Greetings,
As we kicked off the new year
back in January, we looked forward to all that God is doing and will do in
Belize. So much has happened over the
past five months and is continuing to happen.
We wanted to pause and share with you just a few of the great things
that have been taking place.
professionals, medical
students, and lay people saw over 1688 patients in remote villages of the
southern part of Belize. Many of the
villagers have no other access to medical care or much needed medication. More importantly, these volunteers shared the
love of Christ and the plan of His salvation with the folks they encountered.
We also hosted a
construction/maintenance team that came with the sole purpose of helping us get
the campus and various facilities
repaired and fixed up. Many times it
seems that people are more interested in special projects, but this group came
with a servant’s heart to help us with repairs and maintenance required to
enable us to continue with the ministry that we otherwise did not have the
manpower or funding to cover. In
addition to campus repairs, these guys (and lady) put in pipes from the water
tower to the preschool in More Tomorrow so that we now have running water in
the preschool for the students to use for drinking, washing hands, etc.
Two additional teams
comprised of pastors and church leaders visited us to see the ministry first
hand. This was an opportunity for these folks
to see face to face what GEM is all about and the lives that are touched
through God’s grace and provision. It
was great to make new friends and form relationships that we anticipate will
last a life time. At least one team
member is very talented with audio visual skills and blessed us with a
wonderful video to help us share the work of GEM with others. You may view this promo video (as well as our
other videos) on our YouTube channel which is named Randy Gaither.
All of our churches are continuing to see people
saved, baptized, and being disciple. In
March we held another training conference to continue teaching and training the pastors and leaders within
our various churches. The meeting was
very successful with great attendance.
It is refreshing to see so many men and women with great eagerness to
learn more and more about God and His Word.
Maya Mopan |
but the building is already full of songs of praise for the Lord as the local congregation meets there several times a week to worship Him. The walls of the church building in Maya Mopan are complete and ready for the rafters and roof. In Frank’s Eddy, the walls are going up quickly and will soon be ready for the roof. Praise the Lord for the good weather to keep these projects moving!
Frank's Eddy |
As far as the Gaither family
news, all is well. Randy and Sheila have
joked many times about how important it is to keep up with routine maintenance…in
this case referring to your body, not your vehicle. Otherwise you are looking at a major
overhaul! The past 6 weeks have revolved
around doctor appointments and therapy appointments (stateside, of course), but
we are about to get all the parts moving and pistons firing again. However, I am not sure we were ever running
on all cylinders. Brandon has finished
his 3rd year of college and turns 21 in a few days (where has the
time gone??). Micah informed us that he
is officially a second grader now, and last week he declared that he was
thinking about living at home with us until he starts high school. ??? That’s Micah for you…always thinking ahead
about things no one else ever considers.
Oh, to be 7 years old again…
In closing we would like to
leave you with these words. Jesus gave
us His definition of success in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Your greatness will not be determined by how
much you accumulate as you go through life, but by how effectively you honor
God by serving others. Live each day
like Jesus!
Blessings,
Randy, Sheila, & Micah
GEM is a 501(c)3 and
all donations are tax deductible