Mennonites in Belize

  Who are they and when did they arrive in Belize?   Earlier in this blog I explained that when I use the word Conservative with a capital C, I am referring to a particular branch of the Mennonite faith, which has its roots in the Old Order Amish religion. Sort of an Amish and Mennonite hybrid which appeared in early to mid-twentieth century up north in the US. In Belize, these Mennonite churches which often operate independently from each other are made up of Mestizos, Mayas, Creoles and North American Mennonite immigrants; they do not live in autonomous colonies. The men are not easily noticeable but the women are quite conspicuous with their floor length plain cape dresses and white head coverings.   From what I understand the Conservative church firmly established itself in Belize in the 1980's, after an Amish mission organization from the US paved the way earlier in the 1960's, shortly after the "Russian" Mennonites of Spanish Lookout and Shipyard had arrived fro

   Go for it, buddy!   Oh, I'm sure we all love some crazy fun and daring adventure now and then, something out of the ordinary, stuff that makes our peers open their mouth in admiration or laughter yet makes our parents and groosmamas  shake their heads and stare at us with a sepulchral frown. I myself will never forget my teenage years of popping wheelies on the middle of the road, drag racing , midnight Halloween pranks(my conservative Mennonite parents disapproved of it), nose-diving in an airplane with my buddies, hitchhiking at night on the mountains of Guatemala, etc. Those days are past, and unfortunately those days the smartphone was just invented so I don't have any of my stuff recorded, but here are a few mild reminders of some good old fun. Crazy Mennonites, right? Or to be more honest, Mennonites who are simply being themselves and enjoying it. From  drifting a pickup... ...to custom-made manual Oldsmobile ... ...and don't forget a bit of  donut driving...  

   A girl picks mangoes in Shipyard, an Old Colony Mennonite community in Orange Walk, Belize   Mango season is at its height throughout Belize. In spite of being a small country, not all mangoes can be found everywhere since some varieties grow better in certain areas than in others. How do the Mennonite ladies use mangoes? Well, among the ultra conservative groups, mangoes are turned into jams, jellies, moos , or preserved by canning since they do not use electricity. My favorite way of eating canned mangoes is to pour some Carnation milk over them or a bit of Fanta.    Other modern Mennonites find it easier to slice up the mangoes and store them in Ziploc bags in the freezer; when needed for a recipe or as a snack simply soak the bag in room-temperature water for a bit.    The most popular mango for eating and canning is the Cambrean type, with a thick, smooth orange texture and juice. When full grown it is slightly bigger than a common red apple and tastes much better after a day o

     Not long ago I saw a comment made by an ex-Old Colony Mennonite on a Belizean social media platform, "those are not real Mennonites they just dress like that because they go to that church". The persons in question were white North Americans who had grown up in the Beachy Mennonite church and were active members. This led me to do some more research. Below is my discovery:   While many think of Plautdietsch Mennonites as a distinct race, the truth is they're not. Yes, they are a recognized ethnic group, i.e. "Russian Mennonites" complete with their own dialect, cultural habits and names, but they are not a race  nor are they the only real Mennonites. Simply because your name is Friesen and you grew up speaking Dietsch and eating glums  and borsch  does not make you more Mennonite than a 20 year old Maya who embraces the teachings of Menno Simons for the rest of his life.   That said, some experts have classified certain groups as ethno-religious, which woul

       My Opinion of the One True Church      First of all, the Holdeman (official name Church of God in Christ, Mennonite) church is not the  only true church. John Holdeman in the 19th century did not receive any special revelation like Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon religion. In all fairness, he was a sort of Martin Luther, seeing and realizing a need to break away from the lax and lukewarm old Mennonite church in order for a spiritual revival and renewal to begin its work. Well, a revival did happen. A return to the original teachings of the Anabaptists to a certain extent. However as time went by and the church grew and became more organized, the main focus-apostolic teachings-became somewhat obscured by the belief that "we" are the true church. This led to rigid Mennonite traditions that eventually led the church into turmoil in the 1970's in the US. William and Viv Stoppel have written extensively on the Holdeman church and even done a video documentary on

