Want to go to Belize with me in November? I’m heading there November 17 for a 4-day workshop focused on generosity, faith, and leadership. This is definitely not like any other trip before it! Read on for more information.
A few years ago, after the publication of my first book Junkyard Wisdom, a few friends suggested a retreat event based around the themes of the book. That led to the initial Junkyard Wisdom in Belize where we had an amazing event with twenty or so people. The next year we did it again.
This year one of my collaborators, Elbert Paul of the National Christian Foundation, asked me if we’re going to do it again this year. We started scheming and brainstorming and coming up with all kinds of fun ideas for a November trip, when one of us realized we should probably make sure our wives were in on this (we’re dumb husbands, what can I say?). When we asked them, the response was somewhere between, “Um, no” and “Um, hell no.”
Not that they weren’t excited by the idea, but they both had practical realities to consider. You know, things like kids and jobs and dogs and Thanksgiving just around the corner. But they were completely affirming that we should go without them. At one point D’Aun even said, “You need to do this trip.” I love my wife.
Elbert and I decided to make lemonade out of lemons. Thus this trip, Junkyard Wisdom 3.0, is going to be a guys only trip. We’re keeping the group size to just 12 people, and we are expanding the activities so we aren’t sitting in a classroom as much. And we’re changing up the curriculum a bit to include pieces from my second book, Salvaged.
Below is a tentative schedule for the event. If you’re interested, let me know by emailing me at roy@junkyardwisdom.com. And check out the Junkyard Wisdom Belize website to learn more about how the whole things works.
November 17: Arrive at the Belize International Airport. Introductions to everyone else on the trip, then load into a van and head to Jaguar Creek. Get settled, dinner, and enjoy cigars and drinks under the stars as Roy shares his, um, unique take on Belizean history.
November 18: Morning hike on the loop trail, breakfast and “why are we here” conversation, then off to cave tubing and a zip line. Throughout the day there will be conversations about wealth, poverty, generosity, responsibility, and spirituality. Most of all we will float down the river and fly through the air. Then we return to Jaguar Creek for dinner and drinks, as we consider a bigger question about how we might define wealth.
November 19: Early morning bird watching around the Jaguar Creek property, with a few thoughts about creation care as wealth. Breakfast before we head to Xunantunich for tour of the ruins. Roy is going to share some thoughts about how wealth builds walls and keeps us from fully engaging God’s world. When we return to Jaguar Creek we will take a short hike through St. Hermans cave and swim in the Blue Hole before dinner.
November 20: Eight AM departure for the jaguar experience – an amazing opportunity to be up close and personal with this amazing predator. Lunch is in Belmopan, followed by a walk through Armenia Village. Armenia is a microcosm of getting philanthropy wrong – and sometimes getting it right. Then on to Sleeping Giant for some fun — drinks by the pool. We will share some concluding thoughts, then we will return to Jaguar Creek for dinner and drinks.
November 21: Wrap up breakfast/devotional/conversations, checkout, head to the airport for our flights home!
Remember to email me if you’d like to learn more about the trip!