Universal Healing is seeking a Caretaker for our Facility in Belize Central America!

Hello,

My wife Linda and I are in need of a responsible and experienced caretaker or couple to mind our developing organic farm and retreat center in beautiful Belize Central America.

Our story and current situation

Linda and I purchased our property in Belize in December 2010 and embarked on the journey to fulfill our dream and vision of building and developing an institute, organic farm, and retreat center. Linda spent the first two years wrapping up her career as a school psychologist and I dove headfirst and full time into Belize and the project.

The years and project have had many, many challenges and trials including the biggest and most recent, which began in May of 2013 when Linda’s dad succumbed to cancer in New Jersey where she grew up. In September 2013 her mother also became more ill and was hospitalized. We traveled to help her and Linda did not return to Belize until December 2014! I spent the entire time traveling back and forth every month or two. Linda’s mother passed away in late July 2014. We assumed her entire estate when we arrived in 2013 including several properties and one farm. As of the newest update to this saga including this writing November 2015, we have had the farm for sale for 2 ½ years now, with 4 contracts yet have not closed yet………L. To further complicate things, in 2014 Yosiah’s parents also decided to sale the family farm we built 26 years earlier and move to a more remote area of southern New Mexico to build another retreat and homestead. They also need help doing this and we have manned the job! Prior to Linda and Yosiah’s meeting Linda had some land in Rimrock Arizona where her and her former husband planned to build a home but he died unexpectedly of an aneurism and she was unable to continue the dream alone. We have also had this property for sale for all these years with no success as of yet. We are planning to build an Earthship there in 2016. Yosiah also has an amazing daughter and grandson in Prescott Arizona attending the school of sustainability at ASU, so they too need our support and attention at times! So as you can imagine especially if you have experienced anything similar, we are swamped, under extreme pressure, and in need of help!

As for the Belize property and project, using our hired staff, Caretakers, Students, interns, and occasional volunteers, we continue small construction / development projects as well “maintain” and “preserve” the property. Above all the others, the Caretaker position has proved to be the most important and if done correctly by capable and carful people, simply invaluable! A good Caretaker who works with our hired workers, who simply need supervision and accountability, as is common in an undeveloped country, but are overall good guy’s, makes the ideal team and provides us and our project with the flexibility we need to handle all our responsibilities.

What have we learned through this experience? The most important lesson to which we are now prepared and better equipped to handle, is that you can “leave home”, move away to a foreign country, but “home” may not let you go so easily! This is especially true if you have family, close friends, or any other ties and responsibilities, which most of us do. We cannot count how many others we have encountered both in Belize and other countries including our origin, the USA who have left the “system” and moved to the “country” to live a more simple life, yet had to return and care for family. Every time they’re sustainable lifestyle and project was compromised, in many cases, never to be restored.

I think Linda and I have come to learn that in todays troubled times, we in permaculture may need to put “people care” above even our own sustainability and security. True Love always requires sacrifice.

Hence we have come to realize it would be best to live “seasonally” in Belize at least until all our responsibilities are handled properly enabling us to remain in Belize more and for longer periods. Since the purchase of Belize in 2010, and most especially the ordeals in 2013, with the proper Caretakers, this has worked out so well we are exploring the idea of living seasonally in Belize indefinitely. Considering our friends, family, and vested interest in sustainable properties in New Mexico and Arizona, we are considering seeking Caretakers and offering similar opportunities there as well. The bottom line is that people who own recreational and agricultural properties need good responsible Caretakers at times to mind their properties so they can get away for business, family needs, or even a well deserved break!

With all of this in mind, we are always seeking caretakers to help us mind our places for periods of at least 3 months at a time. Can you? Will you? Are you able to help?!?! We hope and pray so, God knows we need it!

Please visit our website below, which like much of our lives right now, in transition and developmental stage. We hope you understand considering we have taken on such an amazing, yet challenging and demanding project and lifestyle!

www.universalhealinginternational.com

Also read more about or apply for the Caretaker opportunity below.

Thank you very much for your consideration and support.

Yosiah and Linda

The ideal Caretaker will possess the following desires, skills, and experience:

• Vegetarian meals - Our facility and retreat is based on a Vegetarian diet and lifestyle including the meals that our hired help eats. All meals served family style, everyone either cooks or cleans, or both…….No exceptions!

• Green thumbs! - A Love for gardening and farming is a huge plus!

• Talented hands! - Handyman and maintenance skills / experience also would come in very handy and be much appreciated!

• Long term - Someone wishing to stay for several or more months would be ideal.

• Good Character - Above all honesty, integrity, and reliability coupled with good communication skills are the most desired and appreciated attributes.


Responsibilities can be limited to the following:

1. Be present and in charge of the property at all times other than agreed time off rotation periods when our local workers provide relief.

2. Direct and active management / supervision of our maintenance, grounds keeping, gardener, and farm workers.

3. Prepare vegetarian meals for our staff of no more than 2 men.

4. Report weekly to us discussing any current status, needs, or events.

5. Provide care and observation for our 2 medium to large outdoor dogs.

6. Drive our vehicle bi-weekly or monthly to local suppliers, order, and receive needed supplies.

Additional duties – the following duties are strictly voluntary, yet greatly appreciated based on preferred caretakers experience and abilities:

1. Work directly with our maintenance, grounds keeping, gardener, and farm workers.

2. Some organic gardening and farming desires and duties would really help. Permaculture and biodynamic experience is a huge plus.

3. Design, create, and build! We Love to have our students, interns and Caretakers express their creativity and share their developed skills by designing and implementing new sustainable projects on our properties!

Benefits and compensation - Live rent-free at our tropical Belize paradise in exchange for sitting our farm and property. We also offer to compensate up to 50% ($800 usd max.) of our Caretakers transportation cost to Belize and home.

Salary – For our Caretakers who successfully complete a 90-day tour of duty and desire to continue with a longer-term arrangement, we offer an additional $200 usd per month stipend.

Time off for tourist excursions! - As the old saying goes – “too much work and no play makes for a dull day”, we could never ask anyone to visit our place without also understanding and providing for time off to see our beautiful country, Belize! Therefore in all our work trade agreements we include 2 days and nights per month off which in the 90-day term could be saved up for a one week (7 day) period as well. Our Caretakers also can take up to 2 days a week off for day trips as long as our workers are present and assigned.

Accommodations – Our facility including cabins and common areas are within our 150-acre private protected nature reserve. All visitors and guests must be willing and able to adapt to a lifestyle based on an environmental, low impact, sustainability in a very remote, undeveloped, rural rainforest location. We are not a lodge but do enjoy the finer amenities of life including basic but conservative solar power, Internet, and hot water!

If you are interested and think you would make a good candidate for our Caretaker opportunity, please email me at [email protected]

We look forward to hearing back from you and the possible opportunity to further connect and share life’s journey!

Thank you kindly, Yosiah and Linda