Mennonites in Belize

     In a quiet corner of Gnadenfeld village is Riverside Library, one of Spanish Lookout's two libraries. The blond-haired young mother who currently owns it greeted us cheerfully and assisted us in locating the specific books. Set inside a shipping container/trailer, it doesn't look like much from the outside but 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 to smart, you know there's chores to do back home but for now, your eyes are hungrily feasting on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, on The Count of Mo...

    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 diectly 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...

A sunset in Spanish Lookout The Iguana Creek Bridge in Blackman Eddy which gets flooded every year The farm roads of Spanish Lookout A creative and rustic hobby on display in Spanish Lookout A Christmas market Emergency responders at the scene of an accident, Center Ave. Spanish Lookout Reimer's Feed Mill on a rainy evening Flash flood on a rural road in Spanish Lookout Semitrucks crossing a flooded bridge Conservative Mennonites hold a singing service Mennonite News View Blog                                       A. Mendoza  

   There are readers wondering about my blog. To be honest I myself have been wondering about it too. As much as I enjoy freelance writing, family takes priority. And when you have a growing family the size of ours, you find very little spare time for hobbies but spend lots of time on habits. Such as coaxing a fussy 6 month old to go night night or trying to persuade a cranky 2 year old that beans are not yucky and comforting your 4 year old daughter because she cannot have a wedding just yet. Not to mention racking your brain with your school age children’s questions about sedimentary, legendary, and metamorphosis.   It requires patience, strength, and courage to wake up early in the morning to help my better half prepare lunches even though we two slept only 4 hours due to a certain little person who refused to eat according to the normal schedule. Then dropping into bed at 11pm after a day of sales, driving, carpentry and online work. All in a day’s work, of course. Bu...