Yuma church reaches out to Belize children

Ten Christian missionaries from Yuma were in Belize during early August to conduct a vacation Bible school  (VBS) for 300 local impoverished children.

Many of the missionaries were part of the congregation of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church and headed south via jet to spend some time in the tropics.

"We prayed for two years, and the youth and adults worked together to raise money for the trip," said the Rev. Josh Acton.

"We cleaned the West Wetlands Park and had several fundraisers. We also received a grant from another ministry that supported it, but individual donations made the trip possible," Acton said. "It took about $9,000 for us to go, and it was an incredible amount of work to prepare for 300 kids over seven days of activities."

Acton said that Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, which recently split from the Episcopal Church, believes spreading their religion is very important.

"I think we are called to go into all the world and share the good news of God's love, and this is a very concrete way of doing that. It is a very loving, and there are lots of hugs during the time we spend there," he said. "Many of the kids (abroad) may not be going to church, so this is something they don't get all year long. They are very upset when it ends, but there is great joy because we accomplished something in the Lord."

Acton said the group that traveled to Belize lived in a bunkhouse that didn't have air conditioning, located in an area dominated by thick vegetation.

"We stayed in San Ignacio, which is in the western part of the country. It is at the edge of the rainforest. There were a lot of jungles in the area we were in, and it was very humid with temperatures in the 90s. The folks from Yuma are already used to the heat so it wasn’t a problem. It wasn't that bad."

Acton said he had a run in with some of the local wildlife.

"There were lots of insects. I got stung by a small scorpion in my bed in the bunkhouse. I got stung while sleeping and it felt like a really bad wasp sting, but it didn't do to much damage. It was swollen for a while and it is still sore sometimes weeks later. But  it wasn't bad enough to go to the hospital or anything. I just put some antiseptic on it."

Acton said each of the missionaries was responsible for about 30 kids.

"Vacation Bible school is a story time with lots of worship and singing. We brought down a music system and played music for them. The second to the last day we gathered together and prayed for every child. It was very moving to see teenagers praying intensely with the kids very openly. It was a wonderful event and a great time. It was very spiritual."

Acton said the group took important educational supplies to be distributed to the children.

"We also take a lot of classroom supplies down with us, and every pair of scissors were put to use. A lot of the money we raise goes to school supplies. We brought 15 large suitcases full of stuff, and also 15 boxes that we had shipped down through Texas.

"The schools down there need those items, and we try to supply them. We have become one of the primary sources of supplies for that school."

Acton said it wasn't only those who went to Belize who were the missionaries.

"Some people give by going while others go by giving. Everybody participates in the mission, not just those who go. The entire church gave their gifts and prayers, and people put together crafts and glued eyeballs on things by the hundred. People gave what they could, which is the way mission work needs to be."

Acton said heading to impoverished nations lets younger missionaries come out of their shells.

"I also think mission work also happens right outside of our church door, but going on a foreign mission is important for young people because they overcome things they may be afraid of and learn to trust God. This gets them out of there comfort zone, and some teenagers want to be cool but have to commit to be uncool. You have to really get in there and they did, and I'm sure they acquired a little bit of faith along the way."