Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Serves In Belize To Help with Multiple Property Cleanup

Help them continue to BE THERE

Lutheran Church Charities was invited by Gary Kessler, Globally Engaged in Outreach (GEO) Missionary to Belize, and Rev. Dr. Allan Buss, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Northern Illinois District President, to remove multiple dead and storm-damaged trees from properties in Belize, which included the Concordia Mission House grounds in Belmopan, a local partner church in Orange Walk, and the Belize Zoo in La Democracia.

The following Northern Illinois District, Lutheran Church Charities LERT team members spent the last week in Belize:

Larry Zagorski, Max Metz - Lord of Life, Elburn
Marty Johnson and Anna Piro - St. John, Wheaton
Pete and Christel Springmire - Immanuel, DeKalb

Camp Concordia is the central point for various LCMS mission groups who come to help Pastor Herb Burch, his wife Markie, and GEO Missionaries Gary and Sue Kessler (from Lord of Life, Elburn) share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the country of Belize. Mission groups also help Pastor Benjamin and Karina Flores, along with GEO Missionaries Jordan and Justin Langston, who serve at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in the Valley of Hope. Most of the families from this community are refugees fleeing El Salvador and Nicaragua.

The team did chainsaw work for several days at Camp Concordia, the homes of each of the pastors and missionaries, and a congregation member.

They removed several storm-damaged, dying (due to parasitic air plants) and leaning cedar, palm, and mango trees that posed a danger to homes and outbuildings that all have been in fear of coming down in the next storm.

A boom lift and CAT skid steer were rented, along with chainsaws. The team brought their own personal protection equipment, several bars and chains, and rigging for the lift.

Marty Johnson also provided proper and safe practices of tree removal to the camp construction and landscape managers as they worked with the team. They have been very eager to learn and helpful in clearing the debris.

The LERT team also worked at the Belize Zoo in very hot and humid weather. The zoo has 30 acres that serve as a refuge for injured or abandoned wild animals native to Belize, nursing them back to health to return to the wild or remain at the zoo if they could not survive otherwise.

More importantly, it is also an educational center that all school children visit. The “public” schools in Belize are run by Christian groups, which is why Gary Kessler included the zoo in the request for assistance.

The team, with Xavier (the CAT operator) assisting, took down many trees that were dead, diseased, and/or leaning near the entrance and driveway into the zoo. The Zoo manager was most concerned about a very large dead tree near the entrance that they feared could come down and block the main entrance, land on their main building (office, ticket area, museum, cafe, store), in the parking lot with cars, or injure people.

Zoo employees helped direct traffic and visitors away from the entrance and part of the parking lot so that they could safely cut and remove these dangerous trees. They even had an audience on several occasions watching the work being done. The zoo manager and staff were very grateful for making their grounds safe for visitors.

All of the families served by the team expressed their deep appreciation that their properties are now safe for their children to play and that they would not have to worry about falling trees causing major damage in the next storm. The team feels blessed to be serving their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please continue to pray for the team, Pastor Herb and Markie Burch, Pastor Benjamin and Karina Flores, and GEO Missionaries Jordan & Justin Langston, and Gary & Sue Kessler, as they each serve the people of Belize in the Name of the Lord.

The Northern Illinois District Missions and Lutheran Church Charities, through donations, have committed to fund this team’s trip expenses, which are estimated to be approximately $8,000. Gary Kessler and Rev. Dr. Allan Buss appreciate LCC’s disaster response team's commitment to serving in Belize and the opportunity to help support this endeavor.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to help fund this LERT mission trip to Belize to serve those in need.

DONATE - Help Fund LERT Mission Trip to Belize