Peace Valley, Belize - Project

December 23, 2009
Hola from Belize!!!

We made it safe and sound and everything has been great so far.

The trip down went like clockwork - customs, airport security, first time flying for some!  We even had a welcome party waiting for us at the Belize airport.  Scouts from Burrell Boom were waiting for us, bought us coconut tarts and escorted us out of the airport and in the right direction to the Valley of Peace.

We arrived at TEC (Tropical Education Centre) for our first night stay and first taste of Belizean food - rice & beans.  After supper we took a night tour of the zoo.  It rained but we were still able to see lots of native animals, fed some and petted the jaguar (through the cage). 

We arrived monday morning in the village.  We were told that the road into the village had been paved.  They have a different definition of paved than we do!  Basically they took the really big bumps out and left the medium & small sized ones.  It has been raining heavily for the last few weeks.  We got stuck on the road to Consuela's and had to find another way into the village.  It took us right by the shelter that the group built 3 years ago.  It looked great with the wall painted with the Canadian Flag.  We stopped at the clinic site.  Because of the rains they were behind and hadn't gotten the floor finished yet.  No problem -we're here to work!

We started that afternoon - we cut rebar, tied rebar & hauled gravel.  Tuesday, we hauled gravel, laid wire mesh to prepare for the floor, cut wood for building forms, dismantled an old brick septic tank.  About the gravel - because of the rain, the dump truck  got stuck on the road about 800 m away from the site.  To get out, it had to dump its load.  We had a dozen trips with pick up trucks to get it to the work site.  The work site is at the top of a steep hill.   Another dump truck dumped half of  its load part way up the hill.  That we moved with many wheelbarrow loads. 3 people pulling it up with rope while one steered!

Today - Wednesday, we poured the floor for the 30 x 30 foot building.  That's 83 bags of concrete which means 42 loads in the mixer, 126 - 5 gallon buckets of water, 86,000 shovels of gravel mix and 320 trips with wheel barrows!  Its the most beautiful floor  we've ever seen!

We're staying at Consuela's.  Because of the rain making the yard too wet, they cleared room in their little house and invited 17 Canadians to move in with them.  How many of us would do something like that!  Their hospitality has been overwhelming.  The food is awesome and mostly unpronounceable and nobody is complaining.

For us, the highlight so far is how well everyone is doing - great teamwork, lots of laughter &  energetic hard work.  Lots for you to be proud about!

Adios Amigos - until the next one!
Robbie & Myles

December 26, 2009
Hola from Belize!

Christmas Eve day - we worked for half the day.  The floor was dry enough to be able to start laying block.  We got 2 courses of block laid.  The Belizean's started and showed us how to mortar between the blocks.  Some did that while others carried blocks onto the floor area.  Some carried on digging for the septic tank.  Day two working on this.  6 feet down in very rocky ground.  Some use pick axes to break the ground while others use shovels to dig it out.  Its rather hot and humid so we take breaks often or spell each other off.  The rest were moving dirt - moving dirt you say!  The dump truck brought the sand for the mortar but couldn't get all the way up the hill so dumped half of it part way up.  Back to pulling wheel barrows full up the hill with rope!

We finished at noon to take showers.  We haven't been able to use the showers yet as the water tank for the village keeps running dry.  At noon though - we struck water!  They were the best feeling showers ever!  Other days we went for a swim in the river or used buckets to bathe.

3 pm was an exciting time for the kids in the village.  We hosted them for a Christmas party.  We weren't sure how many to expect but brought crafts (marshmallow snow men, snow flakes, christmas tree ornaments), candies, stickers and of course ... Santa!  They have never had Santa visit the village before so the kids were quite thrilled when he came out of one of the school rooms - in full red & furry outfit, complete with beard, hat, and santa sack full of toys!  When he first came out ringing the sleigh bells, the first few kids turned then ran to him, then a few more then it was like a dam bursting - no one was left at the craft tables - they surrounded Santa with looks of awe and joy.  Each got to sit with Santa and we took pictures and printed them off there so they could take them home.  It was a very moving and inspiring event.

That evening, in the Belizean tradition, it was fireworks all night as people celebrated Christmas eve.  A few of the group went to a church service (in spanish) and several just sat in the front yard, watching the fireworks and singing Christmas carols by guitar.

Feliz Navidad!  Its Christmas morning.

Wow, what a day. We woke up around six in the morning as we always do in the house. While everyone was packing up their gear for our excursion. Santa came and handed out the cards to us all from our parents and families. Some of us had a tougher time than others reading the cards but all were surprised and excited to get them.  One said it was the best Christmas present they ever received.  It was a time of reflection for everyone and recognizing what was really important about Christmas.  As one of the youth said, it was the first time they ever woke up Christmas morning and didn't have presents under the tree to open - and that was ok - this year, we get to play Santa for a whole village and give them a medical clinic.  17 Canadians found the meaning of Christmas in Belize - its about family and traditions - about giving a gift not receiving one!

