The Way Back

Well, we are back in Canada.  It's hard to believe that we've been here for almost a week!  The trip back was a long day of airport, airplane, and very little sleep.  We got back safe and we were welcomed by some CLBI staff, students, and parents.  It felt good to be back.

Our last week in Suriname was quite the adventure.  We had the privilege to experience the rive while on a boat tour to the surrounding plantations.  We even saw dolphins!  Not only that, but while at a plantation we were given the opportunity to hold a young crocodile.  Andrew jumped at the chance, while the rest of us were rather hesitant, but we did it.  Later on in the week we got to travel into the interior of Suriname to ADVENTURE CENTER where we zip lined our way through the rain forest and over a river.  Unbelievable! We ate a picnic lunch afterward then headed further into the interior to Brownsberg, a National Park on top of a mountain.  The drive up there was ridiculous.  Tim said he felt saver in the harness while zip lining.  I did too!  We spent a night up there and got to sleep in hammocks in a hut.  Pretty cool.  The next morning we had breakfast and hiked up to Leo Val (one of the main waterfalls in the area).  We walked past a family of red holler monkeys and discovered old gold mining caves.  The water fall was absolutely breath taking!  We slowly made our way back to camp and simply hung out until it was time to leave.  As we began our journey down the mountain it began to pour buckets of rain.  We were driving in a river of water and it was rather terrifying and exciting all at once.

Our remainder days there, were spent enjoying Paramaribo.  We visited Paramaribo Zoo (which I loved dearly) went to birthday parties, ate, went shopping for thank you gifts, ate, and enjoyed time simply talking to the friends we've made.  Oh! and ate some more.  We received a ton of "thank yous" and "we'll miss yous" and we were encouraged greatly.  Even if the work we did seemed insignificant to us, it was a big deal for them.  If we weren't there it wouldn't have gotten done, so I'm glad we were able to help.

God is good!  During our time in Suriname he showed me how he provides for his children and how he loves them.  He made me stop and stare at his incredible creation.  His craftsmanship is inspiring and he chose us to be in authority over it all.  What a privilege!  I'm still looking back into this trip and seeing what God has done for me and taught me.  I don't know how to thank him.

I hope you get this post because I wanted to tell you about Shrove Tuesday on February 21 here at CLBI.  It's a time were you can come here have a supper of pancakes with us and then hear a presentation of all these mission trip experiences.  God is moving and his church is growing and this is a chance for you to hear of it first hand.  I believe supper is between 5 pm and 7 pm and the presentations begin at 7 pm.  I hope to see you all there and thank you abundantly for praying for us.  God bless.

This is Steven Belau signing out!