Princess Tea Party

This blog could be about me and my experience living in Belize. About how I'm frustrated with being whistled at as I bike through town daily. About how I am enjoying my team and our journey to becoming a sustainable NGO. About how Marie Sharp's pepper sauce can and should be put on all foods. Instead, this blog exists to glorify God and communicate his goodness that is happening around me. Something good happened on Thursday, February 18th.

God has revealed insecurities of girls in our village through whispers or yells. They can be heard  calling each other ugly or fat regularly. A common battle of women of all ages around the world is struggling to find themselves beautiful and valued. It is written in God's Word how each woman is uniquely beautiful and God's own treasure. The girls in San Antonio village, without spiritual guidance of a local church or literacy skills to read the bible themselves, are unexposed to their identity in God's family.

My 14 year old friend Clishara and I set a plan to host a Princess Tea Party for young ladies to come celebrate who they truly are: princesses. God is the King, and as his daughters we are Princesses. Collierville United Methodist Women had sewn and gifted me 25 reversible dresses to distribute to the village. A bright Saturday morning was perfect to go house-to-house giving a dress to each girl. As Clishara and I approached a group of young preschool girls on the basketball court in the center of town, mothers came to admire the dresses. A few asked, "How much for one?" It was humbling to explain they were a gift from my home church. Also, each dress came with a prayer attached and prayers interwoven in the process of their assembling. 

We passed out all of the dresses, exactly the amount we needed for each size, and invited each girl to our Princess Tea Party on Tuesday. The party was to have discussion, games, music, and cookies with milk!

Tuesday brought heavy rains in the morning, and to prevent the girls walking through puddles and rain in their new dresses, we postponed it to Thursday. Canceling was a process of texting teachers at the school to tell their students, and for students to tell younger sisters. A network that worked brilliantly. We also had to cancel a Skype date scheduled with the group of women who made the dresses in Tennessee. Thursday, at that time, was showing an unfavorable percentage of rain in the forecast, so we asked for many prayers to withhold the rain until after our party. 

Wednesday was a mix of confusion and lingering excitement for the tea party the following day. Project 61 staff was anxious for the continued possibility of rain, and we took each of those worried thoughts to the Lord.

Thursday came with 100% rain for 2, 3, and 4pm. Our tea party was to start at 4. Alas, the sun was bright and the ground was dry for the barefoot, slipper, and high heeled arrival of our Princesses.

In typical central American fashion, only 5 girls were present at 4 o'clock. An older girl was sent around the village on bike to hail the remaining invitees. We waited for more friends and the girls weren't sure what this event would hold, as one 7 year old commented "This is boring." I laughed and reassured her we hadn't started yet.

Around 4:30, we had a party of 35 guests (ages 3-17 and 3 moms) divided into 3 groups for activities and discussion. We dressed up one representative from each group with a crown, necklace, ring, baby doll, and heart bracelet. In rounds of 5 minute discussions, we looked at specific scripture and talked about how each truth related to being a young lady of God daily. With each topic discussed, the representative removed one item of their accessories.

The topics we discussed and items were:

Baby doll-we are Gods children and he is our Father

Ring-we are sparkly

Necklace-we are beautiful

Heart-we are loved

Crown-we are royalty

Selfie on a phone-we are perfectly made

At the conclusion of our discussions our princess representatives were back to their normal appearance. The girls themselves realized the truth that even when we don't have a crown on, we are royal and that we are always sparkly like a shiny ring in God's eyes. One 10 year old also made the connection that all people are made in God's image, therefore we can't call them ugly because that is calling something that looks like God ugly. It was incredible to hear their minds react to who our Heavenly Father declares they are.

A 13 year old, who hadn't showed much interest in the small group talks or activities, has since asked when the next Princess Tea Party is. I hope and pray her intent isn't to wear a dress and eat cookies again, but to be reminded about her worth as God's precious daughter. All in all, I pray these truths embed in the hearts of these young ladies when upcoming years hold insecurity of body image and boys to build them up to tear them down. Join us in prayer that they see themselves as worthy of love, beautiful, and valued as a woman in the kingdom of God.

People, people please

After a splendid month at home with my favorites, I've realized my gaping desire for friendship in Belize. People's need for community and relationship is interwoven in our being.

