Week recap!

This week was the bomb. Sarah and I got the opportunity to go to Belize City and help a missionary couple there with a primary camp for 2 days, as well as a Relief Society activity. We taught the sisters how to sing parts, and played pioneer games with them. The kids were adorable, and we had a great time.
       Other than that we have continued work at the orphanage/transition home, and with Soilet (a self sustaining sewage system). Commence pictures.

 This is actually at Succotz camp. These bracelets were generously donated by the Riley family. We have used them so many times! And the kids absolutely love them!

 Teaching at the Belize City camp. The first day was underwater themed, so we had a fish pond, we sang songs, and made awesome aquarium crafts. We also learned about different species of fish and cool facts about them.

 Sarah with some Primary kids.

 Almost all of the Belize City Primary children. And me :)

 We had a blast at the camp. Belize City is very different from San Ignacio, but the members there are great, and so are the missionaries!

 Sabrina and I.

 Sarah and Adrianna.

 The kids loved the games. This is part of Animal 4 Corners.

 We had the opportunity to go to the Green Iguana project. It was so cool!

 Sarah and Bradford (the iguana)

 Baby Geckos!

I only have 2 weeks left until I go home. This is my last Saturday, because I will be in the Cayes next week. Belize has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Hopefully more pics to come!

20 days in a blogpost...this should be fun :)

 This is a surprise that I found at PEACE Camp. I love those kids so much! I spent 2 weeks traveling to Belmopan every day to teach kids ages 9 to 14 conflict resolution, emotional management, and problem solving. It was super fun, and I had a great time getting to know the kids.

 I have become best friends with a couple of teens here in our neighborhood. We hang out at least a couple of  times a week. They are hilarious. Abi and Richie (in photo) came to church on Sunday to hear my talk. They are awesome.

There was a fire just a couple of blocks from our house. It was a jewelry store. Crazy!

There is a lot of cool fruits here in Belize, like dragonfruit, starfruit, Waya, and a bunch of others. This dragonfruit stains your hands red.

 A little town called Benque had a fair this past week. We stopped by for a second and rode the Ferris wheel. It was definitely the shadiest Ferris wheel I have ever been on. And it was fast!

 Sarah and Megan (our country director)

 This is the most expensive Fanta and Pepsi we have ever bought. 20 dollars American.

 Not really. It is because we were in Guatemala at the time and there is an exit fee :)

 A Saturday adventure. We went to ATM which is a cave that ancient Mayans believed to be the gate to the underworld. This is a full human skeleton.

 Oh, you know. Jacob and Sarah the spelunkers.

 A HUGE Mayan pot. Never been touched. We had to swim in order to get into the cave, which was pretty cool.

Sarah helped with a summer camp in Succotz where they taught about cultures from all around the world, played games, and sang. The kids loved it!

We are continuing our work on the volunteer house we are building for the orphanage, and our work with diabetes in rural areas. Other projects are the music class, writing class, English classes, and work at a local hospital.

Sarah and I will be going to Belize City (on our own) tomorrow to meet with a missionary couple there and help them with a summer camp for 2 days. We have planned 2 half day activities and lessons to teach the kids. One day is Underwater themed and the other is Land Animal themed. I think it will be way fun. Pictures and stories to come.

Sorry about the gap.....

Our Placencia House!

    So, it has been a few days. The main reason I didn't post is because me and sarah and 4 others took off randomly to placencia for the weekend. We finally gave in to our desire for beach-bum-ness. It was awesome :)
     But, now it's back to work. Every day for the next 2 weeks I will travel to Belmopon and help teach the PEACE Camp being put on at the GPC. It is awesome. We are teaching about 25 kids, ages 9-13, leadership and conflict management skills.
      PEACE stands for Preventing, Engaging, and Addressing Conflict Affectively. Cool, huh?
     I am personally learning so much from the lessons and activities, and the growth in these kids is apparent in only 2 days. I love it, and the kids are great. When a 10 year old starts expressing interest in Belize's place in the International community, you know you have sparked something. Which is awesome.
     Other projects are music class, writing/english lessons, and continuing work on the orphanage.
     Just some thoughts. Is poverty strictly about economics and numbers? I consider some here to be in poverty because of their lack of opportunity. But their financial situation is fairly stable. Others are financially impoverished, and we are all pretty aware of all the challenges that stem from that.
     So, do we work on their annual income? Or do we work in education and maybe help them in other areas? And do we work from the top down (government), or the bottom up (grassroots, charities, etc.)? Both?
     Also..... I think I am going to register as a Democrat. Surprise parents :)
Jacob Can't-Stay-On-One-Topic Tonks

Haircut!

boom. roasted.

