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2/12/2003 –

Patrick and I made it safely back to Birmingham from Belize on Wednesday, January 29. The bus performed well after its two year sojourn in Belize and for the first time was able to sail the high seas like the 19^th century missionary ship it takes its name from—"The Dayspring."  The 36-hour ferry trip from the Yucatan peninsula to Tampa, Florida was enjoyable and provided a welcome rest in the midst of travel. Thank you for all that prayed for our journey. We can truly say your prayers were felt.

Our first full day on the road after leaving San Jose resulted in an air brake problem, but the abandoned gas station we "happened" to stop at that night was right where we needed to be. An American missionary whom we did not know pulled up and invited us to his house up the road.  His next door neighbor was "the best mechanic in Belize," a 74 yr. old Canadian who specialized in air brake systems! He happily worked on the bus the following day and we were then on our way. Our second day, when in Mexico, the bus began mysteriously cutting off outside of the city of Villadolid. However, as we began keeping our eyes peeled for a mechanic, the bus came to a halt right in front of a garage. The mechanic who owned it not only spoke broken English, but he also knew our fuel system and within an hour and a half we were on our way again. During the whole trip the Lord's hand was evident in a special way.

We have returned to very cold weather!  Belize is an ideal temperature year-round. Over the month of February we will be preparing for a mission conference at a church in Birmingham. We will be present along with 30 other missionaries from around the world to share about our work and hopefully be able to recruit individuals to assist us in Belize this summer.

Michael is holding down the mission station in San Jose while we are away. He informed us that so far his time has been going well, but quickly. A few sets of neighbors have been having him over quite often to eat and visit. As he is continuing to show Bible videos to the children on Sundays, the numbers have already grown to 102! At this rate we could come close to having all of the 250 village children by the end of the summer.

Please remember Michael in your prayers as he represents Dayspring Mission in Belize. Especially pray too for the children of San Jose. They are our greatest potential for outreach, as their hearts are still very open to the gentle call of the Spirit.

5/22/2003 –

We have slowly but surely made our way to McAllen, Texas from Birmingham on the first leg of our return trip to Belize in the bus. We will be crossing the Mexican border in the morning. The trip has gone well so far. On Saturday we were delayed a little north of Corpus Christi when we discovered that the engine was overheating. The weather has definitely become warmer as we have headed south.  At first we thought the water pump had gone out and we were anticipating having to spend a lot of money. However, after calling around locally we found a pastor who was happy to come out and assist us. He had two mechanics in his congregation, one who came out Saturday night and found that the problem was only a broken bolt. The other mechanic came out the next morning and fixed it for virtually nothing. So the whole situation allowed us to see God work in both leading us to fellowship with new friends and providing the men to help out.

We were back on the road Sunday afternoon and then had another minor incident—a tire blew out.  This was not a big deal since we had a spare and the tools to change it, but it definitely gave everyone the whole, new experience of changing a rear bus tire.

We need your prayers for crossing the border in the morning. Even though we have done it before in the bus, we never know just what to expect. Going all the way to Belize with the supplies we have could cause things to be a little different than a regular RV passing through. Pray that we will have wisdom as to filling out paper work and that most of all God will prepare the hearts of the officials we will come into contact with. Also pray for the rest of the trip which we anticipate to be about a week longer; that we will seize the opportunities to minister that God puts before us and that He will receive all of the glory.

Jeff and Patrick, a few hundred miles south of Texas.

6/3/2003 –

We made it through Mexico about as quickly as possible in the bus—four days. We had no problems at either the Mexican or Belize borders. The latter we crossed in an hour, which is a record for us. The Lord timed it that our few minor bus problems occurred north of the Mexican border. Though we don't know much Spanish and were moving at a fast pace, we were able to hand out quite a few Spanish New Testaments at gas stations and restaurants along the way. We could tell those who received them were grateful, and surprised that we were giving them free of charge. The Lord's hand was evident in many ways. It is always wonderful to recognize God at work in all the details of life. Thank you to all who prayed us through our journey.

We have been visiting with a missionary family in northern Belize we have known for a couple of years since Monday morning. The time has been such an encouragement as we rest and prepare to return to the field. We will be picking up Scott Feldman, another intern that will be spending the summer with us along with Ricky, at the airport in Belize City on Thursday. Hopefully we will be in San Jose by Friday. We are all looking foward to getting off the road after two weeks of travel and settling down in the village. Pray for us as we will be having our first Bible School with the children on Sunday at 1PM.

