Hello, I am Sarah Richards and God has blessed me with a calling to become a teacher in Bullet Tree, Belize. It is the fastest growing town in the country, with over 2,100 people.
Many Americans have mixed feelings about the countries and people in Central America. A couple things that might come to mind are border issues, gang violence, or even something along the lines of a dirty slum with clapboard houses and iron rebar trapping the windows.
Throughout the seven countries, living standards fluctuate. Not only across the border lines, but from city to city; town to town. We usually generalize these people into one type: Hispanics. However, there are hundreds of unique people groups across Central America and nine in Belize alone. Each group, though living in the same country, has its own background, traditions, and culture rooted deeply in who they are and shaping what they believe.
A Belizean could range from Mayan, to Mennonite, to Asian, to Mestizo (which is the largest group, of Spanish and Indigenous descent).
My first trip to Belize was in June of 2023. That drive from the airport, two hours deep into the country was something I will never forget. We drove through countless towns, little villages, and passed many people going about their daily lives, doing things they probably would’ve never thought could be so fascinating to someone else. I just looked, and watched, and tried to take it all in; soaking up the strangeness and culture as best I could from inside a bouncing bus. That week seemed to go by so fast, but by the end, God had started preparing my heart and life for coming to live among these people.
I have always been a book reader, and in the next two years that followed, before my second short-term missions’ trip to Belize, I read through a book called “When Invisible Children Sing.” In short, it was the stories of five Bolivian street children told from the perspective of a young medical student. The horrors of what those boys and girls live through each day wrenched tears from my heart as I struggled through that book. But, something clicked, and when I closed the last page, I prayed: “Father, send me to where there are children who need to be loved.” I didn’t really know where, or how that would happen, but He did.
Pastor Junior and Mrs. Brandi McIntosh, church planters of Bullet Tree Baptist Church, asked me to consider being a teacher in a school they were planning on starting. After my second missions’ trip, God began confirming this as something He wanted me to pursue.
Children everywhere need to be loved; whether you are in Belize, Bolivia, or the U.S.A. There will always be that little girl who is unnoticed at home, or that scared boy whose fearful eyes say more than words. They are longing for the emptiness in their souls to be filled, that hole to be swallowed by perfect love. Jesus’s love!
But:
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Romans 10:14-15
And so, as God continues to confirm His calling on my life (and I truly hope in yours as well), will you please join me in this work as a prayer partner?
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” —Samuel Zwemer
Jesus said: “Truly, truly…the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.” (John 5:19b)
We are vessels through whom God reaches out to the World. As His body, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we come into contact with; working together with Him in the ministry of reconciliation, a charge that He Himself has entrusted us with. (2 Corinthians 5:18 and 6:1) Please, don’t take this lightly! We are all called. My calling is not more important than yours just because it involves going to another country. We are all partners, siblings in the Royal Family of God. The greatest thing we can do for each other is to pray!
As a missionary called to serve in Bullet Tree, Belize, I have been blessed to witness God’s hand at work—transforming lives, healing hearts, and drawing people closer to Him. Whether through discipleship, outreach, or community development, the mission is clear: to make Christ known and glorified in every corner of the world.
This work cannot be done alone. I am seeking faithful partners who will join me in this journey through prayer, encouragement, and financial support. I need $2,000 per month to serve in this ministry. Your partnership will help provide for essential needs such as travel, ministry materials, housing, and outreach programs that directly impact the lives of those we serve.
Would you prayerfully consider supporting this mission—either through a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support? Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant difference and is deeply appreciated.
You may click this sentence to read my recommendation letter from Pastor Larry.
You may click this sentence to read my recommendation letter from Pastor Junior.
If God is calling you to give so that Sarah may go, please visit our offering page https://www.concordbc.org/offering/ and select Sarah Richards Belize Ministry from the Apply To dropdown.
If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, I would be honored to connect with you personally. Donations can be made through Concord Baptist Church in Mohawk, TN. They can be mailed to (please write Sarah Richards - Belize in the memo):
Concord Baptist Church
436 Concord Rd.
Mohawk, TN 37810
Thank you for considering this opportunity to be part of what God is doing through this ministry. May the Lord bless you abundantly as you seek His will in all things.
Please watch the video below to learn more about God's call on my life to serve Him in Belize!