After opening our cards, we set out for our Christmas adventure - we spent the day at Rio hon Pools.  A beautiful river with sets of falls and rapids.  It was splashing & swimming, sliding down rock chutes into pools and standing under the falls for a massage!  In the afternoon, we gather at a rock outcropping in the river, the roar of the falls behind us, the warmth of the sun above us and had a Scouts Own.  It was a beautiful setting to reflect as we read the story of the birth of Jesus and talked about our mission.

We left the river to go to San Ignacio where we are staying a couple of nights at La Loma Luz - a private medical hospital run by Grant McPhereson, a Rotarian who is helping with the project.  Mattresses & showers - it was like we were staying at a palace!  We ended our Christmas day by attending a service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. 

We're in San Ignacio now for the day.  Some shopping and exploring in the village this morning and soon to head to the Mayan temple ruins of Xunantunich for the afternoon.

All is well - lots of laughter still! 

'til our next bulletin.

Robbie and Myles

December 30, 2009
Buenos Tardes

January 4, 2010
Feliz Anno Neuvo (Basically that is supposed to mean Happy New Year in Spanish)

The last few days of 2009 were spent at the work site in the rain. On Thursday just 4 of us went to the site in the morning to check if we would be able to work because of the rain. 2 delivery trucks arrived so we brought the rest of the crew in to unload. We spent Thursday and Friday working in the rain - building forms, pouring the door and window lintals and columns. The 4 days we spent digging "the pit" became 5 as we arrived Thursday morning to find a mini mud slide partially collapsed a wall.

We worked 'till 4pm New Years Eve and then cleaned up for our night's festivities. Consuela cooked Belizean lasagna and a dish called black rice. We also had some Gibnut (a jungle rodent that one of the villagers shot and roasted). We found out the village has its own pool hall (four tables from the 80's). So we played pool for a couple of hours then gathered at Consuela's daughter's for latin dancing and fire crackers. About 50 people showed up to dance and watch the crazy canucks with the moves. After we rang in the New Year it was off to bed because we were working New Years day.

Few woke to our alarms Friday morning so it was a bit of a rush for us to get to the worksite in the morning. It rained most of the morning but we were still able to pour the final lintals and take down some frames. We spent our afternoon crowded in Consuela's house because of the rain. Saturday morning we worked until noon laying the last 3 courses of block and building frames and rebar to pour the belt beam.

Saturday afternoon we headed off to Old Belize to meet with the Burrell Boom Scouts. We toured the musuem and rode a 650 foot zip-line - the longest in Belize! We then went back to Burrell Boom where they had a feast of barbequed chicken for us. We followed that with Ice Cream and a pickup basketball game. We stayed the night at Camp Oakley which is Belize's national Scout Camp.

Sunday morning we packed up from Camp Oakley and drove into Belize City to catch the water taxi to Ambergris Caye. An hour and a half speed boat ride got us to the caye where we were able to swim and shop and eat ice cream (several times). We went snorkelling Monday morning to Hol Chan Marine Park and Shark Ray Alley. The choral reefs and the colourful fish were unbelievable. We swam with sharks and rays, schools of fish, a family of turtles and a couple baracuda. It is a totally different world down there.

It is Monday afternoon and we are about to get on a water taxi to head back to the village. It's going to be a busy week as we pour the belt beam tomorrow, and half to work on the interior walls, plastering, painting, installing plumbing and electrical and putting a roof on. We are expecting the Rotary Club of Belmopan to join with us tomorrow for their meeting and to help us on the building. We are planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for the 8th just before we head home.

Tanning in Belize,

Robbie & Myles

January 7, 2010
Buenes Tardes

Good Afternoon From Belize

We arrived back in the Valley on Monday after our two days of the sun on the Caye. The last three days we have been back at the site. We have been starting at the same time as we did before but working 'till as late as 6 or 7 so that we can get more done. Some of the jobs have been the same jobs as before: framing,  laying block, pouring concrete, moving boards and blocks, but we have tried a few new jobs. We have begun plastering one of the walls as well as welding window frames, and we poured a concrete ramp. The septic tank is all done - no more cave-ins. We are not as far along as we hoped to be. The rain prior to us getting here slowed down the Belizeans from getting started, and the rain while we have been here have slowed things down as well. We hope the roof will arrive tomorrow so that we can get that started and if there is no rain we may paint the wall tomorrow.