6/13/2003 –

We've been back in the village for a week now. Patrick, Ricky and I picked up Scott at the international airport in Belize City in the bus last Thursday. We were in San Jose the next day by lunch time after two and a half weeks of travel. It was nice to get up the next morning and know we didn't have to hit the road. Our first week back has been spent unpacking the bus and re-organizing the Bible House. We also poured a new sidewalk from the road to the house in preparation for rainy season which seems to have begun about two days after we arrived. This was a blessing since the hill to our house would have been too muddy for the bus to climb had the rains started earlier. Michael was glad to see everyone and has had many stories to relate about his four months in the village alone and the new relationships he built.

On Sunday we had Children's Bible School.  All the children were excited to watch Scott play his drum and Ricky play the bass guitar. We now have a whole band to lead the children in singing.  There were 120 children present on roll and many others who popped in to watch. Sunday evening we showed a cartoon about Joseph and the house was filled with both children and adults.

It is a joy to be back where God has called Patrick and me to labor. The friends we have made welcomed us back with visits, smiles and even a few meals! Next week we are resuming our Thursday Bible study in Santa Cruz, the Friday night youth study, and in July, a Tuesday afternoon children's school. We seek your prayers for each of these and for Sunday school at 1 PM each week.

Scott and Ricky have been making the assimilation into village life. Each has been taking turns going with Michael and me to water and move the horses every day. On Wednesday Scott spent the day washing clothes by hand and then the afternoon and next day trying to dry them in between the rains. Ricky made the hike to Santa Cruz with me on Thursday and was able to meet some of our friends there. The five of us will be going through a study on prayer together, which is something you can be in prayer about; that we will individually cultivate a deeper prayer life this summer and that our group times of prayer will be strong and focused on how God is leading the ministry for the summer.

7/13/2003 –

Our ministry opportunities here in San Jose have increased as the summer has progressed. With the village children having finished school at the end of June, we have begun having Bible school on Tuesday afternoons. We have met twice already and are taking a slightly different approach than on Sundays. Something we were able to acquire while in the US was 12 puppets. This has been a blessing that we have anticipated since beginning our work here with the children. On Tuesdays Scott and Mike have been doing puppet skits covering two of the Ten Commandments each week.  The children enjoy it, as it adds a new dynamic to teaching. We have also been showing cartoons about the persecution of Christians in Rome around 60 BC. This coincides great with teaching through the book of Acts on Sundays.

Ricky and I (Jeff) have made two trips to a small village nearby named Naluumkaj ("Mother Earth" in the Mopan language).  It has been exciting to see God at work, as this village is one Patrick and I have prayed about over the past year, hoping for the open door to obtain an inroad into for ministry. After visiting with a man there two weeks ago, he invited Ricky and me to return to teach the Bible to the 25 or so children that live there. We are planning on beginning on July 23 and teaching once a week for what we hope will continue past the summer. This is an opportunity we need prayer for, that God will keep this door open and that He will prepare the hearts of those hearing the word.

As many of you know, we have a short-term team from Birmingham coming in August to help us with a VBS for the children. Currently there are over 20 planning on making the trip. Please be in prayer for all that God desires to do through and in those coming, as well as for the children and adults here who will witness the truth lived out in the lives of the team members.

7/23/2003 –

We asked Scott Feldman, one of the two interns working with us this summer, to write this update to give you a different perspective, and allow Scott to share his heart and about what God has been teaching him.

"Intern"al Perspectives 

Almost two months have passed since I landed in Belize City to begin my internship with the "guys and dogs" of Dayspring Mission. This summer has provided amazing opportunities for ministry and spiritual growth.

It all began with an invitation to step up to the plate of spiritual obedience this past semester at the church I’m attending while in college in Birmingham. The Lord amazed me as He demonstrated His sovereignty by providing all of the funds necessary for this summer. After a frantic one and a half weeks at home with my parents, I was off.

I can't say that the first two weeks here rank as my favorite. For someone who prefers freezing weather, the heat and constant, sticky humidity present some challenges. Still, physical discomfort can translate into spiritual application.

Living in San Jose, I felt like a giant compared to the Mayans at first! Feeling God grow a love for the Mayans within me honestly has been surprising and humbling. Living among these people has also taught me a great deal about cross-cultural ministry, something which definitely will aid me in the future.

