Several years ago when I got my first tour of the Valley of peace and was able to visit with teachers and staff of a primary school as to what needs they might have. The list of needs was fairly extensive but it puzzled me that no one mentioned the need for playground equipment. It was recess time and as we looked across the schoolyard at the hundreds of children standing about, I noticed there was nothing to play on but  the naked frame of what had once been a swing set. I thought to myself, "Not much of a playground for over 350 children". When I asked about it they shared with me a sad story. Several years before, an American missionary came to work in the Valley. Seeing the need in the school she had a shipping container brought down from the states filled with playground equipment. The equipment was set up at the school the children got to enjoy it for a while. Then, when this same "missionary" heard God calling her to serve in another part of the country, she sent men to the school in the Valley and had them dig up the playground equipment and take it away from the children. When I heard this story my sadness quickly changed to anger and outrage as I imagine just happened to you when you read this. This became something of a personal crusade for me, to find a new playground and set things right. A few weeks ago I was able to attend and to speak a little dedication ceremony for the new playground and also for the computer lab/resource Center at the school. As I addressed the students, adults, and distinguished visitors, I remember only one moment where emotions ran high. After recounting the story of the disappearing playground I gave the students a promise. I said "this is your playground, I wish I could give you the deed signed in my blood, I want you to know no one will take this playground from you." At that moment the cheer rang out. And now I have peace.

The second story is part of a new recurring theme I see happening in our ministry and elsewhere in Belize. When we coordinate our efforts, many people play small part and make big things happen. We continue to see examples of how working together we can accomplish far more than anyone can on their own.

For example:

- A woman in Snyder Texas alerts us to the closing of a school and everything is free for the taking.

- The Word at Work sends a group of volunteers to dismantle the playground.

- One man donates a shipping container

- Other donors pay to ship it to Belize

- The charitable trust set up by BNE hires cranes and trucks to lift and transport the container to the Valley

- Former students and parents of the schoolchildren dig the holes to anchor the playground in the ground

- The Word at Work brings volunteers from Texas with detailed instructions to reassemble the playground.

- BNE charitable trust purchases cement and truckloads of sand and gravel to anchor the equipment for good

- Parents, teachers, students, Texans, other local missionaries, all worked together to finish reconstruction

In the end it gives me great joy and I imagine it does for God as well to see a modest village whose children have been defrauded of their playground to now have the nicest playground of the country of Belize.

And Jesus said……“And the last shall be first, and many of those who are first shall be last." MT. 20:16