Mennonites in Belize

  Employees of Farmer's Trading Center, the country's biggest Mennonite-owned supermarket and hardware combined, are feverishly setting up the final touches to their new display area and getting things in tip-top shape for their Customer Appreciation Day, which is held one Saturday of the year, always in October. This year it has fallen on the last Saturday of the month, the 27th.   Things happening that day are promotional give-aways, raffles, prizes, huge discounts and crowds of people flowing in and out by the hundreds all day long until 8pm. Many nationalities will be present, since this store is in a way the "Wal-Mart" of Belize. Also present will be Old Colony Mennonites from north Belize, Old Order Mennonites from south and central Belize, Kleine Gemeinde and non-conservative Mennonites from around the country, as well as a sprinkling of the Beachy and Holdeman Mennonites.   Out on the yard and on a section of the parking lot will be the food vendors selling ...

  This article is about the Plautdietsch Mennonites only.   Within the colonized Mennonites of Belize there is quite an amount of internal migration. The 2 most popular colonies are Spanish Lookout and Blue Creek, with the former seeing the biggest increase in arrivals of Old Colony Mennonites from northern Belize and a few Old Order young men from central or south Belize. The Spanish Lookout businesses and farms have benefited from these people because they are willing to work very hard for a minimum to average salary. Their born talent for mechanics and engineering is a tremendous advantage to their employers.   Occasionally entire families completely leave the Old Colony traditions and settle in Spanish Lookout, other families move back and forth due to seasonal work and other families split apart, the husband and some sons permanently banned from the colony while the wife and younger ones move back. But MOST of the migrant workers in Spanish Lookout right now are si...

  Certain Mennonites are forever migrating. This pack-up-and-go lifestyle is mostly carried out by lower income German Mennonites of the Old Colony and KG groups.   In the KG group, their 2 popular destinations are Mexico and Canada. Occasionally some end up in the US. Among the Old Colonists and ex-Old Colony members, their main destinations are Mexico, Paraguay and Bolivia where very large colonies of their kind are in existence. The ones who move to Mexico move around in that country and later end up in Belize. Years go by and they pull up stakes again and head to Mexico. Mexican Mennonites also head to Belize to find work and earn a better salary.   I asked a Mexican girl recently:  " Do you mind telling me why you and your husband moved to Belize? I mean the Mexican Mennonites have a better economy in general, bigger industries and scores of manufacturing companies."  " That's all true," she replied. " But the wages and work ethics are so much dif...

  There are none. Not even remotely close.

Spanish Lookout Bel-Car, an import/export grain mill. The office and warehouse are behind the storage tanks. The recently built firehouse is in the foreground. The rear of Reimer's Feed Mill. Specializing mostly in corn but also a big seller of animal-care products. Their slogan is "We're growing Belize" Looking towards the front of Quality Feed Mill, another mill across from Reimer's Feed Mill. They have been in the process of enlarging everything. The storage, the offices, display area, products, etc.

  Honestly yet sad to say, the ones who are the most involved in law-breaking, primarily domestic incidents, are the Old Colony Mennonites from northern Belize. This unfortunately falls more often on the lower-income families than on the richer guys who own big businesses and can negotiate deals with the police. Some fathers physically abuse their children, many are caught up in shady little businesses such as unlicensed firearms and ammunition, there are cruel beatings, and both teen boys and older men sometimes sit in jail. There are still those who uphold a strict moral life but without any spiritual attachment. The everlasting plague of drug dealing is also present.   The Old Order Mennonites of central and south Belize are very tame and quiet compared to their brothers up north. Many mistake them for Amish due to their calm lifestyle. Rarely will you hear of any violence within their groups. There is more spiritual life in their teachings and that of course plays a big f...

  The reason for this topic is because I had a recent unpleasant incident with the Social Security system in this country. Perhaps another time, another place, I'll share it. But right now we'll focus on how it affects all the Mennonites.   Social Security Board is the only kind of insurance that most Belizeans have. In fact it is mandatory for all legal citizens, except Mennonites who are members of autonomous colonies. While it does provide a measure of comfort, it is actually the government's best (and legal) method of retaining some of your hard earned money.   Some of the younger German-speaking Mennonites own Social Security cards, but aside from using it now and then for legal paperwork, it is a useless piece of plastic. Non-German-speaking Mennonites like the Beachy and Holdemans do own cards since they have not been granted any self-ruling status, nor do they wish for it. They and all other Belizeans need to present this card in order to get a job, to maintain ...