Special Edition
I’m back from my mission trip to Belize, and I’m happy to report that it was a phenomenal trip.
It was a great experience for myself, my wife and our three kids. We experienced many new things, and learned a lot about the local culture.
Thanks in part to many of you who contributed to our online fundraiser, we were able to donate over $10,000 to the ministry, and I will tell you that it was a huge blessing to them. So thank you for your help.
We were working with Laugh Out Loud Ministries, and it was awesome to see what they are doing in southern Belize.
While there, I helped with the construction of the first building on their property. The jungle is amazing, and it’s a very challenging place to build something.
We experienced some flooding from the massive rains that occurred nightly (it’s rainy season), and learned to sleep through loud thunderstorms while nestled under mosquito nets.
We saw tarantulas, scorpions, and snakes. Our son went down there with a cast on his broken arm, but we had to cut if off early after he swam through some jungle streams and it became rotten 🙂
On our final day, we were privileged to eat dinner in the one room home of a native Mayan family, in which the father of nine children was celebrating his 39th birthday. The meal was simple, but you’ve never had corn tortillas like the ones they made.
Here’s a few snapshots from the trip:
My wife and I in front of a waterfall.
The building foundation I was working on.
Some Mayan children we became friends with.
I also shot some video and made a promotional video for their ministry:
A special thanks goes out to the following sponsors who donated extra during the fundraiser:
Mission Champions:
Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, Spiritual Solutions for You
Organics by Design, Organics by Design
Gabriel, beach, air, fishing, sun
Impact Partners:
Carl A. Goodnight, Build web based business
Sherif Elsisi, Affordable webhosting and WordPress Support
Kevin Koop, Article Marketing Strategies
Paul Counts, Make Money Online
Thanks again for your support and prayers!
I’ll be back to posting more lessons starting tomorrow.
Have a great day!
Thanks Maureen, it is cool to see that a lot of my readers are mission-minded 🙂
I always appreciate links 🙂 You could link now, or wait until my next major fundraiser.
Thanks, I am glad to come back to Colorado, but I miss the humidity. While in Belize I had no sore throats, no seasonal allergies, and didn’t need to use my post-Lasik eye drops. Now that I’m back, I’m all dried up again 😉
I’m glad you found it… yes they are all archived here on the website.
Thanks for the prayers Travis… we definitely had some divine intervention at times!
Thanks Gary, it is a humbling experience and huge blessing to be able to do stuff like this. Part of me hates writing about it because I don’t want to seem like i’m taking any glory for it, but I know a lot of people like to read about it.
Amen and amen…
Congrats on your trip, Eric. I myself have witnessed similar experiences before, and they are life changing. I recommend anyone take such a trip if the opportunity presents itself.
Yes that’s how they made the tortillas and they are awesome.
See my comment above about taking kids on a mission trip.
My wife did have to overcome some fears, as any mother would (letting your kids run around the jungle, etc). Oh, and she’s 4 months pregnant too, so she’s especially brave.
It is definitely an enriching experience for the kids; something that will stick with them.
Maybe your experience in the Yucatan would be a good excuse to take a mission trip down there…
Gosh! This is not you.
This is not Eric..You must be joking.
Where is Eric? The well-known Eric?
Tell us the truth or i stop being me.
The not anymore…Bounama
I am glad you made it back safely. It is great that you gave to so many. Good karma will follow you 🙂
Hi Eric
Great Job. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip.
that’s a great mission and I know you are
blessed. Welcome back home and I await your
Lessons. they are very informative.
to Your Success
Hi Eric,
I seldom post on forums but I felt a need to let you know that you are an inspiration to me; and I discovered this when you told everyone you would offer training for free because you were tired of the hype on the web…Well said.
I’m even more impressed with you since your trip to Belize. I’m glad I found you. You know how to give back to the planet.
I love the lessons and look forward to each of them.
Hi Eric,
Welcome back home after doing such a wonderful charitable job, it sound you & your family enjoyed to be in entirely strange surroundings such as living in jungle among freely moving wild animals, thunder storm and floods etc, which you don’t face while living in developed countries, it has given you a clear picture of what they face off & on.
Great change in your appearance, definitely you look lot better & younger without beard.
God bless you & your family for helping needy people.
Mohammad Arif
Congrat’s on the success of your trip.
J.R.
I’ve been getting your email tips for the past couple of years and have really been blessed by your invaluable teaching. I’ve been greatly encouraged by your example in business and ministry. My wife and I work from home and have three great little girls, 7, 5, and 2 yrs old plus an 18-yr-old son who’s on the way out the door.