I can't say that working with children would have been my first choice for this summer, but I now understand the precious privilege of instilling God's truth in young minds and hearts. Teaching children using the felt board is fun and even educational for me. Praise and worship on Sundays and Tuesdays is also great; the kids seem to get a kick out of my djembe (African drum).

I sometimes feel like I live in a monastery, considering our daily chores like washing clothes and dishes, and taking care of horses. Everything takes a little longer here without washing machines, etc. Still, God has again proven to me how much more we who minister often gain in comparison to what we ourselves can offer. Divine balances rarely weigh according to human wisdom.

Having so much time to read apart from college texts has been GREAT. Just being able to read large portions of the Bible in a single sitting has been inspiring and instructive. Being removed from the hustle and bustle of the US has also given me a fresh perspective on America and its church. I can't say that all I have recognized is encouraging, but it gives me renewed purpose for when I return home.

More than anything, I have enjoyed living with four such godly men. Truly iron sharpens iron, and this process is rarely comfortable. It is, however, absolutely necessary and profitable.

In short (too late) this summer has been a challenge, but also an immense blessing. Above all else, God has proven Himself faithful and mighty. His glory saturates the universe, and He has been gracious enough to offer me a glimpse in the midst of a third world country. For that I am immensely grateful. I pray that He would meet everyone reading this letter in any country with His glorious sufficiency. He is, as the kids here sing, "our portion in the land of the living." May our Father richly bless you and keep you all.

In Christ,

Scott Feldman 

Proverbs 3^5-6

8/2/2003 –

Since Scott shared his perspective on his summer experience here in San Jose in the last update, we asked our other intern, Ricky Lee, to write this one and share from his heart what God has been teaching him.

Ricky's Update

It has been over two months since I left the US  I was able to make the two and a half week trip on the bus with Jeff and Patrick from Birmingham to our village, San Jose. This allowed me to experience a good transition through Mexican culture for about a week before reaching our village.  So it wasn't too big of a culture shock for me by the time I got here.

It is hard to not fall in love with all the bare-footed, mango-eating, question asking kids constantly stopping by to visit or play a game of volleyball or football (soccer). It is amazing to see the excitement when half of the children are here by 12:00 PM every Sunday and Tuesday waiting for Bible School to start at 1:00 PM.

The Lord has allowed me to get to travel with Jeff to Santa Cruz (a nearby village) to do a weekly Bible study with a man and his sons and grandchildren. Also, the Lord has opened the door for Jeff and me to start having a weekly Bible School in Na-luum-kaj (another nearby village). So far we have had two meetings there and have seen excitement and consistency in attendance.

Just as Scott had said in the last update, iron truly does sharpen iron.  I have enjoyed every bit of the time I have got to spend with the other four guys. The Lord has grown me a lot and I have been blessed by learning the different convictions that God gives each of us. We have all been able to encourage and challenge each other's relationship with God.

I thank the Lord for the opportunity that He has given me to get to come to this village and leave American culture and my comfort zone for a while. I have been privileged to get to establish relationship's with all the children and some of the adults of the village. To be able to share the Gospel with these wonderful people is something that I am definitely not worthy of. But then again, which of us is worthy for God to have sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins so that we can have the free gift of eternal life in heaven? None of us! That is why I am most thankful for God offering His only Son as the one true sacrifice for all of our sins. But for me to think that the Lord then considers me worthy to be used by Him to tell others about His Extreme Love; that I cannot even begin to understand.

But I thank the Lord for faith and for the relationship that I have with Him; that it is not for me to understand, but to thankfully accept and to abide in the Unfailing Love that he has for me and you. So nevertheless, other than these opportunities that He has given me, I have also been given a setting to be able to study more of God's Word and to spend more time in prayer to allow my personal relationship with Him to grow. This I am equally thankful for.

I will close with an excerpt from a song that means a lot to me because it is just like my prayer when I left home.

"Break me down, because I am putting up these walls that leave me sick and tired and bring my running to the crawl. Take me now, from these petty useless goals, and plant me in the forest, firmly by the stream that flows from You. So come on and break down, break down everything that stands between me and You."

