Mennonites in Belize

    After two years of regulations and travel restrictions preventing them, the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite finally held a youth reunion in Belize. Visitors from various Central American countries as well as Mexico and the US were present.   The pattern remained the same. Visitors arrive Thursday night and Friday morning; activities on Friday and Saturday are usually only for baptized members. On Sunday the youth group presented a program (during these events Sunday school is always skipped much to my relief) which was open for anyone to attend but in the program itself only baptized youth were allowed to participate. Typical yet understandable.  I thoroughly enjoyed meeting old friends, watching the youth group interacting with each other since it goes without saying that these reunions are also a time for the single young men to "spy out the land", listening to the acapella singing, and of course partaking of the Belizean specialty, BBQ chicken with f...

    Gerhard Schmidt   A young man from the Old Colony community of Little Belize in the Corozal District was officially reported missing this week even though he was last seen more than a week ago. According to a "source" of information, he had been temporarily working in Spanish Lookout but had travelled to Little Belize to visit his family. A few days later he disappeared. The "source" suggested that perhaps internal family disputes, such as leaving the Old Colony religion, might be part of the issue since a Whatsapp post just before his disappearance revealed he had made a decision which would have negatively affected his family. Whether this is the case or not, those with any information regarding his location are urged to call 911, 922, or contact the nearest police station.                                                   A. Mendoza

   After a few weeks of planning and preparing, we set our sights on Mountain Pine Ridge for a weekend of fun and spiritual sharing. The weather was quite fair, the mountain temperature a perfect 70°F, and the group small enough that we could all gather around the campfire to toast marshmallows and sing hymns.   As I chatted with old friends, made new ones, and sang along with them, I was strongly reminded of my days in the Holdeman Mennonite church. The playful banter of young men and women sharing the kitchen work, the solemn ministers joking and poking each other's ribs, older ladies joining in the outdoor games, children romping and screaming in fun without ever once referring to Xbox games or the latest electronic device or the latest horror movies. In fact, based on the general conversation you would think these people had never once watched a movie or heard of an Iphone. Unlike other modern church groups I've been in where the talk (accompanied by rather st...

    Mennonite werenaki (perogies)   Schmauckshoen? she asked, grinning broadly and offering me another perogie. I looked at her, drew a deep breath, and ran for the bathroom with peals of laughter following and my ears burning. This was my introduction to the famous Mennonite werenaki , 15 years ago. I had convinced a girl I could eat the perogies with cottage cheese filling even though she knew very well I was not a fan of both milk and cheese (why are Plautdiestch Mennonites so fond of milky, creamy, cheesy, WHITE foods?) hence her challenge. I lost.   Growing up in a Mestizo--aka "spanish"--culture influenced by Plautdietsch Mennonites from Spanish Lookout and North American Holdeman Mennonites, I grew up eating a good amount of what would be considered Mennonite food compared to our Mestizo neighbors: cheesy casseroles, mashed potatoes, etc. yet they were always seasoned with plenty of the necessary "spanish" spices and most importantly... colors. I have to have...

  A house in Spanish Lookout caught fire on Saturday morning. According to reports, a butane tank exploded and the flames engulfed the interior, causing the exterior metal framing to collapse. Fortunately there were no major injuries. A. Mendoza

    A family prays before a meal in Spanish Lookout   It's been a busy time for my blog, with articles on Mennonite foods and Mennonite cooking being the most shared and read. In fact, a single article received 2,000 views in less than 4 days, with the number of views increasing by the hour.    So for those interested in Mennonite cooking, what about an up-close, eye-opening video of a Mennonite kitchen where faspa is prepared and shared with visitors? See  below  for a video of a Mennonite home meal in Spanish Lookout.                                                    A. Mendoza

    A demolished barn in Spanish Lookout   With one of the country's main network providers completely down for several days (we don't have WiFi) I was unable to post an update on the aftermath of Hurricane Lisa, which entered the country near Belize City on Wednesday night, the 2nd of November, and traveled northwest toward Guatemala and Mexico. Belize City received the full force but soon afterward the storm lost hurricane strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Out in the west, in Spanish Lookout, we began feeling strong gusts around 7PM. The wind steadily increased, reached its peak around 9PM, then slowly died down. By midnight only a slight drizzle remained. Thankfully though no lives were lost. Most of the damage in the west was on barns and sheds, while uprooted trees and downed power lines could be seen here and there. Also in Spanish Lookout    Elsewhere in the country and in neighboring Guatemala: Branches litter a street in Belize City. Sour...