Your mission trip looked to be fantastic. Keep doing what you’re doing and God bless you and your family.
W. Matt
Eric,am a new comer but from what am seeing so far God must have our paths crossing for the good of the body of Christ. Looking forward to learning from you about having a profitable online business.
Eric,
Good on you man, it’s great to see people like you giving something back to help humanity.
Well done,
Ken.
Hi Eric:
A job well done with the mission work. You are truely an inspiration to me and to others I am sure. I am trying to follow your lessons, but I’am such a cluts with my computer. I have learned a lot of little tricks and I hope to continue to do so. I wish only the best to you and your’s.
Gus
Eric,
Awesome! Thanks for being so open about your relationship with God! That is awesome! I am so blessed to be able to support you. I am also actively working to promote an online ministry called http://www.allaboutgod.com that has a ridiculous reach online. They are doing some amazing things to further the Kingdom, as you are! I am excited to see more believers step out and tell people where they stand! Keep up the amazing work, and thank you for sharing! God Bless!
Hey … who hijacked Eric’s Blog! Who is that guy in the pic! Wait till Eric gets back… he’s gonna kick your… Welcome to the JUNGLE Baby! Cool.. glad you guys had a safe successful experience! Would love to help out that project in the future. My site needs a little altitude first. But now you have a perspective of the world I live in… and that’s cool! Pura Vida! Nico
What an amazing trip! It’s been ten years since I’ve done anything like that (an orphanage in the Philippines) and I know it was life-changing. Your family is a tremendous blessing and inspiration. I’d love to hear more about your time in Belize.
Welcome Back to Action. We appreciate your entire family physical presence and generousity to the Hope for Tomorrow – the next generation. Keep it up.
Together we shall win!
Adesegun Akitoye
http://www.repeatrichrelief.com/pips.html
I’m so amazed that you could put in so much effort s and self denial to help out the less privileged. May God bless you and your family real good! And welcome back!
Hello:
Glad you are back & the trip was successful. May God bless you & your family for such selfless act
Hello Eric,
I have been reading your messages for sometime, now & I enjoy them very much. Hoping to learn a lot more & make a success of something.
Glad you all are home safe & am looking forward to your lessons.
Would you & your wife care to send a picture of you & your family to my E-mail so I can print it off? Would like to have it to keep,for you have been a blessing to me through your information.
Thank you
Jeanette
Kudos to your beautiful wife for her courage in taking toddlers and the whole family into a very different environment. Your photos show that making the world a better place and putting Christian stewardship into action can be an adventure.
Merryann that’s wonderful to hear. Bless you in your work!!!
Yup… I was very close to Guatemala too… so I’m inching my way closer to CR 😉
Thanks! and honestly it is more blessed to give than to receive… so I don’t view it as self denial 🙂
Hi Erics,
What’s a wonderful adventure you’ve experienced? A very nice place to visit. I saw nobody around! Is it an absolutely jungle? If you’ve money you can go anywhere any place in this world. Thanks for your great posting.
You look alive in your new picture, zest,vigor, energy! good for you and the family! and CONGRATS, did you say Melissa has another little Holmy on the way? To all you folks..If you ever meet Eric’s family in person, they are one of the most beautiful and vibrant families you will ever see… they just glow! Amazing! No other words!
That’s right dude, another Holmy on the way 🙂
LIKE the haircut dude!
Seeing you sporting that new doo makes me wonder what Frank Kern would look like if HE cleaned up – ;D
Glad your back and that you all had a wonderful trip!!!
Hi Eric,
I can feel the cool and cold environment when watching you and your wife in front of the waterfall. But I haven’t seen your kids before.Next time put your kids’ picture too!I think they are also good looking like you…aren’t they?
Nik Nasruddin N.M
http://www.easyartscraftstips.com
Hello Eric,
Glad to hear you are home safe and everything went well. I like your pants (in the first picture. I used to do missionary work years ago. God always moved.
I want to thank you for reminding me to tithe. I used to all the time but fell away. Since you metioned the tithe a couple of weeks ago, I have been faithfully tithing and God is just amazing me! Blessing after blessing, out of nowhere.
I just had back surgery 4 days ago. I could use some prayer for the pain cause the pain pills sure aren’t working, and for a quick recovery. I would appreciate it. Thanks
Once again, thank you so much for the nudge!
Ron Marzuolo
Hi Eric;
Not enough space nor time to express my sincere appreciation for having found you and your tips.