God, who is all encompassing, the beginning and the end, has never been alone. The Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit) has displayed perfect community through all time. As image bearers of God, we too search for connectedness with others around us. God knew this aspect of our design during creation. With the very first man, God claimed 'it is not good for man to be alone' (Gen 2:18). Introverts and extroverts alike have a natural desire to be known. Some thrive in noisy environments with large groups gathered while others prefer one on one conversations. We seek community through different avenues, ranging from maintaining friendships since kindergarten to striking up conversation in an elevator. Then there are international missions.

Athletic teams, church organizations, and school clubs filled my childhood with incredible people and memories together. I was spoiled by familiar faces facilitating years of relationships. For me, moving to another city and knowing no one was lonely. Another country, culture, and language; difficult. Seen and stereotyped without a word to defend yourself; frustrating. People either think you're too proud to speak with them or see your existence as dollar signs and a handout. (Not so fun fact, someone called me Money. As in 'Good morning Money.') Also, in my brief experience here, I've found that women are often treated as objects, but that is for another time. I have found it difficult to find a solid community of like-minded people.

I have found moderate community in various bubbles of Belize. There lingers a void of missing deep connectedness of my friends and family in the States; where a phone call doesn't scratch the itch of simply being with my top notch people.

Here are glimpses of Belizean interactions that've blessed me:

-a bike stacked with two mesmerized children when we experienced God's beauty in darkness during a citywide blackout (See 'God is the Star of this show')

-daily interactions with Brianna, a 19 year-old selling her grandmother’s homemade chicken salbutes, panades, or tamales out of a bucket on her bike. She is greeted with a cheer of BRIANNA!!! from staff and kids in our program as she approaches with a wide grin

-early morning dancing and parading behind a flatbed 18 wheeler with hundreds of neighbors of all ages covered in paint and glitter, enjoying each other and celebrations of oncoming carnival season

-a pretend tea party with 5 year olds in a playground treehouse

-hospitality of strangers in churches we have visited, displaying generosity of time, food, and support towards our ministry in San Antonio

-waiters, waitresses and managers of restaurants we regularly visit. Our times with them are much more than business or a meal. (Alma, you the realest)

-being a motherly role, assisting children getting ready for bed and getting ready for school, without knowing where their biological mother is or when she will return

-a sweet conversation with our market lady, who supplies us with fresh fruits and vegetables. She was curious about our time at home in the States and gave us a gift of Papanero (papaya/habenero salsa)

Although these relationships are new and surface level to begin, they will continue to flourish over time with intentional conversations and exposure to deeper characteristics of each. Most of these people I see often, multiple times a week if not daily. I only know the parts of their lives they've offered to share with me, or the parts I've curiously inquired about. However, I cannot say I truly know them. So it is natural with a variety of relationships, to vaguely know your market lady versus deeply understanding a youth you long to clearly present the Gospel daily.

My Belizean people don't realize how I selfishly yearn for them to know me better too. Like 'Hey kid, ask me about MY life!' But God knows me throughout. I know this to be true by David's description of God's knowledge of his children found in Psalm 139.

        1You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

Wow. Every thought. Every fear. So God, The Lord (master) of Heaven and Earth, the great I AM.....knows me? And still loves me?! Yes Hallelujah, He knows all of my qualities that stem from an often ugly heart, yet still adores me enough to walk before me and with me daily. And (here comes the boom) poured out the blood of His only son as a perfect sacrifice for all my sin! My endless effort striving to be known on Earth can make me dry and exhausted; on the other hand what joy and comfort abounding when I remember the One who made all things knows and loves me through and through! In that, I find great rest.

In order to nurture this relationship as well, I need to learn more about God through spending time with him. Discipline is weak in this area; in my free time I gravitate to social media to stay up to speed with life happenings of friends and mere acquaintances, Netflix for entertainment, or attempts to broaden my missionary mindset by reading our team book assigned in June. Instead of indulging in mindless hobbies after a hard day of serving a struggling population, I should aim to be recharged by perfect truth. Isaiah 40:31 says 

"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary, 

they will walk and not be faint."

This divine renewal of strength proves more reliable than scrolling through Pinterest recipes during down time. Setting aside time spent in the Word, prayer to hear Him and be in His presence should be more important in my day. As it urges in James 4:8 "Come near to God and he will come near to you." Pray my desire to seek Him further.

So my friends, hug the folks with whom you grab the occasional coffee with, utilize the intentionality of your small group, and cherish those random grocery store reunions. And when it's time, dig deeper, know fuller, and love harder. Miss ya!