Visit Punta Negra

One of my more interesting ventures, so far, was a trip to the “second point” of this Mission Parish. You take a ¾ hour boat ride on the Gulf of Honduras, passing a multitude of little keys, and eventually coast in to a small, sandy beach. You’ve arrived at Punta Negra, a community of maybe 30, where there is no electricity, or store or other “essentials”. But there is a church community, and an operating schoolhouse for the eleven school-aged children who call this home. The school, which houses the principal upstairs, is badly in need of repair, and there is hope that that might happen someday soon.

This is one of the many places in Belize that have community phones, one for the whole community. It works reasonably well it seems. Someone nearby answers the phone and arranges for the person you want to be there “in twenty minutes”. Twenty minutes later you phone back and voilá.

I’m not sure what the residents who are not teachers do, other than fish. A number of St. Joseph’s congregation here in Punta Gorda once lived in Punta Negra. The return trip costs about $100US so you wouldn’t want to make it alone too often. Take a group and you can split the costs.

I was tagging along with a building assessor so paid nothing, but only had a one-hour visit. Not that there is that much to see, but there are people to talk to. I’ve got to know the principal and enjoy his company when we do get together.

As I write this it is 9pm, time to go and lock the gate and close all the shutters downstairs in the Preschool. I look forward to the possibility of rain tonight; it tends to bring pleasant cool breezes.