August 2019 - Seed of Hope Village

On Seeds of Hope Village Foundation’s (SHVF) most recent service trip, Madeleine and a small group of four volunteers made the long journey to Phillip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City.

Following two flights and a time zone change, the group cleared customs, gathered their suitcases, and headed outside where they were met by SHVF representatives and a waiting truck. For the first time, a 55 gallon barrel full to the brim with supplies was sent via freight a month before the trip and was picked up at the Port of Belize after many hours of searching and waiting. Our travel south, to our final destination, was further delayed by a stop in Belmopan to buy additional supplies and grab a quick dinner. Around 8 pm, our overloaded vehicles were finally en route down the two-lane Hummingbird Highway towards Placencia and Toledo. With its sharp curves, one-lane bridges, and the weight strain on our vehicles, the 4-hour drive took us an unusually long 7 hours to complete. After traveling for more than 20 hours consecutively, we finally arrived in Placencia around 2 am local time. Wasting no time, Madeleine and the group headed out to Medina Bank for a meeting with the village council and teachers bright and early the next morning. Madeleine introduced the volunteers, informed the council of the supplies purchased, discussed the upcoming programs, and gave updates on the school naming ceremony and other ongoing work with the SHVF school. Following the meeting, a calendar written in both Q’eqchi’ and English was posted at the village store detailing this trip’s programs, times, and places. School supply distribution took place on our second day in Belize, with help from PTA, volunteers, teachers, and the principle. Backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers were distributed to over 100 primary school children. As part of SHVF’s hygiene improvement campaign, select products such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and floss were distributed to roughly the same number of students and adults.

Extra items donated to the school in support of student learning were picture dictionaries, geometry sets, and magnifying glasses. Additionally, toilet paper, hand soap, and soap dispensers were gifted to the school for use as needed. With the help of a volunteer contractor and others, work continued on the SHVF school building. Unfortunately, the official school naming ceremony had to be postponed due to time constraints and poor weather. More SHVF programs included Self Breast Exam classes, Dental Hygiene classes, and ESL(English as a Second Language) classes. The Self Breast Exam classes were supplemented by inspiring and informative talks from volunteer speaker Elvina James, a survivor of breast cancer who graciously shared her personal story and the importance of early detection. Laminated pamphlets with detailed self-breast exam instructions and other informative materials were given to those who attended the class. A large dental model was used in the Dental Hygiene class to teach the students and others how to properly brush and floss; this class was followed by the distribution of coloring books and crayons to the children who came. The ESL classes —SHVF’s newest initiative— were attended by moms, daughters, grandmothers, and granddaughters, all eager to learn.

Each ESL student received a notepad, folder, pencil, and was encouraged to take notes for practice and reference in daily life. ESL classes were offered nearly every day and were taught in collaboration with a Q’eqchi’ instructor. The lessons were divided into two sections based on ability. Overall the English classes were productive and well received by the community. To all the volunteers who worked hard to helped make this service trip a success, thank you!

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July 2019