We are eating these crazy huge nuts dipped in caramel stuff. Mmmm!

         This week has been stellar. I went on a two day camp out through a forest with 12 kids from Belize City. It was their first time camping, ever. It was fun to teach them orienteering, map reading, and about the outdoor code (in Belize City, the ground is a sufficient trash can).

         Of course our tent flooded and we were soaking for the whole night, and I ate a bad tamale so I had diarrhea for over an hour in the middle of the jungle. But it was still alright.

        The program we went with is a cool one called The Award. Google it if you are interested.

        Our work on the orphanage continues, and man is it solid work.

        The program directors are here, and I had a Fantastic political discussion with Scott. I can't wait for college!

       There was a bug bigger than an iPod touch in our kitchen this morning. We found it was the Giant Water Bug. Look it up it is awesome!

Keep Belizin!

A couple pictures :)

 Spanish lookout is a Mennonite community where we get all of our milk (and ice cream!)

                              Octavia Weight painting project! (led by Sarah)

                                 

                                  Sarah in Guatemala! Beautiful!

                                      The finished product of Square Foot Gardens. Nice job HELP Team!

Crazy days! Pics tomorrow!

      So, pretty much it has been nonstop for 3 days straight. Two other volunteers and I found ourselves organizing a ward young men's scout camp last minute. There were about 14 young men that came, and it was a blast. We did an obstacle course, a two and a half hour river float, and had a campfire. It was just like the states, but everyone spoke Creole. And there are iguanas everywhere. It was a blast!
       Last week we also built the foundation for a volunteer/guest hut at a girl's transition home, where girls between 16 and 20 go after they get kicked out of an orphanage. It was hard work, and there is still a lot to do, but it feels very worth it, especially because they can't afford hired help.
      Tomorrow I leave at 5:00 in the morning to be a "camp counselor" for a 3 day trek through the jungle! The youth are between 14 and 20, so I am way excited! It is a worldwide program started in \England called The Award. It's pretty dang cool.
       So I absolutely love it here, and I am thinking about extending my stay. Surprise parants! Except its not set in stone, so we will see :)
       Gutamala was on Saturday. It was amazing. We went to Tikal and ziplined through the jungle. Awesome! Pics on that for sure tomorrow, since a blog with just words is boring. We will try and be better about that.
     It's a little hard feeling like I am missing my "senior summer" with all the friend trips and what not. Then I remember I am in Belize, and I feel better. I do miss everyone though.
      Thank you again for everyone that helped get us here! Belize 55 stay alive!
Jacob Tonks

Get ready...get set....

So many projects, so little time.
       There are a lot of projects in the developing stages, and it will be interesting to see which ones make the cut. Currently I am project lead for Music Lessons at the Church and for PEACE Camp at the George Price Center, though I am also involved with a chicken coop for a boy's home, The Award, Adobe Stoves, the rural health campaign, and possibly some others. It is pretty cool :) More on the PEACE Camp later.
        Belize has been perfect college preparation for me. Buying my own food, doing my own laundry, living with a room mate, planning research and work time, and budgeting. I feel way better about surviving my first semester of BYU.
        Sister Kay is coming over tonight to teach us how to make tortillas and banana cream pie! I am sooooooo excited. Mostly because tortillas here are fantastic, and she is hilarious.
       I find myself interested in the political landscape here in Belize. There is a lot of political instability due to the fact that there are 2 major parties, and when government control switches parties after elections, they make Huge changes and switch everything around. I am grateful that even though there are many party differences, our government is able to be consistent in its protections and workings.
         Last thought. Don't eat the plums off of the trees here. You will end up spending the night with the GWB.
Jacob

"I hate mennonite popcorn." Nathaniel

Well.. sorry jacob has been taking over the blog for the last like 8 posts. I decided i should write a blog and get everyone caught up on my doings in Belize. I have been heading up a project in which we are painting the physical therapy room at a old folks home in San Ignacio called Octavia Waight. I will be putting up pictures shortly and it is looking so good. We are having tons of fun and i can't wait to move in all the equipment and see it all finished. I am also starting a project called the rural health campaign, its a project where we go around in rural villages and take peoples blood pressure and check their glucose levels to see if there is any hypertension and also diabetes. After testing the people we will be giving information on how to control and improve the health of those who are being affected by these problems. I am having a meeting tomorrow and am excited to get it started.
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I don't know how much Jacob has told you but today we helped with Adobe Stoves, it was tons of fun and we got the foundation and some of the bricks laid. There was a little girl named Amy who just stole my heart, she is so cute and we played with her stuffed animals and climbed in trees most of the time i was there. She took lots of pictures on my camera and is becoming quite the little photographer. I love helping the people of Belize and am always humbled by where they are living and the conditions that they are living in, also that they are so willing to receive help and to put their own hard work into improving their life.

