I have some big news to share with you all this week! As many of you know, our ministry team here in Belize, headed up by Juan and Maria Marentes, is pastorally responsible for two churches, St. Andrew's in town and St. Hilda's in a rural village called Georegeville. Similarly, our team has also had chaplaincy responsibilities in three elementary schools, St. Andrew's in town and St. Hilda's and St. Barnabas' in the rural villages. This has been (as you can imagine) quite a lot of work for everyone involved.
My job for the last year has been to accompany Fr. Juan in his many activities in the two churches and three schools. It has gone well, but all of us have felt frustrated by the fact that the rural church and schools have not been getting the pastoral attention that they deserve.
For this reason and others, Fr. Juan with the approval of Bishop Wright has instructed me to take primary pastoral responsibility of the ministry of the rural mission, St. Hilda's Church, and the chaplaincy of the two corresponding rural elementary schools, St. Hilda's and St. Barnabas'. Although I will still have responsibilities in town at St. Andrew's Church and School, I have been given both more responsibility, more leadership, and more autonomy regarding the rural wing of our ministry here in Cayo.
To be honest, I am excited about this increase in responsibility, and I am eager to see what God will do in these months (and perhaps years?) to come. There is much to do, there are many to serve, and there is a great God who has told us that "the fields are white for the harvest." Please pray dilligently for me and for the people of Georgeville and Central Farm as we embrace the race before us and take new steps in evangelism, discipleship, worship, and service for the glory of God and the upbuilding of his Church!
Quickly in other news, today we celebrate the arrival of an ecumenical team of short-term missionaries, headed by Gus Calvo and Geoff Miller, who are coming to work on a range of projects and activities. We are very excited to work with them this coming week.
I am also pleased to celebrate my birthday tomorrow, Friday July 19th. I turn thirty years old, and I ask you to join with me in thanking God for his many gifts and blessings that he has continually poured upon me now for three decades. May his Name be praised!