Giving Thanks in Belize
by Cally Curtis, UMVIM Individual Volunteer posted to Belize
October 30, 2006
Buttonwood Bay
Belize City, Belize
Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this finds you well and your hearts full of praise in this season of Thanksgiving. In October, throughout the world, I think, the sunlight must be as gold, the clouds as huge and white, and the skies as blue and beautiful everywhere. Here, it is quite a magnificent show, for sure.
Every day in Belize City I pass stalls or bicycle carts full of produce - bananas, papaya, pineapple, sugarcane and other exotic fruits I'm only now discovering. The Mayan family at the fruit and vegetable stand at the corner of my street are up before dawn and there after dark. I saw them already working at 4:30 am last Saturday morning when I was up to catch the bus for a school trip to Chetumal.
October is the time of celebrating the harvest here. I've never seen services more moving or humbling. At every church, one "Lord's Day" (or Sunday) is set aside for giving thanks for the harvest. The first of the three services is for the boys, the second for the girls, and the last for the youth, choir, men's and women's groups and other organizations within the church.
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posted by UMVIM at 8:11 AM
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the 'rest of the story'...
The sanctuaries are elaborately decorated. Gigantic bunches of bananas hang over doorways. Every railing and windowsill is lined with hundreds of green oranges. Tied to the end of each pew is an effusive arrangement of magnificent palm fronds and green and orange striped leaves. Above, along a fishing line that stretches over the sanctuary, leafy branches baring fruit hang in silhouette against the light streaming in from the open windows.
In each service, the children dressed in pressed, clean school uniforms, form a processional to the altar. Two by two, measuring their steps in time to the music, their faces serious and concentrated on this task, they slowly process down the aisle. Infants I are first, then Infants II, all the way up to Form Six. In their arms they carefully balance home-made shoe-box baskets decorated with white, pink and green crepe paper and spilling over with brilliant hibiscus flowers, fruit, vegetables, and green, leafy stems.
At the altar, the children form a line facing the congregation. They recite a verse of thanksgiving and sing a chorus of praise, then turn in unison and place their lovely baskets on the altar. As they proceed out, the next group processes in.
Glancing down the pews, I see mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and teachers voicing the words to the hymns, singing softly. The melodies are old eighteenth century British tunes, lilting, familiar and beloved to me from my childhood in Africa.
How can I express the beauty of basking in the sound and golden light and spectacle of these Harvest Thanksgiving services? My heart is full and grateful to be here.
On Monday morning, I pass the corner fruit stand. A big old truck, dusty and faded to a burnt pink, is parked by its side. In the back of the truck, men stand on top of plastic crates filled with produce, passing them one by one down to the women's open arms below. I think of the fields of orange pickers and men scaling cocoanut trees to slice down the fruit. So much work goes into bringing the harvest home.
There is a hymn about this. Its words remind me of how each of us is like the fruit in God's garden, of how we are often nurtured and cared for in unexpected ways. Some hand from Heaven always reaches down to bring us a word or a kindness when we need it most.
The people here are quite taken aback by my being here alone. It just doesn't register in this nation of extended family. And I'm thankful that they have gathered me in, like part of the harvest. I'm always welcomed with warm smiles, a gentle hand on my shoulder as someone passes a shout and waved hello from someone driving by in their car.
It's taking me time to adjust to the new which presents itself at every turn. Sometimes I feel I'm letting down those who're supporting this time in God's service, not doing enough yet. But it's like I have to seep into their rhythm, to learn and appreciate their ways and systems, before I can dovetail my ideas with their's.
The most time-consuming task I've been given is to develop workshops for primary school teachers, a program that demonstrates how to integrate Belizean art and crafts with core curriculum subjects - math, language arts, geography, history, social studies, and natural science. That means I've been studying the many cultures of Belize - Creole, Garifuna, Maya, Mestizo, Mopan, Mennonite, Rasta, Spanish, East Indian and Asian - their food, folklore, art, music, flora, fauna, and history. And I have been gathering as many recyclable products as I can as well as natural materials and various supplies that come in large quantities at a cheap, cheap price.
So far, I've made about 30 items, each based within one of these cultures and that incorporate at least two other curriculum subjects. Each object also utilizes several key elements and principles of design. These workshops begin next weekend and will take up most Saturdays for some time to come - here in Belize City and around the country. I'm looking forward to it!
There is a real need for continuing education for teachers or "professional development" seminars and workshops. Current statistics show that only 51% of Belizean teachers have received training beyond the high school level. Most have had little or no contact with the arts. And it's such an effective, flexible and fun teaching tool! I'm thrilled to be a part of all this.
I hope that this letter finds you singing your own Thanksgiving songs, mindful of the bounty of our Earth and the beauty of God's creative hands. May this season bring you much happiness and joy!
With thanksgiving, love, and appreciation,
Cally
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