"...yet it may be said that those who do choose to make the climb toward the enlightened state are the more loving individuals, whereas those who choose to maintain duality and dominance, with their many adverse effects, may be too sealed off from the cosmic energies to be able to align with them.  Those who decide to climb the Pyramid can be expected to want to include as many others as possible simply out of love.  Whether this world will end up in a paradise or in a catastrophe will not depend on the cosmic plan but on how many choose to make the climb."

"Another aspect of the climb of the Cosmic Pyramid is forging a path of action in service to the enlightenment of humanity.  Love and wholeness require including everyone and jointly working with others toward this goal.  The Mayan calendar means there is an overall purpose to the cosmic time plan, and so we all potentially have missions, paths of action, in service to the rest of humanity."

The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness

Hello Belizean enthusiasts...this comes long after my return from paradise. Re-entry has been more challenging than usual in that I experienced an early morning house fire just days after my return...hence the lateness of my update. I'm happy to report that we are safe and sound and the massive clean up is underway. How quickly our perspectives change when we are faced with possible tragedy and loss...a sobering reminder of what is truly valuable...life!!!

After almost 3 weeks in Belize my conviction is even greater to generate support and funding for education. The response I heard from parents and children all over the country is that they are not able to fund basic educational needs ie: tuition, books & school supplies, and yet the hope of a brighter future still shines in their hearts. I have seen some economic improvement among some of the families I know which is very encouraging. With the approaching end of the Maya calendar on December 21, 2012 and all of the publicity surrounding it, it is my belief that this will generate interest and bring more tourism to Belize, particularly to the Todedo district, the heart of Belize's Maya culture.

The Prensa de Paz church, located on our property, celebrated it's first anniversary. An estimated 400 Ketchi Maya from Belize and Guatemala gathered once again for a weekend long celebration. The women worked tirelessly night and day in the outdoor kitchen making tortillas on the "kumal", preparing "caldo", the traditional Maya soup, making hundreds of "poch", cornmeal wrapped and steamed in a waha leaf, all the while laughing and chatting in their native Ketchi language. We butchered another cow, roasted a pig and feasted on "chicharones", the best pork rinds you've ever eaten! Three church members were baptized in our creek and the church services ran late into the night with music, dancing, singing and prayer. A cultural experience to say the least!!

Construction continues on "Winding Creek Maya Lodge" with a goal of opening for business late in 2012, just in time for the winter solstice and the end of the Maya calendar. The windows are now in, the pipe has been laid for the water, the veranda ceiling and soffits have been finished off with beautiful pine boards, bed frames are being hand-make by Ponciano out of local wood from the jungle...the progress is all very exciting!!

Belize has certainly become my second home. From Caye Caulker to Punta Gorda I am greeted with a warm "welcome back Bonita"! Whether I'm fishing with Charlie at the reef, visiting with Rina and her mom, Ms. Emma, at the shrimp farm, sitting by the seaside with the local PG boys drinking rum & coconut water (yum!), or listening to the night sounds of the jungle while I drift off to sleep, I am wrapped in a sense of belonging and contentment. Given my delightfully precious family here in Maine and the opportunity I have to experience my beautiful Belize, I am truly one joyously blessed woman.

Mangos, Marimbas & Mayas

Bonita has just returned from a two week visit to her beloved Belize and the timing was perfect. Punta Gorda hosted its 5th annual "Cacao Festival", an event where local cacao growers show off their Maya Gold...chocolate that is! The festival kicked off with a wine & chocolate tasting garden party at a seaside inn. There were samples galore from chocolate with chili to ginger chocolate and everything in between. The turn out was great, about 400 people, and I got to rub elbows with some of the community's leading citizens. This event was in total contrast to the typical social gatherings I usually experience there. Meanwhile, back at my hacienda, my Maya family and I got caught up on each others lives as we swung in the hammock on the veranda. We hosted an occasional overnight guest who had traveled from a distant village to attend our church service. Since the opening of the Prensa de Paz Church in January there has been significant growth. I attended church a few times while there and even led the children's fellowship on Sunday morning! Most of the service is in Ketchi and my Maya family is convinced that they can teach me to speak it...thus far I can say "good, thank you, and beautiful"...it's a start...when in doubt I just say "good"!

