June-July Update

Greetings from Belize,

We are having a fantastic summer with several teams and a lot of activities. There have been many people and a lot of exciting activities from Vacation Bible Schools, to construction projects, and Bible studies and revival services. More than the busyness of people and things going on, there is an unexplainable joy as we continue seeing people saved and experiencing the life changing presence and power of Jesus! We may never really know this side of Heaven just how many lives have been touched through the dedication and labor of those who have been obedient to God’s call and followed His leading…both those who come to Belize for a short term mission trip and those who reside in Belize.

In the six weeks since the beginning of June we have hosted eight different teams. Several teams were from Arkansas with others from Louisiana and Tennessee. These groups ministered in eight of the nine villages where we have churches. It has been very heartwarming to see folks from the US making a real connection with people in Belize through sharing of their personal testimony, activities for children, worship services, food distribution, and overall demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ.

In addition to the personal ministries that have been taking place, one team also worked on the water cistern for the church and preschool in More Tomorrow. They built a raised concrete platform for the cistern and put up guttering on the church to catch rain water. This water will service restrooms (with real flush toilets) for both the church and preschool.

On June 18^th we held a graduation ceremony for the Children’s Nest Preschool in Valley of Peace. It was a great celebration and 27 students graduated ready to begin primary school (the equivalent of kindergarten in the US) in September. There were also four younger students who successfully completed the first year of preschool and plan to return to preschool in the fall since they are not old enough yet to begin primary school. We appreciate all the hard work of the students as well as the teachers: Ms. Elba, Ms. Ruth, and Ms. Olga. Congratulations to all of you!

Speaking of Valley of Peace, we would like to welcome Pastor Camilio Mas and his family to the Valley. Randy had been talking to Pastor Camilio for quite a while regarding his faith and God’s call on his life. On July 3^rd Pastor Camilio was installed as the full-time pastor at the church in Valley of Peace and he moved his wife and five children from a Ketchi village in the southern part of Belize to begin serving God as part of GEM. In just two weeks the attendance has doubled and two individuals have been saved. Praise the Lord!

Celebrations continue with a special anniversary service in Bella Vista. On July 17^th we celebrated the one year anniversary of our church in that village. There was standing room only inside the church and many people gathered outside to listen through the doors and windows. The building in and of itself is another reason for celebration. Until just a few months ago, the congregation was meeting under tarps. We now have a concrete floor, a thatch roof, and board siding. No more standing in the mud to praise the Lord…not at church anyway.

Just to let everyone know, the Gaither family did not fall off the face of the earth. We were without a computer and modem for about a month so we were unable to keep up with our email communications. Now that we are back online it has been a struggle in all the busyness to get to the HUGE back log of emails. We have literally been running so quickly in so many different directions for the past few weeks that we can’t keep up with each other. Randy changes hats every time the wind blows…besides being a missionary and senior pastor for nine churches; he has been a bus driver, a plumber, a tour guide, and overall errand boy. Sheila is busy trying to get all the records caught up after being without a computer for so long as well as getting school supplies, books, and uniforms together for all the students we sponsor. Brandon was able to spend several weeks in the states this summer visiting friends and family. He turned 16 the end of May and thanks to Grandpa, Nana, and a borrowed car from Aunt Shannon he now has his driver’s license…YIKES! Micah has also been working on his driving skills. A wonderful lady sent a tricycle to Belize with one of our recent teams (thank you BB!). Zeke and Hachi (our two dogs) are less than thrilled with Micah having his own set of wheels, but Micah is having a blast. He has put so many miles on that tricycle that the tires are already worn down to the tread wear indicator. With those two boys driving it’s no longer safe on the road, sidewalk, or in the yard!!

Blessings,

Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah

March-April Update

Greetings from Belize,

It is such a joy and privilege to be a part of what God is doing here in Belize. The ministry is growing and expanding so much faster than we had ever imagined. There is no greater joy than seeing lives changed as people come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Not only are we getting to see people coming to know the Lord, we are getting to see them grow up in the Lord. As the people grow, our churches grow and reach a point of independence. Much like our children graduate and leave “the nest” to go out on their own, we have seen the church on the main northern campus graduate to an independent church. An inauguration service was held on February 26^th to celebrate their independence as Living Waters Fellowship.

As some grow up, new churches are being birthed. God has opened the doors and expanded the ministry into two additional villages in the past few weeks. On March 16^th we established a church in the village of Hope Creek which is being led by Pastor Rigobeuto Rodrigues. We have also begun a church in Otoxha, and Pastor Thomas Ack is leading that congregation. This is especially exciting as there are no other churches in Otoxha. We now have a total of nine churches with these two new additions. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support that make this possible. (Pictured top right: Pastor Rigobeuto and family at Hope Creek. Pictured bottom right: Randy with Pastor Thomas Ack at Otoxha.)