So glad you and your family had such a great time on your trip. Trust that I will be able to build an internet business that would afford me and my
(nurse) wife to go with you and yours in the future.
By the way when we be getting lesson # 119?
Sincerely- Warren
Eric,
Thanks for sharing this! It is such an encouragement to me. I am working to develop an online business that will allow my husband to come home from work so that we can have the freedom to serve others, as you have done. If we’re too old or feeble by the time he comes home (not that I think it will take *that* long 🙂 – he’s nearing retirement age) we will use the funds provides to help others go for us.
My heart was blessed by what you & your family did, your humble attitude and also by the comments you have received.
Continue to keep your focus on Him, brother!
Sue
Hi Eric,
Interesting to read about your mission trip. Great for you and your family.
Say, I’m trying something with my chip carving business related to the fund raising you did for this trip. I’ve started the My Chip Carving Foundation to help would be chip carvers around the world who don’t have the money needed to learn this skill. It doesn’t take much but many I’m getting to know are having trouble making ends meet much less having extra money for a skill/craft.
I want to do it to help others and I’ve requested my subscribers to donate. After the first announcement and request, responses have been very minimal. 6/400 replied positively, 2 have given $$, 2 have replied asking for help. I thought it would be more. Maybe it’s a bad time of year with vacations and all. Try again? and again?
Do you have any suggestions for me in this e-letter Foundation endeavor?
How can I get more to give so I can help more people?
Peace,
Marty
http://www.MyChipCarving.com
Thanks Marty. First, you need to have a good relationship with your list. Second, it needs to be a compelling offer, whether it’s just a donation or if you’re giving them something in return. If you’re not giving something in return, it needs to be extra compelling, because there are a lot of charities competing for peoples donations these days. In other words, they really need to get a feel for why its vitally important for them to donate to your cause, and what impact it will make if they do. And in general, you don’t want to sound too “salesy” in a donation request. I’m not a fundraising expert, but those are observations I’ve made.
Hello Eric,
I am Prakash from the island of Mauritius. It’s really nice to read about your vacation.You are a very generous man and full of determination.
Keep up the great work that you are doing and God Bless
hye eric,
and on the sdubject of practical sacred ness,easy to romanticise it,and to omit that its about mozzies and scorpions,and rotting plaster……….castingoff,and embracing,beyond what is our own known, and is someone else knowing.
eric i really like the cut the crap approach which you use,makes refreshing,rahter than the overkill.
and eric im a newbie………and it seems ;like hacking through the undergrowth,in the rainy season,about sums it,as the experinece of building a web business in the virtual ecology of the internet……oops there goes another mosquito,difficult to know what is up to scratch,when youre netting leads but no conversions.
and its early days.
and eric,id like you to contact me cos i want to include some of your affilate products.
all the best,
trine
Eric .. Very impressed with your efforts,
It is great, good and altruistic work that you do.
You are a good guy and god will bless you and yours!
I am so glad that I found someone that we can all learn from and be inspired by.
Roger
Hi, Eric we were surprised to read a reply from you. Well, we do it through mass mailing by postal, we rent names and build our donor base through those who responded. I knew online fundraising is a great potential but never tested the waters because I had no idea how to do it.
This idea is definitely very new. 🙂
This is our website: http://www.blind.org.ph We appreciate if you could visit the site and perhaps by God’s grace and favor you may want to give us some tips too. 🙂
Jill and Michael Smith
I’ve posted some pictures of my family in the past at:
here’s a couple of tips…
The home page looks like a banner ad and at first I didn’t even see the navigation links. But the rest of the site is good. A quick fix would be to turn one of these pages into the home page:
http://www.blind.org.ph/blind_phil.html
http://www.blind.org.ph/about/aboutus.html
Then on the donations page, there needs to be a way to donate now. It just says “If you would like to join with us in communicating that message to those who are blind, please contact us for more information:” But nobody is going to take the time to send for information about HOW to donate. It should say “Send a check made out to…” and “Click here to donate via Paypal or credit card…”
Hi Eric,
With Cultural Anthropology being a ‘heart of heart’ passion of mine, I now realize why I appreciate you so greatly as a marketer. The information and marketing info. you provide reflects your heart and spirit. Thank you so greatly for all.
Richard
Pingback: Who are you, and what have you done with Eric?
Almost launch time and can’t wait
Glad to see the trip was such a success, and good to know that the fundraiser was a hit too! I look forward to the continuing lessons, keep up the good work…
– Gonzalo