite your friends and family and have them join us.

We do need your help in making this coffeehouse happen. Please contact Lesley Yates (lesleykyates@gmail.com) and sign-up for a job:

- Set up at 4p – Need 4 people
- Childcare from 4:40p to 8:10p – Need 2 people minimum, more is better
- Desserts at 4:45p – Need many people to bring homemade or store bought desserts that can be easily cut in individual pieces
- Tear down at 8p – Need 3 people