From January 31st through February 7th, a Caring Partners mission team served with missionaries Bill & Rhonda Smith and Belizean national Pastor Sonny Tulcey and his partner churches throughout western Belize. 

CPI's mission team was blessed to experience the full beauty of Belize - breathtaking landscapes, a wonderful climate, and warm, loving people. So many patients touched the team's hearts; here are just a few of their special stories:

Marcos was an older gentleman who came to the clinic in Teakettle. He was so thin and frail, and sadly, his symptoms pointed towards a diagnosis of lung cancer. Despite his poor health and dire prognosis, Marcos had an upbeat spirit, and welcomed all the love that was showered upon him by the CPI team and local church members. Everyone rejoiced with Marcos when he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior following his visit to "The Clinic of the Soul"!

Donna was a Christian who visited the clinic at Pastor Sonny's church in Belmopan. She had experienced terrible back pain for the past two years, and no medicine seemed to help. She prayed to the Lord to heal her back without surgery, and even more specifically, that the Lord would "align" her body, restoring her to complete health. After receiving her first-ever chiropractic treatment from Dr. Jerry Conway, CPI Team Member, Donna rose up from the table, weeping with joy. "God has answered my prayers!", she cried, "I no longer have any pain!" and the entire church praised the Lord with her.

Luis was a young man who visited the church clinic in San Mateo. When asked the question in the Clinic of the Soul, "Do you have any spiritual beliefs?", he instead shared his emotional burdens for almost an hour - how his father had a secret family, and abandoned Luis, his mother, and his younger sister when Luis was just a young boy. And then the terrible reality that as a teenager, he and his sister found his father dead, hanging in the home of Luis's aunt, with a black bag wrapped around his face, leaving Luis and his family to agonize whether his father committed suicide or was murdered. Luis then broke down and cried as he shared his fond memories as a child of visiting a local church, learning some Bible verses and experiencing love and fellowship. What a blessing to witness the Biblical Truth shared in Romans 10:17, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God", because as Luis read through the plan of salvation contained in the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit opened his eyes and Luis gladly received the Word, and came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior!  What a thrill to see him leave the CPI clinic, laughing and smiling - burden free!

All toll, the mission team treated almost 600 patients, provided dozens of prescription and reading glasses, chiropractic and physical therapy care, and filled hundreds of medication prescriptions. And 103 people made a profession of faith in Jesus - to God be the glory! We praise the Lord for His goodness and continue to remember the dear people, churches, and pastors of Belize in our prayers.

    "For you are my hope, O Lord God: you are my trust from my youth. " 

                                                                                                                    Psalms 71:5