      But it's not a friendly visit to look for her cousin Tina or Greta or Lena. On the contrary, it has people worried and anxiously watching the forecast, since this particular Lisa is bringing with her a very unpleasant attitude.   Jokes aside, the tropical depression located south of Jamaica has now been updated to Tropical Storm Lisa, with winds of 40mph and expected to possibly reach hurricane status just before making landfall in Belize. Government agencies have sent out hurriane warnings, certain schools and some archaelogical reserves will be closing tomorrow, and residents of outlying cayes are urged to evacuate on time. The storm is forecast to arrive on the coast of Belize during Wednesday night or Thursday morning.   Some items that are a must are: battery-operated flashlight, purified drinking water, matches/gas lighter, waterproof storage boxes for storing clothing and groceries, rubber boots. Get to a certified shelter on time or arrange with of...

       A much-loved, respected and admired conservative Mennonite writer, missionary, and father has now passed from death unto life. I saw him in person in Belize but never had an opportunity to speak to him. However his true life books detailing the spiritual struggles of individuals in Central America impacted me profoundly since the characters in his stories were people I could easily identify with, having grown up in the same culture and environment. Muddy jungle trails, eating mangoes, thatched roof and candlelight, brown-skinned children playing on the muddy streets. This was my culture too, and through his non-fiction stories and autobiography I could see a man who went all out in embracing eternal life and who brought out the best in those around him without caring how poor, how ragged or how rich they were. Pablo Yoder was a US-Nicaraguan conservative Mennonite who grew up in Costa Rica but later moved to Waslala, Nicaragua after the civil war. Within Menno...

      See  above an aerial view of the flooded areas in Spanish Lookout as a result of Tropical Storm Julia. Not quite as bad as the 2020 flooding from Hurricanes Eta and Iota but a catastrophe nonetheless. Farmer's Express, an unpaved alternative road connecting Spanish Lookout to Belmopan, was also impassable. In the background, top left, is Koop Sheet Metal.                                                 A. Mendoza

                       The marketplace in Spanish Lookout   You know for a fact that Spanish Lookout is a modern community of Mennonites, that Farmer's Trading Center is located there, that Universal Hardware (the motorcycle place) is there, and yes, Western Dairies: Belize's one and only Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, A&W's, and Chick-Fil-A all rolled into one, is there. But there are a few things that perhaps you did not know about this colorful and vibrant colony so I have decided to list them down below: 1. It has its very own team of volunteer firefighters complete with 2 firetrucks and equipment as well as its own ambulances. In fact their medical rescue team has developed a reputation for promptness...most of the time. The Spanish Lookout firetruck at the scene of an accident. Government police assess the situation. An ambulance and firetruck at the Spanish Lookout Business Expo in March of this year. 2. It...

   You can find peace and quiet in a Mennonite farming community; you can find a thriving colony of a people that appear to be living in the 18th century, or head to the progressive ones and find modern technology at work side by side with plainly dressed people. You can find the best cheeses in the country or the freshest milk. But there are some things you will not find in a Mennonite colony. See below for the list. Saloons/bars, nightclubs are not seen in their colonies. This doesn't mean certain Mennonites don't visit these places, they're just not allowed inside their colony. Some sly non-Mennonites know this very well, and consequently set up their saloons right next to the border line so that the black sheep can quench their thirst with ice cold beer on Saturday nights and hot Sunday afternoons. Gaming rooms, scratch & win vendors. You won't find them inside their colonies. Public libraries. There are a few small private libraries in Spanish Lookout that ope...

      Here is a wonderfully educational  video about the traditional Old Colony Mennonites in the northern community of Shipyard who are actually not quite as traditional as they outwardly appear; the video also features the Hoover Mennonites of Springfield in the highlands of central Belize (this conservative group is often confused with Amish). The Mennonites of Springfield are much more camera-shy hence the video mainly highlights their style of living rather than the people themselves which is in stark contrast to the ones from Shipyard posing for the cameras.                                                     A. Mendoza

Students gathered outside Belize Christian School It was a sultry day in May. The high humidity caused our shirts to stick to our backs while all around us fine white dust from the unpaved road penetrated our nostrils and coated everything else. As parent of a student, I had been invited to accompany the teacher and school children on their end-of-year field trip. Memories flooded my mind when I saw the cute little girls with bright dresses, the mischievous grin on the little boys as they vied for the best position in the vehicles. I was asked to supervise the boys while the teacher oversaw the girls. By 8 we were on our way. The Martinez family run a nursery and use horse-and-buggy transportation since they are part of a strict group of Beachy Amish Mennonites.   Our destination was the teacher's home, snugly nestled in the central highlands of the Cayo District. She grew up in a conservative Beachy Amish Mennonite home where her father dedicated himself to f...