Today we went to Spanish Lookout, it is a mennonite community and they have the most amazing ice cream there. While we were there we met a very big but nice bull and took lots of pictures of beautiful landscape. Later, we went to a concert of some of the children who have been taking music lessons and it was so fun to watch them play the flute, piano, guitar and sing. There is so much talent here and i am glad that people of the community are helping to keep kids out of trouble and develop their talents. Well its off to bed for me, i promise to write more often! Thanks of everyone's help and prayers.

A new kind of blog

          So going away from just blogging what I do every day, I would rather write what I learn, and about new perspectives that I continue to discover.
          First off, I have learned a great deal about the AIDS/HIV epidemic. There are many issues associated with the disease, not all relating to prevention (though that is most important). There are social, ethical, and moral issues that need to be dealt with. There is discrimination against those with the disease. Hospice care for those in the last stages. The government's role in everything (especially the boundary between encouraging protection and  "promoting" sexual behavior). Help for those living with it. Family support -many families disown those diagnosed, forcing them to live in the streets. It is a big problem, but I see efforts being made to increase awareness and deal with it one step at a time.
         I guess I have learned that AIDS is about more than those that get it, and the dilemmas created by the disease are worth exploration by everyone.
        On another note, I read a quote today at the George Price Center that had a profound effect on me. George Price was the "father of Belize." He lead Belize to independence and had a major hand in shaping the country.
               "The danger of ideology is that you believe something and you try to tamper and shape       reality to that and it doesn't work sometimes. We cannot go wrong when we work our constitution and   invest our time, labor, and talent in the work of continuing creation....People get bogged down in ideology: in rhetoric over action."
        Just think about it :)
        Last of all, I find myself continually questioning-or defining- the aspiration to "better one's life." Not to get into the trite subjects of money and the definition of happiness, but more of the universal application of American ideas. I recently talked to a couple who literally spent their own money to build a technologically advanced farm for a university here. It was abandoned in less than a month. More than anything here, I see a lot of peace. Well, not really peace, but people content. It may be laziness, but I don't think so. They could try and get a better education. They could try to come to the States. They could try to own a business. But they don't see a need. Which leads me to wonder if the "need" is subjective, and for all of the wonderful opportunities we wish to create, how many of them will be, and need to be seized?
       I believe that fulfillment is a personal thing, and we should be careful in forcing our definition of success onto another.   
       This is mostly just ramble. But it is good brain food :)
Jacob Tonks

Sometimes for fun..... I hang glide on a dorito :)

So Pretty much these last 2 days have been mostly meetings and planning:)
Monday was a blast. We worked on building these awesome adobe stoves for these families in benque. We had to dig out the material from a hole in a hill, mix it, and pour it onto anfoundation. Oh ya and it was Pouring rain!! We were soaked. But it was stillfun :)
Then I went to hills of promise school and played futbol with the kids there.
These last 2 days I have had meetings about a chicken worm rabbit system, a 30 mile hike being a counselor over 7 kids, taught English and computer skills, and learned about the rural health campaign. I'm ready to start my own project I think.
More to come!
Also I saw the list of those who helped with funds. Thank you thank you thank you thank you! I feel so lucky to know such amazing people. You're the best!
A very grateful
Jacob

Explanation of pics

So the pics are as Followes
1 me and my Sis
2 megan, angela and Sarah goofing around at the church
3 me in the car first day
4 me emily and mckenzie at square foot gardens
5 the bathroom at hills of promise
6 square foot gardens
7 sports equipment unveiling at church
8 me and abi! He is one if the best futbol players I have ever seen
9 Melanie and a little girl :)
10-13cave tubing!

