Mennonites in Belize

  A Kleine Gemeinde church in Edental, Spanish Lookout    What exactly are revival meetings? Among the traditional Mennonite churches, with the exception of the Old Colony, it is a time when a congregation gathers for preaching services usually spoken by a visiting pastor to receive spiritual refreshment and re-instigate their relationship with the Lord. As Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, said: "Many blessings may come to the unconverted in consequence of a revival among Christians, but the revival itself has to do only with those who already possess spiritual life."   With this in mind, evangelical meetings and revival meetings are often combined. For example, among the Holdeman and most Amish Mennonite churches here in Belize, revivals are a time when baptized members step out of their cosy comfort zones and invite neighbors and co-workers to evening preaching services held during the week.   To put it bluntly, it appears as if among th...

   Have you ever heard of frying an egg on a rock using only the heat of the sun? I’ve never tried it myself, but I was strongly tempted to during this past week. I mean, whoever heard of 112 degrees Farenheit in October? That’s the month when we Belizeans are nearly drowned in rain and dodging muddy potholes, or moody in chilly wet weather, or worrying about hurricanes, or just plain cold weather down to 60 degrees Farenheit. It’s the month when we can hardly keep up with our lawn because it seems we just turned our backs and the grass is back to where it was. The month when we start sharing memes and jokes about the cold and “snow”.   Instead, Nature sprang a surprise. A hot, dry, dusty one with temperatures soaring to well over a hundred. People purchasing fans as if their lives depended on it, which it did in a way. But even then the fans running at full blast provide only a moderate relief since the breeze created by them isn’t much cooler than the temperature...