Mennonites in Belize

     Saturday, March 25, 2023 There were tall, lean boys admiring the bulls and heifers tethered to the rails; stocky middle-aged men gravely discussing cattle prices; a few women and girls sat under a cluster of trees. Wood shavings coated the ground as well as manure from the cattle on display. Inside the temporary corral, a North American judge rated each cow and bull led in with a rope. There were first and second prizes for dairy, beef, and breeding stock. Mr. Ernie Thiessen with his daughter displaying their trophy alongside the judge and the prize-winning cow.   I arrived early, expecting to see crowds and long lines of vehicles but to my surprise there was sparse attendance and a near empty building at Countryside Park in Spanish Lookout. Two or three livestock supply companies had set up camp there but by early afternoon they were folding up. I later heard from a friend that except for the judging ring to one side, there was little activity elsewhere....

     What is a health check like at the community-owned Spanish Lookout clinic? Is it expensive? Is the waiting room crowded? Is it a place where you feel better simply knowing that you're there? Are the nurses friendly, kind and above all patient ? For us, its been our favorite medical center from minor sores to childbirth, from medical advice to renting crutches.   Below is a brief story of our most recent experience:   ________________________________________________   "Hello, how can I help you?" A thoughtful-looking girl with smooth chocolate skin greeted us. Her dark skin contrasted beautifully with her blue cape dress and snow white headcovering.   "Our 2 children have been coughing and throwing up for a whole day now. We're not sure if it's their lungs infected or something else."   "Alright, come with me," and she led us across the hall to the stats room where she proceeded to weigh, measure, and check their blood pressure after which ...

      A tragic event ocurred Saturday morning, March 18, when two young brothers riding on a motorcycle allegedly collided with a vehicle driven at the time by Susanna Froese (phrase) in Blue Creek, Orange Walk, the site of the business expo mentioned in my previous article . The two boys, who have the surname Krahn, were 12 and 7 years old. The younger one passed away while the 12 year old was listed in critical condition at last report. It is not known if the driver of the SUV suffered any injuries.                                                 A. Mendoza

      Blue Creek, a scenic and modern Mennonite colony in the northwest corner of Belize, is the place to head to this weekend as they host their 2023 Business Expo this Saturday, March 18. Much like Spanish Lookout, this farming community sits on rolling hills on the Mexican border with panoramic views of the countryside and is most famously known for its name-brand product, Circle R Rice. See above a  video documentary  on rice farming in Blue Creek.                                                                                                       A. Mendoza

March 4 First and foremost came the cavalry, waving the flag of Belize. Behind them a procession of Spanish Lookout employees, managers and business owners in groups, all on foot and decorated with their respective company's uniform complete with caps and umbrellas to shelter them from the blistering midday heat as they walked the quarter mile from the parade's starting point at Plett's Home Builders to Countryside Park. Most of the employers were considerate enough to provide hats, some umbrellas, others hats and umbrellas as well as transportation back to the workplace; while 1 or 2 businesses appeared to be operating on a tight budget and provided no hats or umbrella for their employees. Spectators lined the roadside, a temporary platform was set up for the speaker to announce each company as it passed by, some of the individuals in the parade scattered candies for the children. It was a thrilling moment, watching group after group of Spanish Lookout employees marc...