Teacher’s Salary

Most schools in Belize are Government Aided, this means teachers are paid by the Ministry of Education.  However, Bethel SDA School does not receive full assistance from the government.  We depend largely on payment of Registration, Monthly Contribution, fundraising and most important of all, in God’s care, for the operational expenses and for the salary of three of our teachers.  But only about 20% of our population can afford the fees levied.  Ms Kimberly Warrior, Ms. Les Wakefield and Ms. Eva Chi have been giving their time and skills through these months teaching our students.  We provide a small salary, $350, $250 and $200 respectively.  But they deserve more, especially because they use part of their own salary to provide school supplies for their students, prepare class material and assist their family with their needs.  With a monthly contribution of $250 for each you can assist these
teachers as they give of themselves to the children.

Salam Family 

Reginald Foste and Amalia Salam.  Reginald does not have a steady job yet.  They came from another community and are still in the process of settling in our community.  Amalia suffers from asthma, and because of a recent flu and cold she has been ill at the hospital recovering.  Older sister Nurciana (13 years old) stays by her bedside at the hospital because mother has a young baby who needs breastfeeding.  These four girls need your backing.  Together they need $170 for tuition and another $494 for a decent meal at school for the rest of the school year.

    Amalia Salam     Teodora Salam       Juanita Salam         Nurcina Salam

       April 9, 02         October 28, 1997     July 30,2000     November 12,1995

              K1                 Grade 3                Grade 2                  Grade 6

Pow Family

Lone mother: Nolberta

These children live with their mother.  Father does not have a stable job and his contribution to the children’s nurturing is sporadic.  Ms. Nolberta sews clothes for the neighbors to earn a little income.  She wants to keep her children in our school to expose them to a spiritual atmosphere.  Felecita, Kenroy, Linston and Anisha need $200 for tuition this school year.  With an additional $532 you can help feed them a nutritious lunch for the remaining part of the school year.

    Felecita Pow      Kenroy Pow           Anisha Pow          Linston Pow

October 16, 1994    August 24, 1999  August 25, 2004  December 6, 2003

     Grade 5                 Grade 3                     K1                       K2

Avila Family 

Ms. Alberta Avila suffers from epilepsy, but is a hard working woman.  She does cleaning in offices, schools and houses, but due to her illness many do not employ her on a regular basis. Tanisha and Delvin need $50 for tuition for the remainder of the school year.  With an additional $266 you can ensure a healthy lunch meal.

         Delvin Avila                      Tanisha Avila

       August 8, 1999                  October 18, 1996

            Grade 3                                Grade 5

 King Balak was livid with rage….  ‘I called you to curse my enemies and instead you have blessed them three times. (Numbers 24:10-13.)The Living Bible

“Balaam replied, ‘Didn’t I tell your messengers that even if you gave me a palace filled with silver and gold, I could not go beyond the words of Jehovah, and could not say a word of my own?  I said that I would say only what Jehovah says!’

The King of Moab and a wayward prophet from the Euphrates valley hatched a plan to pox the encampment of Israel.  You remember the story– an angel with drawn sword poised to pierce the clueless seer, the miserable beating and plaintive defense of a long-faithful donkey, followed by seven-fold sacrificial performances with impressive blood-lettings near overlooking cliffs.  Yet, that day’s efforts to voodoo the Hebrew hoard resulted in total fiasco.  It would have shown a bit of intelligence had those frustrated schemers saddled up and ridden on home permanently resigning themselves to God’s sovereign will. 

