Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

This is our prayer mail for 29 May 2016, and I hope you are having a very good Memorial Day weekend.

This week, 

I have heard back from the Chair of the Commission on Ministry. She is waiting to hear from the Bishop. Our next meeting is scheduled for this week. Hopefully, I can be part of it via Skype. Somewhere in there, we may have news about pending ordinations.

Courses continue. The final Christian Ethics/Moral Theology interactive session is this coming Saturday.

Prayers: 

1) For the Commission on Ministry meeting on Wednesday, and that Skyping will work.

2) That this time period continues to be fruitful, and for all the plans we are making for the future in Belize, and for the people involved in those plans. 

3) For the people currently in the ordination process and future ordination plans, for people in the distance learning program, for the Commission on Ministry, and for the Bishop of Belize.

4) For the Spanish Prayerbook as it moves ever closer to being printed. Negotiations with a printer continue.

5) I pray for you every day.

6) If you are going to be at the Diocese of Albany diocesan convention in about 2 weeks, look for our booth.

Are we making a difference? Absolutely.  

God bless you,

Fr. Shaw

Manchester

Newsletter

Missionary going down into a chaltun. 2016.

Photo by Dcn. L. Tullock.

Chaltun! (chal-TOON)

What do I mean by “chaltun”?

A chaltun is a centuries-old Mayan cold storage/water storage/trash area, tunnelled in the ground, in which a family might have stored food in pots. These days, not much is left of the centuries old food, the pots are in various degrees of intactness, and the access ways into the chaltuns can be rather formidable, if you are taller than about 5 feet.

Many major Mayan city ruins make great tourist destinations, but many smaller Mayan discoveries might also be exciting even if they be a stray potsherd found in a chaltun. Half the adventure is just getting there: our team navigating through a jungle-esque forest, to arrive at our destination, and then, navigating to the far side of a poisonwood grove (one of two tree forms of Belizean poison ivy - I don’t recommend coming into contact with its sap). Then, we find the hole in the ground of a collapsed roof in a chaltun into which we peer with awe. It is all part of the adventure.

By the way, 60% cotton long-sleeved clergy shirts absorb one’s sweat rather well in 90+ degree heat, with humidity of 88%+.

About 5 million Maya used to live in the greater Mexico, Belize, Guatemala area. The only inhabitants in a chaltun are likely to be fruit bats. After watching my 5 foot guide disappear into the chaltun, this 5 foot 10 inch or so North American attempted to do likewise.

Once several feet down into the chaltun, I was faced with a decision whether to venture into one of two corridors, or not. Ah. Body length issues around turns, designed for shorter people, in the relative dark among fruit bats….on my stomach, with not much to hold onto. Not wanting to be stuck below ground as my primary activity of the day, I ascended, using tree roots as handholds.

What does this adventure have to do with missionary work? Well, as people in Belize have noted from time to time: “You take an interest in our culture, Dr. Mudge.” And they smile. It is part of the missionary way of life.

God bless you all, and thank you for your support,

Fr. Shaw, and on behalf of Mtr. Julie.

SAMS missionaries with the Diocese of Belize.

Support.

Please pray, and continue to make checks out to: "SAMS". Put "Shaw and Julie Mudge" in the memo, to support what we are doing.

Mailing address:

SAMS,

P. O. Box 399,

Ambridge, PA 15003-0399. 

Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

 

This is our prayer mail for 22 May 2016:

 

This week, 

I have been trying to coordinate with the Bishop of Belize and the Commission on Ministry as to upcoming ordinations dates. Ah, the mysteries of the Church. Hopefully, the Bishop will make a decision soon. But that is the way it is.

 

Courses continue.

I am attaching our monthly newsletter.

 

Prayers: 

 

1) that this time period between trips continue to be fruitful, and for all the plans we are making for the future in Belize in several areas, and for all the people involved in those plans. 

 

2) For the future: for people in the ordination process and future ordination plans, for people in the distance learning program, for the Commission on Ministry, and for the Bishop of Belize.

 

3) For the Spanish Prayerbook as it moves ever closer to being printed.

 

4) I pray for you every day.

 

5) If you are going to be at the Diocese of Albany diocesan convention in about 3 weeks, look for our booth.

 

Are we making a difference? Absolutely.  

 

God bless you,

 

Fr. Shaw

Manchester

Prayer Mail May 15

Dear Friends,

This is our prayer mail for 15 May 2016:

This week, 

I updated a few Websites.

I have been adjusting back to the temperature and humidity of New England. I miss Belize.