We have also been blessed with some great teams over the past few weeks…surprisingly four teams all from different churches in Arkansas. The first team worked in More Tomorrow repainting the government school and leading Bible studies. They also helped Sheila out a great deal with several projects around our house including setting up a new computer accounting system which will save her a great deal of time in keeping all of our financial records.

In addition, this team worked on fixing up the staff house on the northern campus so someone can live in it again. We are very anxious to get the renovations completed as God is sending a family to help us with the ministry. Jason and Ashley Hancock, along with their two children Jacob and Kristen, from Mansfield, AR have answered God’s call to serve Him here in Belize. That will be a tremendous blessing to us and the ministry and will free up some time for Randy to focus more on church planting, leadership training and mentoring our pastors. Please pray with us that God will send a buyer for the Hancock’s house in AR and that He will provide the means for us to complete the staff house soon.

The preschool in More Tomorrow is coming along nicely and we hope to have it open when school starts in September. The building itself is almost complete. The second team from Arkansas installed the doors and windows and painted the building inside and out. Bathroom facilities that will service both the preschool and the church have been started but are not yet finished. We also need a water tank to collect rain water for the bathrooms. Otherwise, we only lack electricity and furnishings for the preschool building.

During the same week another team from Arkansas worked in Bella Vista with a focus on evangelism. They visited house to house and shared the Gospel in the village school. They also provided some basic teaching to the church leaders.

April begins the hot, dry season here in Belize so the Gaither crew has been busy trying to come up with ways to beat the heat. Of course the top pick with all four is a thirty minute ride to Spanish Lookout in an air-conditioned vehicle to get ice cream. However, that option is not always practical and Micah’s little wading pool becomes overcrowded quickly, so water guns and a lawn sprinkler have to suffice. Otherwise, Brandon is on the home stretch toward finishing school for the year with only about two weeks left before summer break…yee haw! It’s unclear who is happier about the end of the school year – Brandon or Sheila. Micah, on the other hand, is not putting his education on hold. He practices his overly abundant language skills constantly while also counting and naming the color of virtually everything he encounters. Randy recently had a weekend tour of three different Belizean hospitals due to several kidney stones, but after spending the night in a ward with five strangers he decided there’s really no place like home. Fortunately he is doing much better now and he has reclaimed the water hose as his weapon of choice (since the water supply is endless) in the family battle to stay cool.

Blessings,

Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah

January - February Update

Greetings from Belize,

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul says “So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Romans 10:17). Paul makes it clear that it is not enough just to love and care for people; we are called to communicate the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. We are continuing to see this happening as individuals and teams are using their gifts and skills for opportunities to share this message.

Several people from Iowa and Tennessee came to Belize to prepare the way for the arrival of other teams to follow. Some maintenance problems around the facility (including the remaining post-hurricane repairs) were addressed. With new screens on the windows, the bugs stay outside the dining hall and Micah once again has a swing set. Much needed new bathroom facilities were also constructed very quickly to accommodate our upcoming teams. We are very proud of the new bathrooms and one of the team members who was able to utilize the new showers thought they would rival any five star hotels in the states. Ok, maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but she had been in the remote villages of southern Belize and running water was a luxury…not to mention hot water.

While some of the folks were working on the bathrooms, two mechanics were busy working on all of our vehicles at the northern campus. These guys did a great job to get things running, keep things running, and overall facilitating more dependable transportation for this year. What would we do without you guys? (I guess walk.)

During the last few days of January and first part of February, a medical team from Tennessee provided onsite clinics in several villages in the more remote jungle villages in the southern part of Belize. They treated 489 patients in four different villages and distributed over 300 health packs. Not only did they minister to the physical needs, but also the message of Christ was shared through videos and one on one personal testimonies.

We also had a team from the University of Arkansas who tested the well water in several locations including More Tomorrow and our main campus. As a result of the tests conducted, the team is planning to return to Belize in the next few months for projects to provide safe drinking water to the entire village of More Tomorrow. While the team was working in More Tomorrow, they took time to prepare a foundation with posts for a new home for one of the families there.

Through all of these efforts, the love of Christ was demonstrated and the gospel was shared personally which both strengthened and encouraged our churches. We appreciate each and every member of the teams that gives his time and talent to serve God here in Belize.

