July 2025
Seine Bight, Belize is a regular topic of conversation around here and throughout the LCMS
Northern Illinois District (NID). Why? Because for the past several years, the NID has partnered with the Belize Mission Society with financial support through the Hearts for Jesus program (read more in our NIDnews.org story from February 2025), mission trips planned by the District and multiple congregations, and individual and collective donations from families and congregations across the NID.
NIDnews.org was recently able to speak with a few attendees from two recent mission trips to Seine Bight during the second and third weeks of June 2025. Several congregations were represented on these two trips, and each person we spoke to returned with gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of such a mission outreach, renewed passion for service, and a desire to share their experience with others back here at home.
Toni Crocker, from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, has never participated in a mission trip before. She shared some highlights, including: the relationships made with the villagers and fellow teammates, learning about and experiencing Belize culture, and personal growth experiences.
On the other hand, Naomi Buss, from Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Crystal Lake, has now attended ten mission trips with the Belize Mission Society. Naomi said she has been able to see that God is at work all over the world, not just inside her comfort zone. “I continue to participate as I have created relationships with the people in the village of Seine Bight and Belize. Being able to share with my fourth grade students that I can actively be the hands and feet of Jesus is what I feel God has called me to do. Having strong Christian role models is what allowed me to get to Belize in the first place. My goal is to be that type of individual for my students.”
Rev. Matt Dubensky, associate pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in Schaumburg, previously attended an NID mission trip to Belize in 2024. He was happy to be able to return. He shared, “When I was called as the Pastor of Discipleship and Outreach at St. Peter, I was almost immediately tasked with finding a mission
field in the Western Hemisphere for our members to engage with, and I figured there was no better organization to partner with than an official Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the NID! I had met Cathy Dulgar (Executive Director of Belize Mission Society) at a pastors’ conference in 2022, and I am so glad I grabbed her card. We have stayed in touch, and now I have served in Belize twice, and I plan to return and bring even more church members with me on future trips! The people of Belize are children of God, just like you and me, and it is a joy to serve their communities and share the light of Jesus with them.”
In contrast, Chloe Dahn, from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Union, had never been to Belize, but has participated in other short-term mission trips to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Guatemala, Mexico, and various other missions in the United States. When asked why she chose to participate, she commented, “Mission trips are so meaningful to the people we serve, but also to those who take that leap of faith to join Jesus on His mission. A few reasons I chose to be a part of this were: to build relationships, to be that light of Jesus in the village… and just to be a listening ear for not only the joys that they have, but also the challenges and struggles. What an incredible opportunity it is to pray with, and continue to pray for, individuals from this community.”
Although a lot of what happens on a mission trip to Seine Bight is about RELATIONSHIPS, much of what is done is on a more practical level, such as home visits with nurses and building a shed at the school, among other things.
Laurie Matheisen is also a member at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Union. Although she has served on several mission trips domestically, she has never before been on an international mission trip. She said, “…Truth be told, my favorite part of the trip was actually cleaning out the ditch that ran between Mercy House and the school next door. It was gross, smelly, and disgusting and was also filled with trash. We donned rubber boots and gloves and jumped into this cement ravine and cleaned out trash and muck. I felt
accomplished doing this task and after it was over, we could see the results. It was very easy to see what we had accomplished.”
Casey and Marianne Polanski, from St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, were able to participate in their first mission trip this year to Belize. There were many highlights for them: “First and foremost, interacting with the children. Casey was able to complete an addition to one of the homes in Seine Bight. I (Marianne) was able to participate in women’s ministry and make some true connections.”
Pastor Dubensky also commented on a highlight of the trip, “… seeing the people of Seine Bight through the eyes of Heather, the nurse who served with us this past week. She served them, cared for them, and saw them with the same level of care and love that she shows to her patients here in the states. It was a joy to serve with her and make home health visits. The Belize Mission Society is centered around mercy care, and Heather demonstrated that mercy in everything she said and did on the trip.”
Naomi Buss summarized it well, “Belize has been life-changing for me. It’s actively changing my heart to be more of one of mercy and grace. This trip has its challenging moments, but it offers a chance to slow down and see God working in the lives of people you normally wouldn’t interact with. God has placed it on my heart to openly share about the things He is doing with my students and their families. My school took initiative and was able to raise money to support the feeding program for students at the village school. These trips aren’t
about what I can do for the people in Belize, they are about what God is actively doing in the community. He is using my hands and my heart.”
The NID will continue its work with the Belize Mission Society and with the people in the community of Seine Bight. We hope to see many more relationships built and lives affected by the practical assistance offered, along with the love of Christ shared.
If you’d like to learn more, please visit the Belize Mission Society website. Additionally, please consider how you or your congregation can make an impact through participating in a future mission trip or supporting through financial means. Each of us can make an impact, and we continue our District theme of Stronger Together.
WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions, and sharing in a world mission field together.