Time is flying quickly by! Here's a quick update from an almost-rainy Western Belize.
Things are going well. We have made it through the end of the school year and the graduation season (yes, it's a season like trout or elk). We were so blessed to have a team from Mosaic Anglican Fellowship come again to help lead graduation retreats for the exiting Standard VI classes at all three schools, and we look forward to forming a tighter bond and relationship with them in the months and years to come.
I had a wonderful time with my parents during their stay in early June, and before and after there departure I have been trying to outfit the rectory with enough furniture to make it liveable and inviting ... no small task indeed. The cost is signficant, but so is the blessing of being able to invite people into my life and home, and so I'm taking the time to tackle it, and tackle it responsibly.
Things at St. Andrew's and St. Hilda's churches continue to move along. Attendence has been good, though it is sure to dip as we head into the summer months. The summer however also brings visiting groups, one coming later this week from Christ Church (Savannah) to help St. Andrew's lead its Vacation Bible School, and another ecumenical team from New York and New Jersey coming to tackle all sorts of physical and spiritual projects in our communities. We're really looking forward to their being with us!
The transition to being priest-in-charge of these two churches has been a difficult one for me, and I have been struggling with how to meet everyone's expectations (news flash: I can't), how to meet all my expectations (news flash: I can't), and how to have a health life as I serve God as he is calling me to serve him (good news: he can). With the encouragement of leaders in the congregation and the Bishop, I am taking steps to lead a healthier, less workaholic lifestyle that involves rest, setting boundaries and limits, delegating more, and sticking to the priorities that God has revealed to be at the top of the list. All-in-all, I'm at a good place, and we're at an exciting place as we see where God is going to take our congregations in the months and years ahead.
I do crave your prayers however for an immediate health situation in my own life. A few months ago, I developed some terrible pain in my feet (the heel and arches), particularly in my left foot. It is most likely due to the combination of thin-soled sandals, poor-arched loafers, and tight-fitting boots that I was wearing. X-rays revealed an inflammation of the periostion on the inside of my left foot's arch, and it is reasonable to assume that much of my pain stems from compensating for that primary pain. With a lot of rest, I sense that my feet are getting better bit-by-bit, but I have almost had to stop walking. Please pray that God would heal my feet, give me a full recovery, and allow me to engage in the blessing and ministry of walking as I was able four months ago.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. May God richly bless you and keep you in his love and his grace!
