Mennonites in Belize

A multi family yard sale A buggy from Lower Barton Creek covered to protect against rain and wind A family-owned nursery in Spanish Lookout The new soybean oil facility Rare flooding in February Early morning near Iguana Creek                       A new gift shop in Spanish Lookout                                Woodland Nursery A performance at Fusion Church, a "modern" church on Iguana Creek Road Employees at a store bringing down a metal gate Motorcycles on display at Universal Hardware Mennonite News View Blog Opinion:  Discrimination in Mennonite Groups                      A. Mendoza

     The fragrant aroma of blended soaps and spices along with a faint scent of pine and wood stain greeted me as I opened the tinted glass door. Acrylic paintings were artfully arranged around the room while on the floor in various nooks were wood crates overflowing with an assortment of beautifully crafted handmade goods.   Welcome to Spanish Lookout Gallery & Gift Shop, located on Center Avenue in the same building as Infinite Wireless, a small but unique store featuring local products from artists and hobbyists in around the community. Handmade coloring books by Karina Dueck, wall hangings by Grace Friesen, organic soaps by Mrs. Theresa Carpenter, cloth dolls, wooden spoons, organic chocolates, rustic wood crates built from pallet wood, etc.   Officially open as of today March 1, 2025, the gift shop aims to support local artists by providing them an outlet to display their products and boost recognition of local talent. So be sure to stop in and check ou...

     In a quiet corner of Gnadenfeld village where Baltimore Drive and Riverside Road meet, is Riverside Library, one of Spanish Lookout's two or three libraries. The blond-haired young mother who owns it greeted us warmly and cheerfully then assisted us in locating the specific books. Set inside a shipping container/trailer, it doesn't look like much from the outside but after all, it's the inside that matters and for those interested in the quaint and odd off the beaten path, it sure contains a trove of literary treasures which delighted our little bookworms.  There is that cozy, warm thrill that runs up your spine and down your arms when a new door suddenly opens and the first thing you see is row after row of books to choose from. You know that everything will work out for good in the end, you know that earlier you and your sibling were quarreling and that Mommy had to carry out something that caused your rear end to smart, you know there's chores to do back home...

    Woodland Nursery, on Duck Lane, close to Linda Vista Lumber Yard on Rt 40 W    After several weeks of unstable weather conditions, it was refreshing to see the mud drying up, a bright blue sky and the first winds of the Belizean “spring” weather. Perfect weather for driving around so we decided to visit a hard-working and thrifty widow in Spanish Lookout who owns one of the 3 or 4 nurseries in the colony.   Ms. Hertha Dueck greeted us politely and pointed out the various types of trees and flowers. She explained that she currently has 50 types of palm trees, including a rare one which grows deep in the humid jungle and is highly prized by illegal Guatemalans who sneak into the thickly forested and poorly patrolled southwestern corner of Belize. She also mentioned 30 different hardwood trees, an impressive number. I asked about a shade tree which attracts mammoth caterpillars with spikes an inch high that can deliver an extremely painful burn on your skin. Sh...

   Finally, after many long and eventful weeks, our life is gradually back on track. Hopefully I can write more often now and due to better transportation can directly visit the homes and farms of the people of whom this blog is all about: the Mennonites.   Below are some pictures from the month of December and a few from January. A home-brewed wine A perfect rainbow in Gnadenfeld village, Spanish Lookout A packed parking lot during tax-free weekend in December We attended a program acted out by deaf-mute students at the Mennonite owned Cayo Deaf Institute A Christmas program by students of a Mennonite mission school; the building was rented for the occasion A brilliantly decorated yard in Spanish Lookout A quiet peaceful evening at a farm Sunset reflection lingers on the Spanish Lookout town hall, also dubbed "the White House" Ultra conservative Mennonites from the nearby community of Lower Barton Creek Students at a mission school Mennonite News View Blog     ...

    A section of the pedriatic ward.      The last few days before the 24th I was casually chatting with individuals from the Hoover Mennonites (often mistaken for Amish) from Springfield and Birdwalk in the central highlands, piecing together a narrative of what Christmas would be like in such a rigid and disciplined conservative community. You see even though they are much more conservative than their Old Colony cousins in the north, they are also much more open-minded in religion and tolerance of the cultures around them. I had been debating whether I should pay some friends a surprise visit to observe how they celebrate Christmas. They do not. Can you imagine? No special gatherings, no ham or turkey, no chicken BBQ, no tamales, no staying up until midnight on the 24th, no firecrackers, no special church service, no Christmas carolling, no handing out baskets of goodies, no rows of cookies decorated with red and green icing, no children's Christmas program, n...

      In a first ever, the government of Belize has issued a sales tax waiver (12.5%) for nearly all standard rated retail goods purchased on the 14,15 and 21, 22 of December, the last two weekends before Christmas with the exception of imported hams and turkeys which have no tax until the end of this month. Fuel, liquor, tobacco and certain other items will not be exempt. The aim of the waiver is to encourage Belizeans to do their purchasing at home instead of crossing over into Mexico or Guatemala during the Christmas season. However the waiver applies to retail sales only, not to wholesaler customers.   To explain all the do's and don'ts would require a whole article by itself so I will simply post a link where my local readers can inform themselves:  GST Waiver 2024   Merry Christmas... from the...  government. Mennonite News View Blog                                 A...