Balak had already shown a surly lack of consideration to Israel by refusing the weary Canaan-bound travelers safe-passage through his kingdom.  Down the path of history, that hateful meanness would net Moab national squelch.  In the case of apostate Balaam, he practically did a u-turn upon reaching home and then tore back to Moab, enticed by the lure of filthy lucre.  Whereas once he spoke only the words Jehovah planted in his mouth, this time he was on a mission for Satan designed to suck Israel into sex-sin and idolatry with the intention of turning the Chosen People into depraved rejects, easy pickings for their enemies.  Thousands went partying with Midianite Mata Haris obligating God once again to lay divine wrath on them.  Moses’ last military action before his own demise on Mt. Nebo, called for near-extermination of Midian.  Five enemy chieftains were slain, and among the massacred lay renegade Balaam.

 Balaam was once greatly respected because of the God-given gift of prophecy which he possessed, but like Judas, he threw that all away.  Balak could have assisted God’s people and assured his nation’s future.  Midian could have stayed close to Moses’ family and inherited the Messianic hope along with Israel.

 What spiritual gifts has God bestowed on us?  Do we cherish those gifts more than material riches?  How do we respond when faced by the pleas of God’s careworn people needing safe passage or a helping hand along the highway of life?  Is our hope focused on holiness to the Lord, or do the pleasures of this world ensnare us and others who take their cues from our words and actions? 

Palaces filled with gold and silver mean nothing compared to the opportunity of bestowing blessings on those God loves.  The Savior was anointed to give good news to the poor (Luke 4:18).  He did exactly that during his earthly ministry through miracles of healing, feeding great crowds of His listeners, and teaching wonderful lessons that lifted the hearts of the common folks and the oppressed.  With THANKSGIVING for all that He has done for us, perhaps we can change the course of our own personal history–living, and if necessary, dying “as happy as a righteous Israelite” (Numbers 23:10).

 “O Israel, hope in the Lord; for he is loving and kind, and comes to us with armloads of salvation.” 

 Psalms 130:7.

“Praise him who led his people through the wilderness, for his lovingkindness continues forever.”  Psalms 136:16.

“He is the God who keeps every promise, and gives justice to the poor and oppressed, and food to the hungry.  He frees the prisoners, and opens the eyes of the blind; he lifts the burdens from those bent down beneath their loads.  For the Lord loves good men.  He protects the immigrants, and cares for the orphans and widows.  But he turns topsy-turvy the plans of the wicked.”  Psalms 146:6-9.  The Living Bible.

Thankfully yours,

Mike Lynch

Missionary Partners in Central America

The second wave of the morning consisted of mothers bringing their children to be blessed–makes you wonder how many of those moms had been dumped and left to raise the kids alone while their men justified abandonment with easy
divorce writs notarized by temple sharks.

Clueless disciples jump right in shooing away what for them are pesky women and snot-nosed urchins until Jesus flashes His team a withering look and orders them to back off.  The kids are more than welcome!  In fact, they are the most welcome of everyone coming to see Him.

Standing a short ways off and watching the unfolding events is a young man who perhaps snickered at the put-down of the Pharisees, and the rebuking of the ill-tuned disciples.

This fellow likes what he sees; child-like himself, he is attracted to Jesus hoping for approval and blessings. He’s done all the religious requirements since he was a tyke but never felt secure in his personal salvation. He’s fed up with the Jewish clerics and all their sanctimonious put-on. Sprinting up and kneeling at Jesus’ feet he blurts out “Good Master, what do I have to do to be saved?”

Naturally, Jesus knows the mind-set and pattern of conditioning this eager young man has been subject to all his life, so He frames the expected reply in a context of law-abiding.

“If you want to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, don’t murder, don’t womanize, don’t rob, don’t lie, and don’t forget to honor your mother and father.” Jesus’ eyes were flashing a signal that He had more to say; the Spirit jabbed young Rich with the conviction that he needed to ask “What else?”

I suppose good Adventists would pipe up at this juncture reminding Rich about the other Commandments, especially the Fourth–keep the Sabbath. Why did the Master leave that all-important one out some sabbatarians might grouse? He could have nailed down SDA doctrine splendidy if only He hadn’t forgotten to include that point.

