When conversing with my husband of 27 years, I don’t often find myself on the receiving end of the “would you like to go on a camping trip” question. In fact, my name and camping rarely collide in the same sentence unless we are laughing about my penchant for avoiding it like the plague or someone who knows me well says something like, “Jill’s idea of roughing it is a Motel 6. Har-dee-har-har.”
While I don’t think anyone would classify me as particularly high maintenance, it is a true statement that no one would look at me and have the words “earthy,” “pioneer woman,” or Girl Scout leader” suddenly spring to mind. But I guess in June 2023, on our 26th wedding anniversary, Wesley—who does have a good relationship with Mother Nature, by the way—decided he’d give it the ol’ college try one more time and attempt to lure me out of my well-established comfort zone, which at that particular moment, was in a luxury suite of an Omni Hotel. Not only did he want me to camp, he wanted me to camp…with people. This had all the makings of my own personal hell.
Rendezvous Caye
Ten months later, I was still not sure what made me agree to this trip, but me and my anxiety boarded the plane. I was making my first international trip as a member of the Legacy team, which also included Wesley, Brent (Richardson), and Kalyan (Cherukuri). The purpose of our visit was to evaluate the progress of Grace Instrument Academy, with whom Legacy first became involved in 2019. Together, we landed in Belize and immediately boarded a small plane to get us from the mainland to Caye Caulker, where we stayed overnight at La Isla Resort before boarding a 42’ catamaran the following day that would take us and 24 other people on a fishing and snorkeling adventure for the next 72 hours. The tour, chartered through Ragga Sailing Adventures, would be run by a five-person crew who were experts in snorkeling and deep sea fishing. They would tend to our every need both on the boat and when we made port at each of the cayes.
We set sail for Rendezvous Caye the next day. We took turns trying our hands at deep-sea fishing. We all dined on the fresh catches of the day, cooked up by a very talented chef whose knowledge and skill were passed through his ancestors. We learned about the country’s history and island life from the people who are native-born and those who chose to create new lives in Belize. The food and drink seemed never-ending. I could immediately feel my everyday cares washing away with the wind and the sea to the tunes of reggae music. I didn’t even know I liked reggae music.
There would be no snorkeling that day due to the heavy winds. And when we docked at Rendezvous Caye, I was questioning whether there would be any tents either. Putting up tents in 25-30 mph winds sure seemed like an exercise in futility at the time, but as it turns out, that many tired, suntanned (or, in my case, burnt), and hungry people find a way to get things done. While the wind didn’t knock down any tents, it did indirectly help break down the interpersonal barriers that many people tend to construct when they find themselves among strangers.
The traveling groups that boarded the boat were beginning to intermingle. People were becoming less hesitant and instead more open and friendly with one another. Cooperation and a willingness to help one’s neighbor were the calling card for the evening. We were even privileged to share in the joy of a young couple becoming engaged at the water’s edge, with a dazzling sunset behind them.
We shared in fellowship a la Chef’s amazing dinner, and the conversation flowed at the lengthy picnic table under the stars. It became apparent to me that what I was experiencing while in Belize was so much more significant than the “personal hell” I’d created in my mind. This trip was about hope —the hope found in weathering difficulties together, in the joy of new beginnings, and in the promise of a better tomorrow. I retired in our tent that night, having enjoyed the views and companionship yet anxious to get out of the wind.
Our journey from Rendezvous Caye to Tobacco Caye was full of wonder and beauty, exploring the reefs and marine life. The winds had abated, and snorkeling was on the agenda. OK, admittedly, I’m not a great swimmer. In fact, I’m usually about as enthusiastic about being in the water as I am about sleeping in a tent, but I was determined to check this box.
And what a box it was.
The reefs are nothing short of miraculous. As living beings all on their own, coral reefs are symbols of hope. Together, they provide a home for numerous species of marine life in all their colorful glory while protecting our coastlines from storms and erosion.
Back onboard the boat, Wesley tried his hand at fishing again and managed to reel in a lengthy barracuda, which made quite the tasty addition to the evening meal. We docked at Tobacco Caye that afternoon, with enough sunlight for me and three of my new compatriots to engage in a couple of games of volleyball outside one of the bungalows. Our last morning with the crew involved more snorkeling and searching for the elusive manatees before we were returned to the mainland at Dangriga via speedboats. By nightfall, our traveling quartet made it to Spanish Lookout.
Spanish Lookout
Spanish Lookout is a community in the Cayo District of Belize. It is mostly comprised of Mennonites, who have held a monopoly on generational wealth, businesses, and opportunity since the town was established in 1958. However, a small and oft-overlooked population of non-Mennonite people also live in this area. While the Mennonites provide a private education for their students all the way through grade 12, the children of other cultures and religions are not privy to the same advantages, attending schools subsidized through the Belizean government only through the sixth grade.
Yet, as I learned in the small community briefly and figuratively tied together by one 42-foot catamaran and from the fragile coral ecosystem populating our ocean’s reefs, signs of hope can always be found in places where like-minded individuals are striving toward the same goal. Grace Instrument Christian Academy, which also calls Spanish Lookout home, is one such place, providing secondary education for those outside the Mennonite community.
The school has been fully operational for three years now, and the computer lab that Legacy helped to create has been complete for some time. It was my first time seeing the school with my own eyes, and as I toured the classrooms in the building, I could feel that hope lived here.
I could see it in the posture of the students as they moved from class to class with pride.
I could feel it emanating from the teachers’ and staff’s words as they discussed the provided curriculum.
I could see it I the eyes of David and Dupe Adegbami, the founders of Grace Instrument Christian Academy, as they spoke to us of future plans to expand the school’s educational program through the addition of a culinary school, and widening their reach into the community to attract and retain more students and teachers.
A Renewed Hope
Hope is not a static function. While it acts within a person’s life, it doesn’t just stop there. It tends to spread to and act upon others. The benefactors of the education provided at GICA will graduate from this school and find more opportunities within their community, not just for themselves. They will pass this progress on to others as they are equipped to find better jobs, provide more for their families, and be in a position to help improve the world around them.
When I boarded that plane, the foremost thoughts in my mind were hoping that the personal discomforts would pass quickly and that I would now have the satisfaction of showing my husband that I can actually step out of my comfort zone. But the satisfaction I actually found was in the privilege of witnessing the blossoming of hope in areas extrinsic to myself. As a member of the Legacy team, I feel so honored to have played a small role in that.
On a side note: will I ever do any camping again? I feel pretty good in saying that I have at least another 27 years to think about it.