I stopped by Miss Emma's shrimp farm in Hopkins and found the fruit trees dripping with mangos, wax apples, papaya, and jack fruit. We spotted a toucan while filling our bags to the brim with ripe, juicy mangos. It is so exciting to see tropical birds in the wild. And the colors of the birds, flowering trees & shrubs are beyond description. The flamboyant tree has flaming orange blossoms that dominate the landscape. When I think of Belize I think of brightness and color and lusciousness.

Being a former British colony, Belize still celebrates the Queen's birthday. All the children had a holiday from school so Elvira and I packed a picnic lunch of burritos and off we went with a car load of children to Blue Creek. The waters are clear and blue and you can see a variety of fish swimming below the surface. It is truly a spectacular river with cool, sparkling deep pools and cascading waterfalls. Swimming against the current the kids and I would stand under the falls and let it massage our backs being careful not to let it rip our "bab" suits right off!

One afternoon we heard that a cow had strayed onto our neighbor's land. Apparently the solution is not to try to herd it back to it's own farm but to shoot it. As time went by we heard the fatal shot and Ponciano ran off to lend a hand with a few of the older boys in tow. A short time later, Carlos, 9, came sauntering down our drive proudly holding the liver and heart...our supper! With great enthusiasm, Elvira immediately took to chopping up this fresh delicacy which would later become the key ingredient for a delicious soup. I was more interested in seeing what the men were doing with the cow so off I went following Carlos across the pasture and into the bush. By now dusk had fallen and I had reservations about walking through the bush in the disappearing light, but my curiosity got the better of me. We approached the area where the motionless carcass laid as Abelino busily completed the butchering. Two of the boys offered to carry the head by it's horns while it took two grown men to carry the hind quarter on their backs. Somehow I just couldn't picture any of the men or children I know enthusiastically carrying bloodied cow parts. The beauty in this somewhat gruesome scene is that every morsel of this cow would be eaten and nothing left to waste. These people have known hunger all too often and celebrate the opportunity to fill their bellies.

Right now it's the dry season in Belize and the perfect time to go "striking" for fish. Most the the village men and a few of the young boys paddle down the river and spend an entire day in search of tuba fish and snook. They don't use poles and hooks but a sling shot type contraption with a spear on it that is tethered by a string. They dive under crocodile infested waters and hunt for these fish, keeping a watchful eye out for any crocs that might be in the vicinity. Is that not unbelizeable?? The men make light of it with me and tell me that there are no crocs in the river but I know differently. Siliano, a villager and registered guide, told me they exist. I spoke with him after he had been "striking" and he said that it is dangerous and that one must be vigilant at all times. Ponce & Alberto have promised to take me striking...I'll be content to watch from the dorey and keep a lookout for any crocs lurking below the surface.

"Winding Creek Maya Lodge"... our goal is to be open for business by January 1, 2012. Ponciano says he is able to make much of the furniture out of local wood and is beginning to collect the wood now. We still need to finish the kitchen tile work, cabinetry, and bring water to the building. We can at least offer rooms to guests at a reasonable price if things are not 100% complete. I trust that Ponce & Elvira will be terrific hosts. Ours is not going to be a lodging experience for everyone however I am convinced that guests who prefer this type of accommodation will leave enriched and renewed by the interactive nature of what we will offer.

Belizeans love their music...it is as varied as the many distinct cultures that exist in this diverse Caribbean country. The marimba, a primitive xylophone, is a traditional musical instrument of the Mayas. Rina, Toto & I were fortunate to attend a performance where 3 young Maya men created the most melodic sounds as they each hammered out different rhythms. It seems that no matter how many times I return to Belize I am continually introduced to new cultural experiences which lead me to a deeper appreciation for the Belizean people and their history.