Instead, Jesus went with Practical Ministry. Needy mothers and children still surrounded Him as He spoke and here was this well-heeled tenderly moved individual wanting to know what else heaven expected from him. You really can’t blame Jesus for jumping at the chance–it was a perfect set-up for a humanitarian slam dunk. Besides, He knew this story was going to get into holy print for all time!

Missionary Partners, those mothers and children wanted blessings–not just warm fuzzies but real and tangible God-goods with which to face the hard things of life. The proud religious leaders, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to snare Jesus in their devilish traps.

Irresponsible males with hard-hearted divorce permits wanted to shirk family obligations free of guilt. And, as it turned out, sadly, this guy Rich wanted to eat his cake and have it too.

“Jesus told him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ But when the young man heard this, he went away sadly, for he was very rich”  Matthew 19:21, 22.

Think about what Jesus wanted to teach from this story. Keeping the Law is good and in a sense it might even play a part in our making it to heaven. But what is that Christ-likeness which really underlies the Law? Going to heaven, or as Jesus put it, “being perfect” has much to do with the “what else”

On another occasion Jesus told the crowd that they could send their money on ahead of them to heaven (Luke 12:32-34; Luke 12:21; Luke 14:12-14). That’s what He wanted Rich to do. And then, follow Him.

Missionary Partners, thank you very sincerely for coming to the aid of the mothers and children presented in the October letter.

Within a week of sending out that letter Guiselle and her daugher Maria Vindas were fully provided for.

Odalia Venegas and her two boys also received a generous donation.

Thanksgiving blessings to you,

Mike Lynch

What-else-ing still in missionland

“Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own!”
Matthew 24:45-47.

“Then I, the King, shall say to those at my right, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, into the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me…. ‘When you did it to these my brothers you were doing it to me’.”“ Matthew 25:34-40.

Odalia Venegas, 58, is another case we have presented on several occasions

 This mother is one of our community outreach contacts that has impacted us and stimulates our prayers and hopes of providing her with urgent practical sustenance. 

She is battling cancer and diabetes and just wants to continue providing for her boys as long as possible before she goes to her rest. 

Her marriage came to an end and there is very little support from other members of the extended family. 

Luis Gabriel, the older son, has another year to go in his secondary studies with a specialty in accounting. 

Odalia hopes he will soon be able to work and help the younger son, Aaron Lester, as he goes through high school. 

This younger son is dealing with epilepsy. 

What this family needs is a modest amount of monthly support from Missionary Partners to help them with a few of their basics. 

We suggest $100 to $150 during the remaining months of the present year and during the coming one.

Maria Vindas is a lovely sixth grader at the Autumn Miller church school in Alajuela, Costa Rica. 

This sweet girl is the delight of her teachers and family.  Maria consistently earns the highest grades in her classes. She is an active young person in the congregation where mother and daughter attend. 

We have shared this case with our Missionary Partners on several occasions in 2010 and 2011 but for reasons we can only surmise to be related to the recession affecting many of our once more willing backers, nobody has signed on to sponsor this gifted girl. 

Mother, daughter, and we are not ready to give up on God’s promises of answers of the positive sort for children such as Maria.
Somewhere among those who will read this letter 
 
He will find just the right “one”, or perhaps “ones”, to provide in a loving and generous way.
 
The mission school has apparently not had the wherewithal to provide students with scholarships these past two years.

Lone mother, Guiselle, was cleaning classrooms and ironing clothes for people trying to earn a living for the two of them. 

Guiselle also is caring for her elderly parents who are in failing health. 

This struggling mother also is battling her own health issues–she was diagnosed with cervical cancer some months ago.
 
Because Maria is such a good little scholar and so well-thought of by her teachers, the school has been willing to let her continue even with a lingering burden of debt from previous school years. 

It is time, however, for this situation to be resolved and the concern for family and school to be relieved. 

Won’t you please come to their aid at this time? 

We suggest $1,500 to bring this account up to