After a very busy (but very wonderful) start to the new year, the Gaither family is currently taking advantage of a few days to catch their breath between teams and get caught up on work that had been backlogged for several weeks. In all of his running around taking care of business, Randy found a real treasure…a case of Dr. Pepper from Guatemala which made for a happy Valentine’s Day for Brandon. For the most part, Brandon has been buried under so many school books and research papers that we haven’t seen him for days. However, the number of cans of Dr. Pepper keeps decreasing so he must still be alive somewhere under all those books. Speaking of education, Sheila is seriously contemplating why it is necessary for a child to be potty trained before he starts college…after all, if Micah can change his own diaper why deal with all the soiled clothes when he is too busy playing to take time for toileting??? Micah celebrates his second birthday this month and he is convinced there is nothing he can’t do…from speaking in full sentences using very descriptive language to attempting to climb the mango trees…well, nothing except the potty training that is! The two newest members of the family, Hachi (a blue heeler puppy) and Zeke (a German shepherd puppy) are enjoying life in the jungle. Just keep the food and the belly rubs coming and life is good. Hmmm…how much simpler life might be as a dog…

Blessings,

Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah

December Update

Greetings,

As another year comes to a close, we are reminded that the ministry was registered in Belize to begin the work here a little over three years ago. It seems like such a brief time, and yet we have seen so many incredible things that God has done. We never imagined all that God had in store for us. The opportunities for ministry are ever increasing as we are continuing to grow and looking forward to another great year ahead!

Pictured Left: Chen home shown here missing roof after hurricane Richard.
Pictured Right: Mr. & Mrs. Chen standing in front of their home with repaired rafters and a new roof.

We would like to give everyone a quick update on the situation in Belize following hurricane Richard that hit the northern part of the country on October 24^th. God miraculously provided funds designated for hurricane relief to rebuild homes damaged by the storm. We have begun that process of putting new roofs on homes as shown here. Special thanks to the ones who followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit and very lovingly and generously contributed to this cause without even being asked.

During this Christmas season, one of the greatest ways to celebrate the birth of Jesus is seeing people continue to accept the gift of salvation. More and more people are putting their faith in Jesus and following Him in baptism. Shown here are pictures of baptism services that took place on November 6^th and 7^th in two different villages. We are working very hard to see that these new believers are discipled and taught the Word of God. All in all this is the reason we moved to Belize…to see others come to Christ. As these new Christians are being discipled, the churches are already becoming very evangelistic about reaching others with the gospel.

There are still many villages waiting for us to come and begin a church, not only in Belize but in neighboring countries in Central America as well. In many of the villages there is little or no transportation which prohibits people from being able to attend church in villages other than where they live. Please continue to pray for us that God will provide everything that we need to establish new churches as people come to Christ.

In the Gaither household, Brandon is suffering through his semester exams as this newsletter is being written. Though he is less than thrilled at this opportunity to display his knowledge, I am sure he will do fine. Micah, on the other hand, enjoys practicing his academic skills. He loves to name all the circles and triangles that he can find and recently has decided to draw circles on everything he sees….the walls, the table, Brandon’s school books, etc. Look out Picasso!

Otherwise, the Gaithers are busy getting ready for Christmas. We have been decorating, and redecorating, and redecorating the Christmas tree. Apparently Micah is never quite pleased with how it looks and taking the ornaments off the tree is a daily (or hourly) event. Randy and Sheila are having to learn all over again how to drive in city traffic where there are actually street signs and traffic lights (what do you mean you have to stay in one lane and aren’t stop signs really just a suggestion?). Regardless of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the Gaither crew is enjoying time with family and friends as we all celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will be back to the much warmer temperatures (thank you Lord) in Belize right after Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

from Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah

October-November Update

Greetings from Belize,

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2 NIV) Of course we have always known these words to be true, but the very active weather we have had this hurricane season and the apparent popularity of Belize among the tropical storms and hurricanes has caused us to recall these words of David over and over again. Through all the recent weather the Lord protected us.

Though we took a direct hit from hurricane Richard on October 24th, the good news is that no lives were lost. The Gaither four had actually just flown back to the U.S. for Randy to speak at several meetings the weekend before Richard's arrival in Belize. Randy returned to Belize right after the storm to deal with the damage and help wherever he could. He was amazed at what he found when he arrived at our house. We lost all of our trees and our fence, but it was as if God had cupped His hands around our house, according to Randy, and we only sustained some roof damage. There was also some damage to the shop building on the northern campus due to a tree on the roof.