February 10, 2011

Hey everyone...a lot has happened since my last installment 2 weeks ago. After 2 days at sea with my new fishing friends Johnny "Too Bad" and "Jilly" I felt renewed and ready to dig in and work on the house. But before I got too serious about work I enjoyed the Punta Gorda Day celebrations...vendors, music, local food and good family fun in the park in the center of town. The celebration culminated in an evening of Garifuna drumming and music in honor of one of Belize's greatest icons, the one and only Paul Nabor. Paul was recognized for his contributions that have been instrumental in keeping the Garifuna culture alive in Belize. He was also celebrating his 83rd birthday and in honor of his life's work the government of Belize awarded him $500 a month for the rest of his life...may you live long and well Paul!

The following day I traveled to Hopkins and spent the day with my Filipino friend Rina...there was a huge party for her Mom's 69th birthday held at the shrimp farm, a 4 square mile farm with shrimp ponds, fruit orchards, fragrant flowering gardens and food galore from gibnut and stewed goat to exotic Filipino dishes, cohune nut salad, king fish cerviche...what a spread!

Now down to business. Early the following week we traveled 4 hours to what is called "Spanish Lookout", a vast Mennonite community that is a slice of America where you can find all kinds of building supplies, groceries, dairy products, animal feed at the most reasonable prices in the country. This proved to be a very worthwhile trip and I was able to buy a front door for the house and select the windows. As luck would have it we found Fransisco who was willing to deliver the door for a mere $12 Belize ($6 US). With the clock ticking and the day of my departure soon approaching we set to work getting the door installed. Johnny "Too Bad" knows anyone who's anyone in Belize and in no time we had a talented contractor installing the door. He arranged for a master electrician to check out the wiring and I can now rest easily knowing the wiring is properly installed and safe...which wasn't exactly the case beforehand...it seems the guy that originally did the job really did some shoddy work.

Next we got the kitchen sink plumbed and have lined up someone to bring water to the house from the existing pump by the road. Using a 1000 gallon cistern, a submersible pump and mother nature's rain water the entire property will be supplied with water...it's so exciting to see things finally coming together!

On the last night in my house on the Papishaw Road, which I have grown to love immensely, I threw a party for my family and our neighbors. Chicken caldo, corn tortillas, hotdogs and marshmellows on the fire (the kids loved that!) watermellon cole slaw. Lots of fun...music, dancing and I wore the traditional Maya clothing for the event! Personally I don't find it flattering at all but those Mayan men love it!

Tearful good byes as I left the following morning and headed to one of the northern most villages in Belize, Consejo Village, a small seaside village and border town to Chetumal, Mexico. My friend Johnny, who traveled with me, grew up there as a child, his dad was English and a customs officer, his mom a Belizean Garifuna. What a delight to meet the people he knew as a small boy. Their gracious hospitality and genuine warmth and affection was profound. I pampered myself and stayed in the only accommodation with a pool and hot water...I figured I was due after a month without running water and a house without windows! I'm not complaining...it was a rather pleasant experience even without those conveniences!

I wrapped up my trip in Belize City with a visit to BC, my long time friend at the Swing Bridge who makes Rasta bracelets. He's getting it together these days and I was happy to see that and am proud of him. One thing I truly believe is that one cannot judge a book by it's cover...so many of the people I associate with in Belize at first glance may appear to be undesirables. And yet when you give them an opportunity to share and recognize their value, the beauty of who they are is wonderful to behold.

I arrived home late last night...it's good to be home and yet my heart yearns for the simplicity and rawness of Belize. I return with a stronger sense of purpose and conviction that Winding Creek Maya Lodge will succeed and that Belize will always be my happy place. By God's grace I will enjoy many more visits to this small yet remarkable country that I now consider my home.

May God bless us all in our way!

Brenda Bonita

February 2, 2011

Hola family & friends!

Been having some difficulty getting internet access this past week so you'll have to wait for the cow, fishing, armadillo and iguana eating photos. Once I get back to the states I'll share more of the amazing adventures I've been having here...Belize it or not, I'm no where near ready to leave! Don't worry Jasper.....I'm coming home!!!

Today we are hanging the front door on the house which is a huge blessing as it will keep the dogs and chickens out where they belong!

