Mennonites' Brief Review
Take a drive through Spanish Lookout and Blue Creek communities, and you will see some of the finest and costliest homes in Belize with well cared lawns and magnificent driveways. Take a drive through the Old Colony communities and the Old Order Mennonites' communities, and you will see wooden clapboard houses, metal shacks and front yards filled with odds and ends of farm equipment. Of course, their belief systems plays a role in the way they invest their money.
Review:
The Kleine Gemeindes have probably contributed more to the economy of Belize than any other Mennonite or immigrant group. From the 1950's until now, they have had thriving businesses and products that keep growing in demand. At first, only Mennonites worked in the businesses but as time went by and more Hispanic immigrants began arriving, the Mennonites found out it was cheaper hiring locals and immigrants to work in the companies. As of now, between 70 to 80 percent of laborers in the Spanish Lookout community are not Mennonites. It is interesting that when life was more primitive, they didn't need female workers to help at home but now native girls are in demand as house workers. This, at a time when they have the latest in home technology and much smaller families than 25 years ago.
A typical house in Spanish Lookout or Blue Creek is usually made out of lumber and will have metal sheet roofing. Average square feet will be around 1,000. Interior finishing is pretty much North American style. Drywall or finished paneling with recessed lights, etc.
Old Colony Mennonites, due to their beliefs, build their houses out of plain metal or poured concrete. No interior finishing and most of the furniture used is built by hand. Restrooms and showers are usually outside.
Among KG and Old Colony Mennonites, the "family day" is very important. Married people take turns once a week or twice a month hosting the rest of the family members for a meal, usually supper. If it is a large family then public meeting places are rented for the gathering.
The Old Order Mennonites live similar to the Old Colony ones except their houses are built in many ways more primitive. While the Old Colonists will use concrete or metal siding, many Hoover Mennonites will use hand cut lumber or cement blocks.
As regard to farm equipments, the KG's and liberal Mennonites seem to compete for the biggest tractor or farm truck. The Old Colonists do not use rubber wheels on their farm vehicles, only on their buggies or carts. The bigger farmers have their own trucks and other vehicles for public transportation but they are not allowed to drive them since the vehicles have rubber wheels. Consequently nearly every farmer who can afford to hire a full time driver does so.
The Old Order Mennonites hold stricter to their beliefs yet. All farm equipment is generally horse or water powered, and noone is allowed to own a vehicle of any sort except their buggies or wagons. They mostly grow crops and livestock for their own use, while the KG's and Old Colonists are known as big time crop and livestock farmers who have even begun an export market.
The Beachy, Holdeman and conservative Amish-Mennonites prefer to work among the locals, and their jobs range from backyard gardening to building contractors. Some of them also own bakeries and small hardware stores. They do not have a preferred style of housing, thus making themselves more at ease with the locals. While some of them have a better standard of living than others, they are generally considered among the middle class Belizeans. It is also rare to see these Mennonites in a loose, carefree dress attire or dirty and disheveled with bleary eyes as is common among some of the Old Colonists. They seem to appear neat and well dressed because they want to, not because they have to in order to follow their ancestors.
The Kleine Gemeindes have probably contributed more to the economy of Belize than any other Mennonite or immigrant group. From the 1950's until now, they have had thriving businesses and products that keep growing in demand. At first, only Mennonites worked in the businesses but as time went by and more Hispanic immigrants began arriving, the Mennonites found out it was cheaper hiring locals and immigrants to work in the companies. As of now, between 70 to 80 percent of laborers in the Spanish Lookout community are not Mennonites. It is interesting that when life was more primitive, they didn't need female workers to help at home but now native girls are in demand as house workers. This, at a time when they have the latest in home technology and much smaller families than 25 years ago.
A typical house in Spanish Lookout or Blue Creek is usually made out of lumber and will have metal sheet roofing. Average square feet will be around 1,000. Interior finishing is pretty much North American style. Drywall or finished paneling with recessed lights, etc.
Old Colony Mennonites, due to their beliefs, build their houses out of plain metal or poured concrete. No interior finishing and most of the furniture used is built by hand. Restrooms and showers are usually outside.
Among KG and Old Colony Mennonites, the "family day" is very important. Married people take turns once a week or twice a month hosting the rest of the family members for a meal, usually supper. If it is a large family then public meeting places are rented for the gathering.
The Old Order Mennonites live similar to the Old Colony ones except their houses are built in many ways more primitive. While the Old Colonists will use concrete or metal siding, many Hoover Mennonites will use hand cut lumber or cement blocks.
As regard to farm equipments, the KG's and liberal Mennonites seem to compete for the biggest tractor or farm truck. The Old Colonists do not use rubber wheels on their farm vehicles, only on their buggies or carts. The bigger farmers have their own trucks and other vehicles for public transportation but they are not allowed to drive them since the vehicles have rubber wheels. Consequently nearly every farmer who can afford to hire a full time driver does so.
The Old Order Mennonites hold stricter to their beliefs yet. All farm equipment is generally horse or water powered, and noone is allowed to own a vehicle of any sort except their buggies or wagons. They mostly grow crops and livestock for their own use, while the KG's and Old Colonists are known as big time crop and livestock farmers who have even begun an export market.
The Beachy, Holdeman and conservative Amish-Mennonites prefer to work among the locals, and their jobs range from backyard gardening to building contractors. Some of them also own bakeries and small hardware stores. They do not have a preferred style of housing, thus making themselves more at ease with the locals. While some of them have a better standard of living than others, they are generally considered among the middle class Belizeans. It is also rare to see these Mennonites in a loose, carefree dress attire or dirty and disheveled with bleary eyes as is common among some of the Old Colonists. They seem to appear neat and well dressed because they want to, not because they have to in order to follow their ancestors.
