Grocery Shopping and Learning to Conserve

Grocery Shopping is an experience all in itself. Yesterday, we went to one store and I bought as much of my list as I could, but still had some big gaps and felt I really did not come home with much for the money spent. Last night we ate scrambled eggs, yogurt, buttered toast and some mozarella for those who wanted on their eggs. We had other food, but nothing to complete a meal really plus we were in a hurry to get back and sign the contract for the house we are moving into.


Daddy jumping with the girls while mom makes final dinner prep...it is beautiful at our apartment.




This morning, we woke up very early. The weather right now is nice except this part of the day ( I am writing this at 1 pm, but it will post later) is pretty hot. The mornings and evenings are beautiful and just having a car makes life so much easier. So we can take care of the millions of little errands we have.


We had to go and register with the US Embassy this morning. What a place...the most beautiful place ever. And very high security. You cannot take anything in with you. They even confiscated a sharpie I had in my pocket. We were not allowed to take anything in except our passports, no phones, no bags, nothing. It was very different. Fortunately, we did not have to wait in line like so many others there. Just fill out a paper. Well, no sooner did Lee hand me the paper, and Erika tries to open a very secure door and a VERY LOUD alarm goes off, when a Policeman comes running over...Make the child sit down...Erika was screaming. It was lovely. But thankfully after that, she was too terrified to get into any more trouble and just sat quietly waiting for us to finish.


Next we began looking for a place to make keys and found a bakery next door, so the girls and I got some bread. The bread does not seem like it has preservatives and spoils very quickly. Everything does actually. Like the milk and yogurt I bought yesterday are only good for a couple of days. So we had a smoothie for breakfast and will again tomorrow. Next off to another grocery and then the produce stand. I love how the family worked together, trying to get what we needed.

So, we came home to have sandwiches, small salad, fresh bananas for lunch. And I needed to begin preparing the black beans for dinner. Also needing to wash the dishes in the sink, which requires boiling water, because there is no hot water in the kitchen. Just making a simple lunch and simple dinner prep took about an hour, after all morning shopping. Life here just takes more work. And I have it easy compared to most of the women around me. I have all the conveniences most do not. In the house we are renting, they decided to just leave the dishwasher...I think to bless us. But I am not sure I will use it because of the energy it would use. Electricity, gas, groceries...are all so expensive here. I will have our dryer, but it will go on the back porch, because they really just do not use dryers too much. Well, that is depending on who you talk to. But life is very different.



For those wondering, we are working on school, but not full days. It is still cramped where we are living, so it is a challenge to keep Erika quiet, and the kids are just a part of us getting settled right now. The beginning of March, they should have their bedrooms set up with desks. Until that time, we are just doing what we can.


I already find myself changing so much. Conserving more. Not allowing my kids to have too much (or myself) to eat, because we really need to save it. Not allowing food to be thrown away. We eat it all. No more wasting. I have lived such a pampered life for so long...I did not even realize it until now seeing how blessed I was. It is a whole different lifestyle here. But I don't want my kids to just have rice and beans. I want them to have fruits and vegetables. So we will eat a little less meat, a little less sugars, so there is money for the fruits and veggies.



There are no Walmarts or SAMS clubs, or one stop shopping at all. Just small places and they are often out of things. But you can always get rice and beans.


The kids love it here. Of course, we are still not in real life yet. Not totally. But moving to the apartment makes it more real. Cooking in a kitchen, rather than being served, and having to gather the food to cook and then clean it up. It makes it real.


We are thankful for the way the Lord has directed our steps so far. Our ways are what we think is good. But He has so much better for us. ALWAYS. His way is always better and easier. The hardest part is being still enough to listen and know His voice.


Some real ministry needs: walking into grocery stores and seeing shrines to sacrifices prepared for false gods is not unusual… we already have had a child begging for money, so heartbreaking,



Now realizing the cost of food here, you see why there are people starving. We need the Lord’s discernment when to help and when not to. We can give them Jesus, but if their stomachs are growling, it is hard to just ignore that real physical need.


Internet comes and goes here(at the apt), so that is hard for me, but just part of life. Hopefully once we are in a home, it will be better. There is an app called HEYTELL, where we are able to talk delayed to a couple of people. You could ask the Riveras or Lee’s brother. It only works when we are in wifi which should be all the time, but is not. But it has been a comfort for us to hear Wayne, Jodie and the boys and the Riveras’ voices. We are thankful for emails or facebook messages from you guys. It makes us not feel so far away.

Pray I learn to cook like a Belizean, that God helps me stretch our food, but still give my children the nutrition they need to grow. I am thankful for my children. They have such great attitudes and are so thankful for their new home we will move into as well. For them, this is a fun adventure. I pray that their hearts would stay so pure…and that my faith would be like a child as well.