God & Nature I

Belize – A few weeks ago we had Clint Baldwin from George Fox University come and lead us in our first theology class: God and Nature I. We spent the week exploring the Nature of God and specifically our relation to God, the earth, others, and ourselves. Through stories, poems, parables, films, essays, discussion, and scripture we learned a lot about one another, God, and this beautiful world he has made.

Lilya (George Fox U.) explored her relationship to the world intimately while providing the perfect perch for one of the many beautiful moths of Belize.

Tuesday morning we shared parables we had written to integrate some of the theology we had been learning from our reading and class time. We were all amazed at each other’s creative talent, and walked away moved by the stories we had heard and still wondering what some of them meant for our own lives.

Isaac (Directors Derek & Ashley’s son) took his first breath of the humid Belizean air early Wednesday morning.

Mid week we learned of God’s handiwork in a different way when baby Isaac William Rosenberger entered the world. We all marveled at the new life in our community and rejoiced at the miracle of life God had brought into our very midst.

A rare sight to behold is the ferocious, yellowed eyed, roaring striata vehiculum that when properly reined carries us across Belize to learn more about the Nature of God.

At the end of a fully saturated week we headed out to Cayo Twist for some good ice cream, jokes, and spending some quality time with our new friend Clint before he had to leave.

Belizean Streams!

Belize -- We spent Thursday traveling through the Belizean countryside, sampling streams and utilizing the information and methods we had learned in our tropical stream ecology course over the last few days.

Mark (Eastern U.) sampling macroinvertibrates in the Mopan River

We turned off the road onto a steep dirt track that led to our second stream site of the day. Caves Branch is a beautiful stream that flows out of the Maya Mountains and down through the karst valleys until it reaches the Sibun River and finally the Caribbean. As the van approached an opening in the shrubs and trees that form the riparian zone, some small children scattered, leaving their mud pies in the trail. They splashed into the river and joined their mother who was busy washing clothing on the concrete at the base of the bridge, a fairly typical sight in the streams and rivers throughout Belize.

Rachael (Calvin C.) and Neil (Eastern U.) testing water chemistry

After finishing their pack lunches, the students piled out of the van and started scanning the area. By this time in their stream ecology course they had begun to recognize the indicators of stream health using a visual assessment. What is the composition of the stream bottom - sand, gravel, boulders, limestone, silt? How is the stream bank cover? What seem to be the uses of the watershed of this area? What are the anthropogenic uses of the stream?

Students preparing to measure discharge rates

Having completed the visual assessment, we began to form certain hypotheses regarding the health of this stream. The next step was to test it. During the week the students had learned how to use tests to collect data on dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, stream discharge and E. coli, as well as methods for biomonitering using macroinvertibrates, which serve as indicators of stream health. The students got to work.

Performing measurements at Caves Branch

At this particular river they were measuring discharge, E. coli, and macroinvertibrate diversity. A measuring tape was swum up the river to prepare for measuring discharge. "Kick nets" were pulled out and students waded out into the riffle of the stream to begin agitating the gravel and collecting the larvae of dobsonflys, dragonflies, damselflies and mayflies along with their many friends. Sterile E. coli plates, prepared earlier that morning, were filled with water from the stream and put in the shade to set.

The lady washing her clothing looked on with some interest as the data were collected with much laughter. When all the tasks were complete, Dr. Bill Deutsch, who had been teaching the class, gathered the group together and pointed out some distinct characteristics of this stream and the life that was present here. He was interrupted briefly by the spotting of a King Vulture, a huge and beautiful bird usually only seen in these mountain areas.

Collecting macroinvertibrates at Caves Branch

Having completed our work we filed back into the van and headed back to campus. We were happy to find two days later that in Caves Branch E.coli levels were very low, macroinvertibrate diversity was high and flow rate was adequate for a stream this size. These results suggested that this was in fact a healthy stream that provided wonderful habitat and nourishment for the creatures - both human and non-human - who made their homes in its watershed.

Olive (Calvin C.) and Michelle (Dordt C.) measuring stream width and depth

Orientation!

BELIZE -- It can be a lot of work to become oriented to life in the CCSP community and life in Belize. Thankfully, it is the kind of work that lends itself to an abundance of fun and educational opportunities.

Fun opportunities such as posing like a band on the steps of Xunantunich, a Maya archaeological site...

We haven't chosen a lead singer yet

...and then climbing to the top of El Castillo, the tallest structure at the site (and 2nd tallest building in Belize)...



...or taming a Boa Constrictor and high-fiving a jaguar at the Belize Zoo.

Neil would actually rather hold a boa than eat papaya

Mark being jaguar-approved

And of course some educational opportunities, such as learning how to look out for each other while tubing down the Macal River...

Michelle, Deb, and Rachael, literally geared up

...or learning how to find your way into and around town...

Yep, this is our driveway

Belize public transportation: convenient, safe, and cheap!

...or learning how to catch one of the many geckos that lives with you.

This guy may have tried to sell a few of us car insurance

We're off to a great start this semester with a quality group of students, all eleven of whom are ready for more enjoyment and learning as they begin classes. First up: Stream Ecology!

CCSP's New Campus in Belize

BELIZE -- CCSP Belize has moved to a beautiful new campus! After a long and careful search we have found a wonderful new location to call home. We are excited to be starting this new semester at a new campus in the foothills of the Maya Mountains on the edge of some of the largest tracts of protected land in the country.

We are located on the banks of the Macal River and within walking distance of the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. With clear signs of past habitation by the ancient Mayans, waterfalls tumbling down the ephemeral limestone stream and lot of trails winding through the jungle brimming with various forms of wildlife from toucans and trogons to agoutis and armadillos, our new place affords intrepid CCSP students lots of opportunities to get out and explore!

Armadillo trotting through campus

One of our many trails through the tropical forest

Our palapa for chilling in the shade

A lush and beautiful yard

While our campus has moved, we are excited to continue the relationships that CCSP has built over the years in the Cayo District of Belize, offering students from North America the chance to learn about the intersection of faith, ecology, community and culture in this unique and fascinating corner of Creation.

Be sure to stay tuned to this blog throughout the semester to follow our adventures!