Day 1 ...Successful First Day...everyone made it through the 18 hours of travel

The Cincinnati Team arrived this morning and everyone is now settled at Tony's Inn in Corozal Town... after 18 hours of travel.  Everyone is tired but excited and ready to work tomorrow.  We have several new people on the trip and they are all trying the national drink...Belikin beer and trying the taste of ceviche.   We brought in 79 laptop computers all in big plastic buckets.  Thirty computers are going to get installed in the schools and the rest are being brought in for an organization that distributes them to teachers.     It's a good start to the week...tomorrow we will go to Chunox village.  Our project include installing a computer lab, VBS with the kids at the school and we have light construction projects doing painting, screening and other projects.  We will rest tonight and start early for our long journey to Chunox.

Advanced Team has Landed in Belize

The Advanced Team arrived in Belize on Thursday to start setting up the preparations for Belize.   Well...okay, the advanced team is just me!  I arrived in Belize on Thursday and started to pave the way for the team arriving on Monday.  We were worried about getting the paperwork from the Belize government but it all came through ...we have an exemption to bring in over 50 laptop computers.  The team will bring all the computers and printers in the plane...17 large tubs of luggage!  The way is paved and we are ready to start our work next week. 

Kich Pan HanaTortilla Factory

Let me tell you the story about the ladies of Kich Pan Hana.   Last year when we visited the village of Cristo Rey we had the opportunity to meet Gayla Missett, Peace Corp Volunteer who was working with various groups in the village.  Gayla introduced us to eight ladies who had formed a corporation called Kich Pan Hana which means "Beautiful Women".  These ladies organized themselves and voted Flora Che as President of the Kich Pan Hana team.  The combined their resources and were able to get government funding to start up a Tortilla factory in the village.  For the past two years they have had a very successful and growing business.  They purchased a motorcycle to deliver tortillas around the village.  When I met Flora last year I was impressed by her passion for making the group successful.  She was proud of the fact that they had hired someone from the village to sell tortillas from the motorcycle.  She said to me..."I am creating jobs".  Its this passion that makes me want to help.  They have asked for funding to purchase a car so they can increase their deliveries and reach even further. 

 Gayla Missett, Peace Corps Volunteer, Corozal District, comments on Kich Pan Hana
“What really pulls at my heart strings is the relationship I have with the women’s group, Kich Pan Hana Tortilla Factory, in my village. It has been an amazing experience to watch this group of eight women take wings and fly. I have never seen such hard working, dedicated and enthusiastic women. Their desire to learn and improve their business and lifestyle has been nothing short of incredible. They have been tireless in their efforts and think nothing of working seven days a week.  Of course, I put a halt to that and told them that in my country that is illegal. They have been an invaluable support system. Their hard work has paid off with higher profits, better transparency, a work schedule that allows time for family and the possibility to expand the business to include a restaurant as well.”

Grameen Mirco-loans

I have been reading a book by the Grameen Micro-financing group.  Its pretty amazing what they have accomplished around the world helping the poorest people get access to the right information and access to funds to start up small businesses.  What I learned is that most of the loans they give out (and they have given out millions of small loans) are small amounts as low as $5-$100.  I also learned that most of their loans are to women.  Its amazing how access to financial funding and business advice and support can allow a mother of five children in India or Peru or wherever to earn a living by producing and selling crafts that are unique and hand made.  Connecting people together to drive commerce. 

Just over a Week to Go...

We are 10 days away from the Belize trip...I am super excited because I get to go next Thursday as I usually plan a few days before and after the mission trip to spend time with family and with friends.  I fly out next Thursday and will be staying with my wonderful cousin Lourdes Gallaty who has hosted me for the past five years.   I have plans to see old (not in age) class mates.  When I lived in Belize I would get butterflies everytime I traveled to the states...now I get butterflies when I travel back to Belize...how ironic.  Which is why I believe we should cherish the people and the things around us right now because someday you may long to be in the place you are...right now. 

The Greatest Challenge the World Faces

In 2002, former President, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his accomplishments fighting poverty and disease.  Here is an excerpt from his acceptance speech..."the greatest challenge that the world faces ...the most serious and universal problem is the growing chasm between the richest and poorest people on the earth.  Citizens of the ten wealthiest countries are now seventy-five times richer than those who live in the ten poorest ones, and the separation is increasing every year.  The results of this disparity are root causes of most of the world's unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy, environmental degradation, violent conflict and unnecessary illness."  Jimmy Carter spoke to the world at a time of heightened concern with terrorism...he chose to call out poverty as our biggest challenge.  The great news is that the odds are in our favor....there is sufficient wealth to solve all of the world's poverty.    The world will be a kinder and gentler place if we all lovingly shared the cloths, the bread and the blanket we each have.  Together we can change the world. 
 

We Travel Next Month...Yikes!

Wheels up is on June 10th...and I am starting to get nervous.  I always worry about making sure all our projects go smoothly and I worry that every person on the trip having a great time.  Every year our projects get delivered with excellence...notice that I did not say they go smoothly because they never do.  One example from last year was our project to build a bike rack for Concepcion Roman Catholic School.  How hard can that be...design was simple and easy for us to build a rack that could hold half the bikes in the school yard.  How hard can that be?   Well we did not plan on the wood being hard!  We decided to make a very sturdy and strong bike rack so we purchased 2x4 to make the frame.  Again how hard can that be...well lets just say hours into the project and hundreds of nails and screws broken by the wood.  We eventually moved to plan B...use a good old hammer and beat down on the nails with precision.  It worked...but it left many frustrated and tired workers along the way.  Projects definitely do NOT go smoothly but the great experience for me on these trips is that everyone (including local Belizeans) always jump in to help solve the problem.  We alway solve the problem.  Like the time we mixed water into the oil paint or the time we were stuck without a vehicle miles from the village or the time the van roof was leaking and it was storming or the Cane Farmers Riot (I could write a book about that one)...many many problems but they always always always work themselves out.  They don't necessarily get solved the way we would like but they do get resolved and in the end ...Everyone is Happy.  Happiness it the real impact we desire.