Campus Plan Layout

LTA has received the updated campus plan by Froylan Alvarado with Alvarado and Associates.  After reviewing the initial plan, a playground area was added outside of the courtyard next to the Arts Building.  Also the Auditorium and Arts Building have been combined into one large building in the new plans.  Other changes include multiple buildings in the maintenance area.

As the picture is being painted, the focus continues to be the initial building which will be multifunctional until the other buildings are completed.  The initial building is imperative for the campus to grow.  We thank you for your continued prayers and support to see this picture painted from canvas to reality! 

Initial Campus Proposal

Saturday, February 4^th, Froylan Alvarado with Alvarado and Associates (Architecture Firm) presented the initial LTA campus plan.  This rendering includes Pre-K through Standard VI (US Eighth Grade).  With this being the first proposal, we are seeking individuals to review and give suggestions for improvement prior to meeting with Froylan this next week.  If you have any thoughts or suggestions please email: 

LTA.MAILUS@GMAIL.COM

Our God is Able

Preparation of the Living Tree Academy campus continues. 

Recently representatives met with Froylan Alvarado, architect of Belize City, to invigorate the plans for the first building which will provide several vital and central functions for the campus.  Considering the cost of building materials, the addition of a second story will be the most cost-effective design.  Froylan and his associates are also gratuitously doing the site rendering for the entire campus to “paint the picture”, as he stated.  We are very excited to work with an architect in whom the Spirit of God dwells.  Just to give you an idea of his workmanship, the following is a quote from his signature line of email:  “Architecture is a vision from the heart that becomes a reality.”

Two of the other current objectives continue to be building site preparations and further improvement of the road to the property for large equipment to pass which is needed to bring in materials for the construction to begin.  As we view other building sites, we realize the preparation work ahead on both aspects that needs to be completed before the building can actually take place.  One day at a time.

Early morning with the pump

Continuing Site Preparation

Sunrise of the Road and Work Ahead

Once Froylan and associates are finished with the rendering of the entire campus, we will share the vision of LTA on a canvas so together we can be clear and concerned of the focus and see it come to pass.   Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  Our God is able.

Heart of Service

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of [living] water,

that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;

and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3)

This past summer several volunteers who had time off for summer break came from the States to help LTA on the property.  Most recently volunteers have come from local Belizeans who have seen the need for a school as well as the vision for LTA. 

Last Sunday a Belizean who has befriended all the previous volunteers of LTA constrained to help us on the property on his day off.  With his expertise in construction, property management, and landscaping, he was willing to do whatever work was needed.  During the course of the day, he made two separate trips to the property and supplied his own materials needed to complete the requested work. 

Today the first yellow coconut was planted on the property after reading Psalm 1 and praying with volunteers and workers.  One worker said, “It’s the first ‘Living Tree Academy tree’ on the property.”  Unlike green coconut trees, yellow coconuts can be harder to find on the island.  (We have been told yellow coconut trees don’t attract bugs like the green coconuts.)  One of our volunteers (who occasionally works with us) discovered a yellow coconut tree that was available to transplant and move to the LTA property.  With the help with others, he dug out the tree, transported it to the property, built a retaining box out of cinder blocks, and planted the tree with much care knowing that this tree will help supply coconuts to students and staff in the future.  “We plant and water but God gives the increase,” he said. 

We believe this heart of love and service which has been demonstrated over the past 6 months will be reflected on the Living Tree Academy campus for years to come.

Visiting Chetumal

Visiting Chetumal was productive in terms of learning the process of traveling to Mexico, however it is not a trip that representatives want to make on a regular basis.  First the sea was choppy therefore the hour and a half boat ride ended up taking two hours.  Then upon arrival to Mexico all passengers were greeted by the army with not a word spoken as they searched the luggage.  All the luggage was lined up (including personal items) as the dog sniffed his way down the line.  We then proceeded to the immigration office where we were informed we had to find a local bank and pay an immigration fee even only being there for one day (5 hours).  After that we were assigned a taxi driver who spoke only Spanish.

On a search for supplies we visited a local Sam's Club which was only a five minute walk from the terminal.  Everything was in Spanish but the environment was the exact same as you would find in the US.  We then stopped by a local hardware store to see what tools and supplies were available as well.  Our last stop was the bank where we spent almost an hour in line to pay the immigration fee.  Afterwords we traveled back to the terminal to wait for the boat to San Pedro - how refreshing it was to arrive in San Pedro! 

Boat to Chetumal

Chetumal, Mexico border

Dog searches luggage/bags

Taxi drivers await tourists

Checkout at Sam's Club

Inside Sam's Club

Mexican flag in the background

Waiting in line at the bank at Chetumal

Man sweeping the concrete with natural broom

Local Chetumal hardware store

Inside hardware store

Building for the Future

Preparations for the construction of the Living Tree Academy campus continued to surge ahead. Currently, several members of the LTA Board of Directors are in Belize to update plans for the first building, accommodate building site preparations, and further improve the road to the property.

The first building will provide several vital and central functions for the campus, and design plans are being modified to best accommodate those purposes. Considering the cost of building materials, the addition of a second story will be the most cost-effective design. The fact that the foundation as originally planned has already been approved for additional stories makes the new plans even more advantageous. The second story of the building will be designed to house educators and other workers of LTA.

In order to accommodate construction materials for the larger building, the building site needs to be expanded to cover more square footage. Plans are already in place for these preparations to the site, and workers will execute these changes within the next 30 days.

Before construction materials can be brought onto the building site, the road to the property needs to be further developed, as well. Being on an island with limited resources, the work on this road has so far progressed to the point of allowing only travel by golf cart. Now the road will be widened and improved to support the trucks and heavy equipment needed to bring in materials and begin construction.

We will continue to update you as the work progresses on the construction of the Living Tree Academy campus. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Together we are building for the future.

Site for building materials when construction begins

Corner of building site - stakes represent where the building will be located (2 shown)

 

 

Adding fill to the building site from the LTA trailer (rebuilt and donated parts)

Headed down our road from the property (worker has LTA shirt on)

Paving the Way

Wow, after arriving back in San Pedro what a delight to find smooth roads. (For those of you who volunteered in San Pedro with LTA this past summer, you will have a greater appreciation.)  Since our departure in September, the concrete road through town now extends almost to the bridge.  What does that mean? An amazing smooth ride in and out of town plus less traffic on the beach (making it smoother as well).  Also the road north of the bridge that is not paved was grated almost a mile, making the trip to the property easier as well.  Without the rain the roads are better and most importantly no mosquitoes!  This is the San Pedro we know and love!  See you soon!