Love in Christ,

Ricky Lee

Rom. 12^1-2; Psalm 37⁴

8/19/2003 –

Praise God for a wonderful 11 days with the team from Birmingham! They left yesterday (Monday) morning to fly back to the US.  A total of 19 people came down, so we were able to divide the team into two groups. I took a small group to Santa Cruz and Patrick stayed with the remainder in San Jose. The teams spent the week helping us put on a Vacation Bible School for the children of both places.  Throughout the week the number of children coming to the house in San Jose each day grew from our average of around 120 to one day setting a new record of 185—almost two thirds of all the children in San Jose. Santa Cruz went beyond our expectations. By the end of the week we were having an average of 140 children, which was almost every child in the village in attendance. The team offered us the manpower to make it all possible to sing, teach, play games and do crafts for almost three hours each day.

The other ministry the women from the team performed was that they held daily Bible studies for the women of the two villages. Being able to minister to the women here is a whole area of outreach that Patrick and I, being single, have been unable to focus on. It was exciting for us to see 30 to 40 women come each day to hear the Bible taught, a study that was focused on women of the Bible.  Each night the women from our teams would share how hungry the village women were and how attentive they had been to the study and to the testimonies that were shared. The team members quickly developed a burden for the women.

The VBS in San Jose brought children to our house that had never come before. The VBS in Santa Cruz laid a foundation for Patrick and me to build upon with regular children's studies now that the children are anticipating us coming back. The women of the villages now have more friends in the US who know their names and who will be lifting them up in prayer as God continues to move in their hearts and stirs within them a deeper knowledge of Himself. And on that same note, we now also have so much more prayer support since 19 of our friends have experienced firsthand the people we daily live with and because of that, now too have a burden for their spiritual growth.

Thank you immensely for all of you that prayed for the week. Your prayers were felt and effective. The children of San Jose received their second teaching on the life of Jesus and Santa Cruz received their first, as we focused on the call to leave everything to follow, and the power Jesus possesses as the Son of God. It was a joy to see many of the youth we meet with on Friday nights come to the VBS to offer their assistance to the team. We also had a dear friend of ours, a neighbor for whom we have long prayed for, assist with the team in Santa Cruz, staying the nights with the guys in the community center.

Please be in prayer with us as we seek God for wisdom as to how to best approach following up the work in Santa Cruz with the children and women. A big door has been opened to us through the team's work there and we desire to follow God in His leading to undertake it. Also the women of San Jose are members of families and mothers of children that we are constantly in contact with.  Pray for our potential to indirectly reach out to them.

The summer is now drawing to a close as the children will be starting back to school in September. In many ways we will enter a new season of ministry as well. Scott, one of our summer interns will be leaving us this Friday. Please be in prayer for him as he starts his senior year of college.

The first picture is of the center in Santa Cruz were the team worked out of, and the second of the group in San Jose.

9/16/2003 –

The summer has passed here in San Jose. The children are now back in school. Scott and Ricky, our two summer interns, have returned to the States. On the same note, we are sad to announce that after a year and a half of dedicated service, Michael Hunter will also be returning to the US on Friday, September 19. Though Michael will be dearly missed, for he has been a tremendous assistance to our ministry here and an encouraging friend, he will be taking the next step of the path the Lord has for him to walk. Please pray for his safety in travel Friday, his re-acclamation to the US, and for guidance as he pursues God and His plans for him.

It will be back to just Patrick and I here in San Jose for the first time in a couple of years. Mr. Bol, our neighbor who helped us while the team was here in August, has continued to visit and has even made a trip with me to Santa Cruz for weekly Bible study with Marcos. Our Friday night study has grown to an average of about 10 consistent youth a week, along with one or two interested adults. On a non-ministry related topic, we now have three ducks and two chickens. We anticipate fresh eggs, more chicks, and eventually our own home-grown meat.       

Sunday Bible School is moving right along. We finished up the New Testament two Sundays ago and moved into a series on spiritual armor, based on Ephesians 6. We had one of the children put on some plastic armor we had brought down as a demonstration, which of course was a big hit. We should be in this teaching for another month or so and then move into a series on missions, encouraging the children to share what they have learned. Perhaps around the beginning of the year we will be at a point to begin again in Genesis, two years after starting for the first time.

We miss you all, but do sense with you the unity of purpose the Spirit brings. Your prayers are so powerfully effective to our work here. Drop us an e-mail, that we too might join you in prayer for what God is doing through you and around you.

Mr. Bol

Click here to read the 2004 entries.