In Valley of Peace, our facilities "weathered" the storm with some roof damage to the church and internet cafe' and a few trees down on the fence. However, the hardest hit was the village of More Tomorrow. In the entire village, Randy located only two homes that still had a roof after the storm, and some buildings were completely destroyed as you can see from the pictures. Fortunately, we were able to have the church opened for a hurricane shelter before Richard's arrival and the building stood strong. In addition to the destruction of their homes, the people in the village lost their crops to the winds and flooding. We have been distributing food door to door in More Tomorrow and are trying to raise the funds to help put roofs back on the homes.

Though the weather has dealt some pretty heavy blows, we are continuing to see people come to Jesus. Pastor Rafael Chuc at the church in Dump recently baptized four new Christians in the swollen river during the visit of tropical storm Matthew, and there are three others in Dump who will also be baptized soon. Randy just had two baptism services this past week. He baptized three in Bella Vista and one in More Tomorrow.

Speaking of growth, construction continues at our preschool in More Tomorrow. The building itself has come a long was and survived the hurricane. Now we just lack the doors, windows, and electrical before we can furnish it with furniture, equipment, and supplies. The bathroom facilities also need to be completed and a water tank built so that we can open the doors to students when the school year starts in September, 2011.

The Gaither family is doing well. Sheila and the boys have enjoyed visiting family and attending Sheila's nephew's wedding while they are in the states (congratulations Jay & Brittani), but they are definitely looking forward to all four of them being in the same country again. Randy will be returning to the states soon so they can all hit the road together for several meetings. Road trips provide for a good bit of "together" time, and it is always great to see friends stateside while taking care of business and sharing about the ministry in Belize.

Otherwise in family news, Brandon has been busy training his new puppy and trying to teach him NOT to eat everything he sees...fingers and toes included. There is quite a battle of the wits in the Gaither household these days as Micah and Hachi (the puppy) both want to be in total control of the household and the center of attention at all times. Micah loves Hachi, but he is not used to someone having him by the seat of the pants...literally. It should be interesting to see how this one shakes out.

Blessings,
Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah












Captain Jack: 7/11/05 - 10/06/10 Brandon & Micah with Hachi

September Update

Greetings from Belize,

It is hard to believe that summer has come to a close and the school year has already started. Things have not slowed down any as we are continuing to see the Lord’s blessings poured out upon us and the work here in Belize.

The busy summer ended with two great teams in August from Central Christian Church in Fort Smith, AR. Both of these teams consisted primary of youth with a focus on evangelism. They had VBS activities for the children in the villages in addition to conducting sports camps. The first team spent one day in More Tomorrow and then headed south to our southern campus and spent the rest of the week in the village of San Isidro. The second team ministered in both San Pablo and Bella Vista which are located in southern Belize. All of these guys did a great job sharing Bible stories, their own personal testimonies, and the love of Jesus Christ in general to people of all ages. For several of these youth, it was the first time they had shared their personal testimony and God moved mightily as several folks accepted Christ as their Savior.

Three of the pastors from Central Christian also accompanied the teams. The pastors and team members made such a close connection with the people here in Belize that they have decided as a church to partner with us and adopt the village of Bella Vista. We are looking forward to many great things to come as this church is planning several trips throughout the year to help grow the church and disciple new Christians as they work through GEM.

September started off with a team of friends that we have known for years from our home area in Arkansas (Hartford & Mansfield). We had a wonderful time with the Tobey and Hancock families showing them the various aspects of the ministry and a little of the culture here in Belize. This group brought blankets and “goodie bags” filled with toys, candy, etc. for the children. The blankets were made by children in the states as a VBS activity and each blanket was accompanied by a note from and a photo of the children who made it. The team also purchased, bagged, and distributed much needed food (beans, rice, flour, sugar, and lard) to the people in both More Tomorrow and Valley of Peace.

The Gaither family is doing well. Brandon is staying very busy being back in school (and you know he is excited about that). He has Spanish I this year and although he is doing well in the class and making A’s, Micah is giving “Bam Bam” a run for his money when it comes to speaking Spanish. Micah is not speaking in sentences in Spanish as he is in English, but he is naming common objects in Spanish. The other day he even hollered “vamos” when he wanted to go outside to play in the dirt. He has also learned to turn on the outside faucet and spray the dog with “agua”. I guess Captain Jack (the dog) is learning Spanish as well…it didn’t take him long to figure out what it means when Micah says agua. Meanwhile, Randy has recently discovered that there are chiggers in Belize and he was voted “Best Host” by the little critters. Sheila, on the other hand, is just trying to keep up with her three guys while trying to figure out how the mold even grows on the shoes you wear daily when it is the rainy season in Belize…hmmm.

Blessings,

Randy, Sheila, Brandon, and Micah