Mennonites in Belize

   Fourteen years ago I arrived here as a visitor and now, for only the second time in my life, I stood beside the river in Roaring Creek, Belize. A fine gray film of caliche dust coated our clothes and hair as we attended to customers at Belize’s annual National Agriculture and Trade Show in Belmopan. Semi-trucks thundered past on the bridge which overlooks the grounds, busses blared their horns, the neighing of horses and lowing of cattle mingled with the loudspeaker’s squawking at the rodeo stands which was accompanied by loud country music as well as some other classics which were not country. BJ Thomas was mournfully reminding us of raindrops falling on our heads despite the fact that the sky was sunny and mostly cloudless. I do not like country music or any slow music, for that matter. The "new" bridge, which nearly stayed underwater during the flood of 2020   Needless to say, the beer company possibly carried the honor of being the most important trade on th...

  Work has begun on the site of the future roundabout. "They had a vote, and the roundabout won,” muttered a disgruntled resident of Spanish Lookout. He and a certain minority believe that a roundabout is unnecessary. But the majority voted in favor, so he'd better resign himself and accept the fact that for the first time ever, the community will construct a roundabout, located at the site where Route 40 intersects with Center Avenue, right next to the town hall. “Next thing you know we’ll have speed bumps,” remarked another resident .    Speed bumps of any type completely disappeared from Spanish Lookout many years ago, the general consensus being that bumps, whether plastic or concrete, are a nuisance. Instead the main street is vividly marked with reflective paint, signs everywhere, and reflectors along the margins.   Personally I don’t believe speed bumps or pedestrian ramps will reappear anytime soon, but then again, who would ever have thought that a ro...

  The Kleine Gemeinde mission school ground in Duck Run 1, southwest of Spanish Lookout.  It’s that time of the year again, when we commence our search for a school in which to enroll our children. Homeschooling required many sacrifices and I thoroughly enjoyed those days when I would be home since teaching school has been one of my greatest joys; it’s the only way that I can pass on my love of mathematics, archaeology, geology and astronomy. Do not get me started in astronomy but thankfully now my two oldest are of an age when they can understand the basics, all with a God-centered view of course. I often hold long one-sided conversations with them about galaxies, comets, asteroids, super giant stars, etc., conversations which are impossible with my other half who usually falls asleep listening to my celestial observations.   Certainly it has been an enjoyable year but with a new family member about to arrive in a few weeks, we realized the strain would be too muc...

      By far one of the best articles I have ever read on "how to save the earth" appeared in my feed recently, and I was duly impressed by the author's wise and biblical viewpoint of global warming and her common sense approach towards the climate change "crisis" that many conservative Christians find themselves facing nowadays. I had been working on a similar article on that subject myself, gathering opinions from various Mennonite individuals throughout Belize and might publish it sometime later this year. As our family continues to grow and we are bombarded with ridicule, disbelief, and pressure--mostly from the younger generation--from without at the size of our family (another little one will arrive in a few weeks) such an article is certainly very refreshing and inspiring. Click the link below to read the article: How to Save the Earth View Blog Mennonite News                               ...

     The morning was actually chilly, which was rather odd for a tropical Easter Sunday. Usually the Easter holidays are known as a hot, dry, dusty weekend but this year was an exception. Cloudy skies, a pleasant wind blowing for three days.   We hastily dressed our children appropriately then headed towards the Ford Ranger. The time was 5AM. Indeed. The Mendoza family was about to experience our first ever sunrise Easter Sunday service at a conservative Mennonite church. Our children were bewildered at the unusually early church service. Couldn’t blame them. I was too.   But it was an enjoyable and spiritually refreshing moment, to hear traditional hymns concerning the resurrection and to watch the sun breaking up the low morning clouds and casting its brilliant rays over the congregation after hiding behind a blanket of clouds for the last three days. A solemn hush settled over the seated crowd as the sun finally burst free and became a dazzling ye...