Sunday. Sunday. Someday :)

I don't think I have ever been so grateful for Sunday's before. The day started by going to the Spanish ward. It was awesome. I was way happy with how
Much I understood (which was hardly anything, but still an ok amount). 2 years of spa oh 4 years ago, and I'm feelin ok :)
The rest if the day was sleeptime and chiltime. The lovely sister Kay cooked dinner, and it was fantastic :)
Tomorrow's another day!
Hope you like the pics.
Jacob

Photos of Belize and our amazing adventures

From Cave tubing to square foot gardens to playing with the local kids, we are having an amazing experience! more pictures coming soon!

Saturday = vacation!

So every Saturday there is a market down the street and it's huge! There are tons of cool fruit, amazing thick flour tortillas, and pirate DVDs. I was this close to buying xmen first class but I didn't. At least not yet :) then it was off to......
CAVE TUBING!
Pictures will be up tOmorrow for sure, but basically it was like a dream. Cliff jumping into crystal waters underground! Amazing! Then dinner, an amazing Warner approved chocolate mint cake from Sweet Tings, and a blog, and I am ready for bed.
Today's menu
1. Star fruit and banana
2. Peanut butter sandwich (a frequent visitor)
3. Termites
4. Guava
5. Cahoon
6. chicken burrito
7. Mint chocolate cake
Jacob "stuffed" Tonks

To serve them you have to know them.

What a day. This morning was spent building a fence around and planting in like 7 huge garden beds that HELP voluteers built for a school. The kids in need of meal assistance will work in the gardens to help pay for their food. And of course they will get some of the food too :) it was shaded, but still hot hot.
After a quick Excel lesson at the house (I am in charge of keeping hours) we went to lunch, then I researched for a couple of hours.
I was thinking all day "how could I possibly come up with a project to help people here? I barely know how to live here."
My question was Answered tonight. Two of our team members brought in a Ton of sports supplies for the lds church here, so there was a big kickoff at the church tonight. The local kids and teens were there, and I truly love every one. I consider them my friends, and they to me. SpecificAlly abi, davin, kevin, and Jonathan. Wow. What amazing kids. Well really teens. They invited me to play futbol with them tomorrow at 7, and I can't wait. We joke and tease and have an awesome time.
Sorry that's kinda cheesy but They are incredible. Pictures to come soon :)
Keep belizin!
Jacob

Don't stop Belizing!

Hey friends! Ok so Belize is amazing! The people are so kind and I have Already had so many amazing experiences. Today I went to a nursing home and was able to see the closing of a project where we are teaching the staff how to do basic cna work. For example doing vital signs and information about diabetes. I am starting a project where we are going to paint the physical therapy room. I was also able to go to a school Where they Are teaching music classes and art. The children are so cute and friendly, but the all speak Spanish and I have a feeling I am going to totally have to learn some Spanish! There are so many amazing projects and is can't wait to help with all of them! Also it rained today and it felt amazing! The weather is hot but I am starting to love it! Love you all!!

After the meeting....

Cool. I am way more excited and relaxed now that we had the planning meeting. I can't wait to get started on some of these projects. Everyone here is great, and there is a lot we can do.
A few things.
1. The bananas here are superb.
2. The people here are very outgoing and kind.
3. The pace of life is slower here, and I love it.
4. Excuse the typos. I am on an iPod :)
5. It is time for bed. And an endless, cold shower.
Jacob

First post! Woot!

Wow. What a crazy 2 days. When we arrived we took an over 2 hour bus ride into San Ignacio. It gave us an incredibly cool view of the country. Its pretty amazing down here. Poor. But amazing. When we got to San IgnaCIO, I was so stoked! It is the coolest little town ever! After an aawesome dinner we met everyone then headed up to the local church for a movie, but ended up playing futbol with all of the local kids. They are so cool! And amazing at soccer!
Me and Paul are sleeping on the roof in a tent because there are so many volunteers, which is pretty cool. It's hot and muggy All of the time. And I mean hot and muggy. Like I couldn't imagine. No a/c, and no cold water. Awesome!
Gotta go for a safety meeting. More later!

Surprise!

This is actually Jacob, Sarah's younger brother :) Thanks to some quick thinking (and a little hand holding) I am also going to Belize to help the people there, though I won't be there as long as Sarah. I will be gone until July 20th. Thanks to everyone that donated to our efforts. You're the bomb!

The beginning

Going to a country and doing service has been a dream of mine since I was really little. I am very excited to take this opportunity to go build stoves, help in public health, orphanages and many more. I know it will be tough but I am ready to dive in and put in lots of hard work. I will be keeping this blog updated with all of the projects that I will be doing, as well as adding lots of pictures of our adventures. Thanks you to all those who have donated and I am very excited to help the people of Belize with your donations.