Gaylen Cook and his wife, Suzanne, were a part of our July 2024 mission trip to Belize. We are building a house for a single mother, Romany, and her children. I asked Gaylen to tell us about his adventure. This is his story.
Hey FF & FM family, I want to express my gratitude for the experience my wife and I had while serving in Belize this past July. It was truly humbling to be a part of something larger than ourselves. We thoroughly enjoyed working side by side with each member of the FM & FF team. We immediately felt a connection to each other that always comes when we serve someone else. Even though the weather was hot and humid, the work that was done far outweighed the temporary discomforts that we felt. Knowing that we were building a home for Romany and her family which would help improve the quality of their lives made any sacrifice worth the effort. As I have reflected on our experience I’m reminded of the story of the Three Little Pigs and how their homes were built out of straw, sticks and bricks. As you may recall the big bad wolf was able to destroy 2 of the homes but he couldn’t harm the home built out of bricks. Romany’s home is being built out of cement and concrete blocks. As the winds and the rains come, her home will withstand many of the storm’s of life that come. It will provide protection for her and her family because of the materials used and the love that will continue to grow in her family. We are grateful for the opportunity to help improve the lives of Romany and her children. In a similar way, Dr. A and the FM & FF team have helped us improve our lives. When we make the commitment to follow the meal plans and do the workouts our quality of life will improve. Our ability to handle the storms of life that each of us experiences increases because we learn that we can do hard things. We are so grateful for those who worked behind the scenes to make this project possible. The food was made with love and appreciation for all the work that was being done. Our hotel accommodations were great. It was fun to see our bus driver smile a little more each day. The water taxi ride, snorkeling and visit to the island of Caye Caulker was all icing on the cake for a fantastic week. We will always cherish the friendships we made there. Thank you FFP & FMP for adding quality to our lives through serving others! -Gaylen Cook Interested in joining us in Belize February 15-21, 2025? Write to [email protected] and we'll get you more info when it is finalized. Request your time off now and plan to have a wonderful experience with Dr. A, some of our staff, and more inspirational individuals! Written by Craig Taylor, FFP Staff. – When you join us in Belize, you can take a photo in the Caribbean also!
Thank you Gaylen (and Suzanne)! It was a pleasure serving alongside you.