I had the pleasure of having a meeting with the country director of Sustainable Harvest International and learned a great deal about how to create a more productive and eco-friendly farm here. They are doing amazing work in the 30 or so indian villages here.

I'm back next week and I'm not quite sure what that's gonna be like...I am so in love with Punta Gorda and all the loving, kind, helpful people I have come to know. I'll miss the sea breeze and the warmth...the lovely people and the children...as my friend Johnny says..."I'm too blessed to be stressed!"

love to all...

Brenda Bonita

January 27, 2011

Hey all,

Well, I survived the opening of the church! For 3 days and nights we had bus loads of people arriving for the worship, music and food. Each evening folks were splayed out all over the house sleeping on the floor...it was crazy. There was dancing and singing and prayer...I'd say we had 500 people there Sat & Sun! We slaughtered our cow and had massive amounts of meat, bean, rice. We sold soda and chips and sweets to raise money...it was like a mini concert scene! The people were wonderful and had such a great time...nothing like this has ever reached this part of Belize!

Now that we are all cleaned up and back to semi-normal (I say that because there is always something happening like today when I got stuck in some mud taking a neighbor home) I have taken some time to relax and enjoy the sea. I met a couple of fishermen who took me out to the Cayes for 2 days of fishing and we also visited a Garifuna settlement up the coast called Punta Negra where only 8 families live. We were invited for a wonderful lunch of red snapper, rice and beans and enjoyed great conversation. Our fishing trip wasn't as successful as we would have liked and we only filled one of the 3 coolers with fish but what a blast! I caught a baracuda and I even snagged an eagle when he swooped down and grabbed my bait as I was trailing my line!!! Trust me, after 2 days fishing at sea with no fresh water I was definitely stinky!! We brought all the fish back for my family and shared it with everyone! While out on the sea I saw rays, dolphins, starfish, many beautiful birds. A toatally cool experience.

I'll be spending the next week working on the house and I may take another overnight trip to Punta Negra to visit my new friends Miss Paula and Miss Sue, two very nice Garifuna women who are raising 7 children in this remote place where the only access is by boat. There is a school with only 8 children who attend. I am loving the fact that I am exploring more of the area and it's feeling more and more comfortable with each passing day.

I'll post pictures tomorrow...I just realized I brought the wrong cord to the internet cafe...ugh!! I've got some amazing photos!

Sending peace, joy and love from PG!

Brenda Bonita

January 17, 2011

Hello family & friends,

As you know I am in Belize and partnering with a Maya family. We own land together and are working to develop a guest lodge and farm to provide food & income for them and their extended family. Because there was a need for a church in the local community, the villagers and my family have built a beautiful open air church on our land. This weekend we will host Mayans from 30 or so villages from the Toledo District of Belize and across the border in Guatemala. They will come for a 3 day celebration of worship, music and fellowship...there may be up to 100 people.

I am writing with a request for help. Many of the people are traveling far to come and worship. We are preparing for their arrival. Everyone who is attending is bringing something to contribute...a sack of corn or sugar...beans...rice...even though they have very little with which to feed their families. We would like to purchase a cow ($500US) to feed the people who will be coming. The men have been chopping firewood, cutting waha leaves used to wrap the tamales, and walking long distances with heavy loads on their backs. The women will be making tortillas night and day and cooking over the fire.

We are believing that God will supply our need. If you are so inspired to help us it would be a huge blessing if you could wire, through Western Union, $10 or $20 or whatever you can do. I have wired money to my family here and it is easy. Just go to Hannaford (in Maine) or your local supermarket and fill out the Western Union form and select "Money in Minutes" and you can send it to me in Punta Gorda, Belize. You will then receive a 10 digit number that I will need in order to pick up the money which you can either send to me via e-mail or text 207-749-9310.

There is need all over the world, even in our own backyard in Maine, so I understand that you may not be in a position to give. Please lift these people in prayer and I know God will be faithful to meet our needs. I really don't know what else I can do other than put this request out there...

So, warm and happy greetings from Belize...and blessings to you all!!

Love & Joy!!

Brenda Bonita