We hosted the Belmopan Rotary Club on Tuesday. About 20 Rotarians showed up including 4 from California and the American Ambassador to Belize. The Rotary Club has helped with the logistics of the project here while we were still in Canada. They all received a tour from a shirt-less Jeff!

When we arrived in the Valley we found out that 2 of Consuela's grandsons had graduated from Elementary school but have not gone on to highschool because their family cannot afford it. The contingent has agreed to sponsor them and pay for the fees. It was inspiring how quickly our youth jumped to this need. It is strange how in Canada where education is free we often take school for granted (some even resist going) and yet these boys so badly want to go but until now were not able. Their older brother, who also was not able to go to highschool, said this is a once in a life-time opportunity for them. We will never fully know what kind of impact this will make on their lives.

Tomorrow we are planning a ribbon cutting ceremony and will hand over the keys to the Ministry of Health. After that we will also take pictures of us all in uniform at the community centre which we built 3 years ago.

See you soon.

Robbie & Myles

January 11, 2010
Well, we're now back in Canada - the land of snow, cold and flushing toilets!

Although our last newsletter was just a day and a half before leaving, it seems that so much happened in that last little bit and we have so much to say, so hang on - its a long one!

First, some reflections on a few events that happened earlier in the trip that didn't get into newsletters:

- after being in the village for a few days, we found out that one of Consuela's daughters - Isabel, who had been cooking for us, had recently had surgery.  the family didn't have the money to pay for the surgery she needed so Consuela had gathered up all the family jewellery (many passed on from her mother and grandmother) and gave it to the doctor in Belmopan as collateral so that Isabel could have the surgery.  Because they weren't growing anything in the farm because of the rains had washed everything out, the boys found work cutting wood and building fences for a land owner.  The money they made, they gave to Consuela so she could get her jewellery back.  It gave us all a chance to pause and reflect how lucky we are and how much we take for granted here in Canada.

- in talking with Consuela, we found out that there was a family living across the road that literally had nothing.  Their farm had been washed out so the husband was elsewhere in the country trying to find work.  The mother had 4 little girls and was expecting a fifth child.  They lived in a 1 room shack not much larger than a big garden shed.  They had no electricity so their only light was a couple of candles and the fire she cooked on.  One end of the room had a raised floor for sleeping on but was too small for everyone so there was a small bed for one or two of the girls on the dirt floor.  The bed consisted of two layers of concrete blocks, no mattress or pillows, only a blanket.  They had no food except for a few cabbages.  We bought some food for them, a sack of rice, beans, cooking oil, canned meat, eggs, juice and a few more items.  The mother cried when some of the team members took it over.  They had stuck half a dozen 'God Bless Canada' flag stickers on their door and after that, when ever we drove by on our way to the work site the 4 girls would come running out of their hut waving and yelling to us.  Again, a chance to reflect on the blessings we have at home.

- into our second week of work, a group of Americans arrived to start construction on a small community library building.  They worked for a week and got the area cleared and poured the foundation and floor.  They came each morning and after their day's work drove off to stay at Banana Bank - a resort lodge about 20 minutes away.  There was a lot of interesting discussion about this.  We suffered a distinct loss of comfort in our stay - no showers at times, toilets that didn't work and that you couldn't flush the toilet paper down, extremely crowded conditions (at one time, up to 30 people living at the house), rice and beans and tortillas again, and again, and again, fire ants, dogs barking and roosters crowing at all hours of the night and very wet conditions - they wouldn't trade the experience for the comfort.  The youth realized how much more we were taking home because of our relationship with the family and the villagers in general.  If we stayed at at the resort, we wouldn't have the life lessons above.  We wouldn't have found out about the boys not going to high school and been able to help them.  We wouldn't have had a memorable new year's eve.  It was great to hear them all say they wouldn't have given up all that up for some comfort.  We were very proud of them!

Thursday it rained all day.  We still worked - same old - built forms, poured the last outside beam, plastered and welded and painted - all in the rain.  It wasn't so bad for us but cold for the Belizeans.  The contingent really stepped it up that day despite the weather conditions.  About 5 pm that afternoon we heard a strange music from the top of the hill where we were working.  It was a lively, chiming music we all recognized but didn't belong in the village.  After a few minutes of hearing it we were all astounded to see an ice cream truck coming down the bumpy, rutted road.  Yes - a Belizean Dickie Dee truck!  It was kind of surreal as we all started shouting and yelling and waving for the truck.  It made it up the hill and there, on a cold rainy day, 17 crazy Canadians and our crazy Belizean friends ate ice cream and laughed and danced in the rain!