     At some point, except for the Old Colony group, Mennonites from various branches end up with missionary intentions. The ironic thing is that while they try to convert other Mennonite groups to their  way of life or more correctly their way of viewing Christian life, other Mennonite groups are busy trying to convert them . For example, the Kleine Gemeinde have a mission outreach in the Old Colony community of Little Belize in the Corozal District. Meanwhile the EMMC (Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church) is trying to win converts from both the Kleine Gemeinde and Old Colony. The Holdeman Mennonites arrived in the 1970's as missionaries to the Kleine Gemeinde and succeeded in winning quite a large number. (the converts left for Canada decades ago) Conservative and Beachy Mennonites seem to be more tolerant of other religions which is surprising due to their conservative beliefs; however they too hope to win over the Holdemans from their "one true church" mentality, the

     Decades ago a commercial airliner was dismantled and hauled to the Mennonite colony of Blue Creek on the northern end of Belize, where it was converted into a power plant that generated electricity for dozens of families in the community. Here is the  story  of the Mennonite pioneer who made it happen as well as a look at his farm.                                                         A. Mendoza

   The old wood bridge more than a decade ago. The newer one, which was shipped from Canada and installed many years ago already, is fully metal.   As the hurricane season approaches with all its ups and downs of rainy weather, I thought I would provide a link where you can monitor the water level at the Iguana Creek crossing. The bridge is prone to flooding, especially if it rains extensively in Guatemala and western Belize. Usually big trucks are the last to quit crossing as the water covers the bridge, and the first to begin as the water recedes. Here is the blog that provides updates on the  bridge . The flooded bridge. At its highest level, the water easily reaches beyond the black car seen in the distance.                                                                                           A. Mendoza

     According to media outlets, the modern and northernmost Mennonite colony of Blue Creek in the Orange Walk District along with a nearby Mestizo village have been placed under quarantine due to several cases of coronavirus in the area. Government patrols have been despatched and curfews have been established. Close to Blue Creek is also a crossing point for both Mexicans and Belizeans. For developments in this case, follow Breaking Belize News or The Reporter on Facebook.                                              A. Mendoza

     Ronny Plett of the traffic department in Spanish Lookout shares a  video on safety tips while driving. The community has certainly seen its fair share of road accidents however they have also done an outstanding job of providing emergency personnel within minutes of an accident. Several ambulances and fire fighting vehicles are owned by the colony and are doing an excellent service not only to the community but to other surrounding villages as well.                                              A. Mendoza

     What were your school days like? Did you spend your time in a modern building with fans and indoor plumbing? Or with only the minimum basics? Did you have books everywhere you look or did you have to share the same book due to poverty or perhaps due to rigid church rules?  Here  is a glimpse at what education is like for the Old Colony Mennonites in Belize. With a one-room building,  slates, desk sharing, and separation of boys and girls, this schoolroom is certainly reminiscent of the 19th century. A bit like a storybook classic, say Anne of Green Gables  or Tom Sawyer  or Little House books. While my own school days were similar, we certainly enjoyed more amenities and priviledges than these youngsters do.                                             A. Mendoza

     A brief documentary on the  history of the Holdeman Mennonites in Belize. 

        I lay on my side on a narrow bunk, sweat pouring down while goats bleated outside and an old windmill clunked farther on, wondering what would happen next.    I had heard about this wonderful herbal doctor in the Old Colony Mennonite community of Little Belize in the northern district of Corozal who could cure just about any sickness. Since I suffer from a sciatic nerve and plantar fascitis, I decided to find out for myself. In a few days I had found a young couple who was also going there for treatments and caught a ride.   We spent the night in the town of Orange Walk, with a relative who had left the Old Colony 30 years ago and married a Mestizo (an unpardonable sin among the Old Colony Mennonites, apparently).   By 6 the next morning we arrived at the doctor's farm. He welcomed us in and almost immediately began preparing for our treatment even though we had not made any appointment. The young couple went inside the clinic. Not knowing what to do, I went for a walk,