Mennonites in Belize

      I packed my bag with apprehension. Would I return home in the same condition? I pondered my decision, knowing full well there was still time to call my relative and announce my withdrawal from the expedition. Eventually I shrugged away my worry and boarded the vehicle.   Several of my in-laws had organized a fishing trip just off the coast of Belize City. My uneasiness was not the boat ride since I've been on a boat plenty of times; small speedboats bouncing on the waves and bigger catamarans where you hardly felt the waves. No, my worry was the thought of what could happen out on the sea. Armed robbers, engine failure, a medical emergency. Yet the day flowed as smoothly as cream out of a pitcher. In fact even the captain, a resident of Spanish Lookout, was amazed at the perfect day especially since a day earlier the forecast had not been so promising. It appears satellites do make mistakes after all.   We left Spanish Lookout in high spi...

     The evening was cool with a refreshing breeze after the heat of the day. The last rays of the setting sun were faintly visible on the western sky as families gathered on the yard of the 2-room concrete school building. We had been invited to a Poem Fest around a campfire; not having been to one for many years I wondered what it would be like and surprised that such an event would still be possible in the age of Iphone 14's, 5G networks, ChatGPT, drones, etc.   I was amazed at the number of people that turned out for the Poem Fest. Once everyone was assembled the electric lights were turned out and only the orange glow of the campfire remained. Those with a poem were numbered, after which the school teacher called them out. Some poems were short and silly, some were long and abstract, a few were religious. There was a song and one or two Bible verses.   A marshmallow roast followed with young and old joining in the fun.   As I observe...

The Good    There was a time during my late teens when I began hanging out with the wrong crowd. Thankfully I never became addicted to any particular vice. My aim is not to highlight my wild days; I simply want to share that the day came when I was exhausted with my failed relationships and sick of friends who constantly offered unfulfilling pleasures. I ended up several thousands of miles away from Belize, in the home of a Holdeman Mennonite couple. The kindness, love and spiritual assistance offered by this Mennonite couple greatly impacted me and to this day I hold them in high regard. ______________________________________________   Due to some poor financial choices, my spouse and I became mired in debt several years into our marriage. Interest rates were piling up, banks and companies were calling, a baby was on the way, and depression was taking a heavy toll on our physical and spiritual wellfare. It was an extremely humbling experience but there was just no w...