That night, we began preparing for our return home.  Packing personal gear, sorting out contingent gear and getting ready for our last day of work and the ceremony to hand over the keys to the medical clinic to the Ministry of Health.  It was still raining and we were assured it would be raining on Friday.  The mood wasn't very cheery.

Friday we woke up and through the clouds we actually saw blue sky.  We began work, cleaning up the site preparing for the ceremony.  Some painted the screen frames, some built frames to pour the interior beams.  The plaster was too wet to paint yet.  The sky remained clear!  Then, the truck arrived with the roof parts.  The steel trusses were all prefabbed in Belmopan and we were worried we wouldn't see any of it before we left.  It was exciting as the truck was unloaded and the trusses were quickly hauled onto the building.  It was great to see the roof start to form - the building looked far more finished than just a few hours earlier - it had the final shape of a building.  They assured us that by the end of Saturday, it would all be completed - trusses, purloins and the metal sheeting.  It was designed to withstand a hurricane, providing another protected site for the village.  Just before lunch, the guys who worked the 'big store' invited us over.  The store is across from the clinic at the bottom of the hill.  We provided a significant boost to the local economy by FREQUENTLY buying pops (Fanta's), cookies, coconut squares, pringles and much more from them.  They wanted to say thanks for building the clinic and to say good bye so they treated us to pops and cookies - it was the best tasting pop of the trip.

We finished work at 1 pm so that we could shower, have lunch, get into our uniforms and have the hand over ceremony at 3 pm.  We had the local member of parliament, the CEO for the Ministry of Health and other ministry officials, Rotarians, the Coordinator of the Canada fund for the Canadian Embassy and our new friend, the American Ambassador all show up for the ceremony.  We unveiled a plaque to recognize our sponsors who funded the building materials - The Brotherhood Fund of Scouts Canada, the Canada Fund and the Rotary Club of Sarnia.  We also presented gifts to many of the villagers who we worked side by side with us at the building site.  The building's not done yet.  There is the roof to finish, more plastering to finish the walls so they can be painted and the interior walls to be put up.  We know the villagers are keen and ready to finish it.  They assure us it will be done by the end of January - we know that will be done because they finished the hurricane shelter/ community centre after we left last time.  So we presented the keys to the Ministry of Health.  Keys for a door not yet installed!  It is 80% complete and it felt great turning it over.  Dr. Allen, the CEO for the Ministry reaffirmed their commitment to staff the clinic with a nurse and doctor (the doctor has already been assigned) so we know a new chapter on health care for the village has begun.

After our ceremony, the team and Consuela went over to the shelter we built in 2006 so that all could look at it.  It was an emotional time for the 4 team members that were involved in its construction.  We held a Scouts Own, laughed, cried, hugged and took pictures.  Dinner that night was much quieter as we presented thank you's to the family, our cooks and Oscar, our building foreman, started to say good byes, finished packing and started to turn our thoughts to home.

We could end it here (and perhaps we should, this last newsletter is a long one!!!) but there is still a couple of things to note!

On the trip home, we gathered at the Miami airport between flights to talk about life back home.  Here's Robbie and Myles Top 10 list to adjusting to life back home:

10 - Now we say thank you not Gracias
9 - When driving down the street, don't expect everyone to wave back
8 - Don't be disappointed when your mom doesn't pack rice and beans for lunch|
7 - If its yellow - yes, you can flush now!
6 - At the start of the day, you don't have to pack your bag for shower or swim
5 - Malaria Monday's are over - NOT!
4 - James, we don't care if you pump up your mattress at 3 in the morning any more
3 - Shirts are back on now (Jeff)
2 - Don't be surprised if your teacher won't let you out for a Fanta break
and the Number 1 way to adjust back to life in Canada
1 - Don't put the toilet paper in the waste basket - you can flush it now!

As we got into the Detroit airport, we were greeted by signs saying 'Scouts Canada - welcome home from Belize' and two limo drivers waiting.  Yes, we rode back in style from Detroit to Sarnia.  Stretch limo's & pizza.  We found out that a stretch will fit through the McDonalds drive-thru (one last round of ice cream cones!).  It was a great way to arrive home to family.  We sorted out our luggage at The Inn and at 2 am Sunday morning, sang 'If we had a hammer' one last time, said a prayer, hugged, cried some more and headed to our homes.

It was an experience that none of us will ever forget.  Certainly life changing for us and for our friends in the Valley of Peace.  We will never fully know just how great of an impact we made on the people of the Valley of Peace but in our busy Canadian lives we can always stop and think about our brothers and sisters in the valley and know that they have made us better. We are very proud of every member of the team and feel very honoured to have been able to lead such an awesome group of young men and women.

Gracias and Adios from Belize and Canada.

Robbie and Myles