Mennonites in Belize

     Publisher’s Opinion   Perhaps you are like me, relieved that the hustle and bustle of Christmas is behind us and eagerly anticipating a brand new year. Not that I hold anything against the holiday itself, but for some reason the more modern we become the more frivolousness is attached to the season, with the slogan of “the reason for the season” used by vendors as a shallow coating of morality in order to attract religious customers to their wares. Liquor companies offer huge discounts, department stores snare many debt-ridden families with their wily clutches of “0 interest” on any product purchased during this time, plastic reindeer and Santa decorations adorn living rooms and stores, the eve of Christmas is filled with people posting their Christmas adventures and gifts on social media platforms, etc. Like I said, I hold nothing against the holiday itself, what I do observe and wonder about is the extent to which Christians have become entrenched in thes...

     Christmas cookies Imagine for a moment that you are the ghost of Christmas past, and find yourself gazing in at the window of a Mennonite home, somewhere in the rainforest of Belize. Palm leaves are swaying gently in the moonlight, bats are just beginning to emerge from the dense jungle a few feet away, fireflies flicker over the muddy rutted yard. A cold wind accompanied by a fine dreary drizzle is causing chickens and other pets to huddle against each other for warmth. Yet inside the main room of the plain weather-beaten clapboard house, the weather is the last thing on the minds of the individuals who, wrapped warmly in sweaters, jackets and wool blankets, have fully given themselves over to the joy of the moment. Old but gold Christmas carols are enthusiastically sung by all without the accompaniment of any instrument. No matter that tomorrow Sunday they would spend a few hours battling knee-deep muck and mud on their way to church. No matter that the river is ...

      What a blessing! To wake up in the morning to a clear blue and cloudless sky with the sunshine pouring in through every crack and window, with the temperature at a chilly 58°F. To sip a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows with my little ones, to enjoy a breakfast of hot fresh pancakes with applesauce and butter and fresh fruits. All of this without the steady patter of rain on the roof, without wondering about the mountain of laundry, without sloshing through ankle-deep mud on our front yard. Simply gazing at the bright sunshine filled us with new courage for the remaining days of the year.   We proceeded on a short nature hike to celebrate the arrival of “Christmas” weather, chatting about a myriad of subjects. We chased a gray squirrel up a tree and observed a bird sailing gracefully above us. A furry caterpillar attracted the attention of our youngest son who was immediately warned about touching it. Some hairy caterpillars in Belize are known ...

  Thanksgiving Thoughts Growing up, food never lacked on our table thanks to hardworking parents.   In the past, Thanksgiving holidays were an American thing, something you read about in children's storybooks. Canada observes it on October and the US on November and that was it as far as we were concerned. However with the arrival of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, Thanksgiving is now a world-recognized, not-quite-so American holiday any longer with many first world countries jumping into the Black Friday sales event which follows. Similar to Christmas and Easter, this originally North American holiday has now become a heavily monetized event instead of the simple family gathering it commenced with.   Belizeans are certainly not untouched, especially among those Mennonites who have modernized. Ease of travel for both Canadian and Belizean Mennonites, greater numbers of US expats retiring to Belize, and of course social media have all combi...

   Read the news here:  Mennonite News .                                                                                                     A. Mendoza

      Beginning tomorrow morning and on until Saturday night, the old church building across the road from Farmer's Trading Center will be converted into a temporary market, with the aim of promoting small local businesses. Don't miss it! Mennonite News                                                 A. Mendoza

      For local readers keen on receiving updates on the condition of the Iguana Creek Bridge crossing, click on the following link:  iguanacreekbridge.blogspot.com . The following 2 roads leading into and out of Spanish Lookout are still open although in very poor condition: Bullet Tree Road via San Ignacio and Farmer's Express road via Roaring Creek. View full blog Mennonite News                                             A. Mendoza

It's now here. Right in the heart of Spanish Lookout, located a few steps away from Farmer's Trading Center, one of Belize's biggest shopping outlets. You could not have asked for a more convenient place. Whether you're coming on the bus or hitchhiking, or simply joyriding with a friend, or buying construction supplies, no worries. It's right next door.  Shining Star Laboratory, located right next to the parking lot of FTC, has now opened its doors to the public and is offering various types of tests.  Please refer to the following phone number for more details such as fees and opening hours: 678-7277 View full blog Mennonite News                                             A. Mendoza

  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...

     Baptism. The word evokes a sense of peace and assurance to some, nervousness to certain ones, while for others, it’s simply a ritual they need to perform sooner or later to remain in the good graces of the church. No teenager wants to have the pastor or deacon bugging him about being baptized, so why not get it over with as soon as possible? Perhaps for some of you it was not even a choice.   In this particular Mennonite church we visited a few weeks ago, a young person, on the verge of adulthood, had a choice. The person could have refused to join the congregation based on the circumstances in life but instead the choice was made to follow where God was leading. And God had led to this point of no return. Yet the person appeared serene and joyful with no trace of regret or worry.   We sat on the hard wood benches, men on one side and women on the other. Due to pelvic and spinal issues, I couldn’t sit comfortably but did manage to sweat  ...