I am also helping out in a local parish here.

I have been back in the U.S. and an settling into the stride between trips. That does not sound quite right. Let me try this again. I am looking ahead to what God will be doing in our ministry with Belize until my next trip. There are several possibilities coming up for the next trip. Partly this is will be informed by when ordinations might take place in Belize (a moving target by the day - but probably in July-ish? - short trip), and part is according to fixed events (for the moment on the Diocesan Calendar), such as Diocesan Synod in October - a standard trip.

I am planning strategic moves with the Commission on Ministry in Belize.

Courses continue as one student at least is headed into the homestretch of about 6 months or so to go, after having been taking courses for 4 years and applying them. Awesome. The ripple effect of various students' work is beginning to be felt across Belize, quite possibly a significant vector into the military, in one case.

Prayers: 

1) that this time period between trips continue to be fruitful, and for all the plans we are making for the future in Belize in several areas, and for all the people involved in those plans. 

2) For the future: for people in the ordination process and future ordination plans, for people in the distance learning program, for the Commission on Ministry, and for the Bishop of Belize.

3) Meanwhile, prayers for the Spanish Prayerbook as it moves closer to being printed.

4) I pray for you every day.

5) If you are going to be at the Diocese of Albany diocesan convention in June, look for our booth.

Are we making a difference? Absolutely. We are the Holy Trinity's people, at the right time, doing the right things, as the right team in Belize. Awesome. 

God bless you,

Fr. Shaw

Manchester

Prayer Mail May 4

Dear Friends,

This is an update/prayer mail combination for 4 May 2016:

1) Update: my 13th Belize trip in about 4 years continues. The trip has been a succession of meetings and consultations, as I continue to serve as a catalyst to make ordinations happen. It's a long story. It has a lot of pieces to it. Our final meeting is tomorrow morning (Thursday). This has been totally awesome. Only God could have pulled this together. We have a great team here pulling it together between the Commission on Ministry, the Bishop of the Diocese, and myself, as well as others we work with. The people in the process, their contacts, and their families have been great. Wonderful people. 

Ordinations may be scheduled on a Holy Day in July (as of today), although the Bishop has been really focused on Saturday August 6 (Transfiguration - the day before I go on vacation; that could be awkward for our vacation plans - so your prayers would be appreciated about the date and my availability).

2) And in the middle of all that, life happened: people with serious pastoral issues, here, that needed attending to. 

3) And in the geopolitical sense of things: 

tensions between Guatemala and Belize seem to be described as being on a level not seen since 1976. Apparently in that year and perhaps another year before then, when this level of tension last arose, it was toned down only when Guatemala had to attend to an earthquake in its own country in each instance. It raises an interesting question: do people get edgy before an earthquake?

4) For Belizeans, the weather has been hot and humid. Too hot. I held a meeting in the Bishop's office (he was not there and gave me permission to use his office), and I was not really aware how hot it was because the fan was on. Then, after the meeting, the Bishop came in and said "isn't it warm in here?" and he turned on the air conditioning. Then, I noticed it. Wow. I am getting used to it. Continued prayer for those of us walking in a perpetual very warm shower of humidity, especially with regards to dehydration. I seem to be managing. Praise God.

OK. so how hot has it been? Today, in the cool of the evening, it was about 90 degrees with about 88% humidity, and according to a weather Web site, the feel of the temperature was about 105 degrees. It was hotter in the West of the country a few days ago. That sustained level can do a job on computers, Internet infrastructure, and on a lot people. Prayers for getting through it all. My bedroom in Belize City this time benefits from the warmth of the afternoon sun if you know what I mean.

5) Prayers: 

a) that this trip continue to be fruitful, and for all the plans we are making for the future in Belize in several areas, and for all the people involved in those plans. 

b) For the future: we are going to keep going ahead with more people in the ordination process and future ordination plans, we may offer more live courses on the ground, the distance learning program continues, as I minister to my brothers and sisters (both ordained and lay), and the Bishop may be asking me to do different things as the Holy Spirit leads. 

c) Meanwhile, prayers for the Spanish Prayerbook as it moves closer to being printed.

d) For safe and timely travel. I depart on Friday.

6) I pray for you every day.

7) If you are going to be at the Diocese of Albany diocesan convention in about a month, look for our booth.

Are we making a difference? Absolutely. We are the Holy Trinity's people, at the right time, doing the right things, as the right team in Belize. Awesome. 

God bless you,

Fr. Shaw

Belize City, Belize, Central America