I-AM Foundation
PO Box 1009
Sulphur, LA 70664-1009
Belize Missions Board:
Apostolic Pentecostal Church
c/o Rev. A.L. Lyle
PO Box 166
Jeanerette, LA 70544
Telephone: 
(337) 276-3244
How old were your children when the move happened?
Mark was 16, Haley was 15.
How did everyone feel about that move?
(Haley answered this one for herself... we’re waiting for Mark to weigh in)
Haley: I wasn't happy about it. I was 15 and an outgoing teenager. I didn't want to leave the comforts of my home, family, and friends. My brother had been here on a previous trip. He fell in love then, I think. I remember, because I was used to getting out and talking to all my friends in the US, I didn't like it here. The kids where I lived spoke English, but we couldn't leave our homes by ourselves; Dad didn't want danger to come to us. The kids from the towns we traveled to spoke Spanish. They also spoke English, but they wouldn't speak it to us. I remember how horrible it felt: myself, a tall, white girl, in the middle of shorter, brown people. I felt as if they stared during services, and giggled when I tried to speak their language. That has to be one of the worse feelings ever.
What about Sis. Joiner? I seem to remember that she didn’t like it in the beginning either.
Basically, we decided to try it for a year and if she didn't change her mind after a year, we'd come home. She and Haley cried for days (or weeks??). But then Sis. Joiner started liking it here and now I can hardly get her back to the US.
Where did you live upon your arrival in Belize?
We lived in a cement home in the village of Ladyville.
If I remember the story correctly, you had no furniture in the beginning?
Nope, no furniture. Just the seats out of the van we brought down.
Was Guinea Grass the first church you started?
We started a church in Ladyville. We had Creole people in this church. We did try to have services on Sunday afternoons in Belize City. We started the church in Guinea Grass too, traveling there on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday Nights. We had church in Ladyville on Wednesday Nights and Sunday Mornings. Youth service was on Friday Nights in Ladyville.
Didn't you just spread a tarp and have church in Guinea Grass?
Our first church was in our first converts home, Sis. Lima's, in a small living room. Then we moved under a small tarpaulin beside the home that Mark and Lorraine currently live in.
How long before the first person received the Holy Ghost?
I don’t know for sure, because it’s been too far back. But I know it wasn’t very long!!
You have bilingual services now. How did you interpret in the beginning?
Well, there was an Apostolic church here in Belize City. The pastor's wife was our interpreter for awhile. It was miserable for us. The only Spanish words we learned was, " Dios Le Bendiga." Being interpreted, "God Bless You." Haley started learning a few songs in Spanish and would sing those out of style.
After about a year, we had people come to us speaking English, and when we asked why they wouldn't speak to us before, they replied, "We was ashamed."
From that point, we went through several more interpreters, until 6 years ago. Jose, a teenage boy, got the Holy Ghost. He had never interpreted in front of a crowd, but somehow started interpreting, and now is one of our main interpreters.
Brother Jesus, a young minister from Mexico, got the Holy Ghost in Jeanerette, LA, through the ministry of Eld. A.L. Lyle. He felt that he wanted to do more for God, and with the blessing of his Pastor, came down 4 years ago, and has been here every since. He also serves as an interpreter.
Mark, your son, is married to one of the first converts?
Not to our first convert, but probably one of our first teenage converts. Lorraine is her name. They have one daughter, MarKaly. Mark is 25, Lorraine is 24. MarKaly will be three on October 18th. Time sure passes quickly!
You have an adopted daughter, a little Mayan Indian princess that you can’t stop talking about! LOL How long has she been part of the Joiner family?
Darlina was born on December 6, 2004. We got her on the 9th. She is almost 5 and we love her to pieces!!!
Having visited in your home, I know there are several other young folks that live with your family, many of them for years. Can we get introduced to them?
Lupey has been with us for seven years. Jose has been as well. Jesus has been with us five years. Richard has been in the church five or six years, living with us and now in the dorm for about three years. Ruben, about four years, and Eddie a year.
So, how many people actually live on your campus in Guinea Grass?
There are 23 that actually live and take meals here. However, if we have children who attend school and arrive not having eaten and with no lunch, we feed them as well.
Your school... how long has it been in operation?
This is our fifth year. We use ACE curriculum. Our PACE’s get used and used and used...
How many students are enrolled this year?
40
Any exciting things on the horizon or has recently happened?
YES! Haley, our daughter, married Jose, one of our interpreters, July 18th.
We had a group of 18 from Bro. Phil White’s church (Burbank, CA) at the beginning of July.
Our Annual Family Camp will be held October29th through November 1st. Pastor Larry Booker and Pastor Homer Looper will be preaching the Word to us. We are excited and will keep the website updated as time goes on!
We are hoping to have the Missionary Curtis Wakefield & Family (Mexico Missions) & Missionary Brent Schreckise & Family (Honduras Missions) with us for our camp.
The Wakefield's were with us last year, we enjoyed them being with us and pray they were blessed by the ministering that they heard while being here.When did the Joiner family move to Belize?
