Mennonites in Belize

Vehicles lined up at a major crossing in Spanish Lookout The last unpaved stretch of road connecting Spanish Lookout to San Ignacio, near Duck Run 1   Youth from several "English" Mennonite churches prepare for a day of friendly volleyball Farmer's Light Plant employees are on call 24/7, just as much as the ambulance and fire trucks. A brand new hardware store in Spanish Lookout Mennonite News View Blog                   A. Mendoza

       Her brown eyes shone with pleasure as I praised her work and her skill at handling the power tools. Throughout the day I caught her whispering to herself, Yes I can! I know I can! See? I told you you could! Meticulously she measured the boards, clamped them and carefully slid the electric saw. She quickly caught on to the trick of handling the nail gun and thoroughly enjoyed the jigsaw and sander.   I smiled to myself, and felt glad that in some small way we could help this young Mennonite mom regain her self-confidence and restore her dignity after all the sexual and domestic abuse she had been through, growing up in a strictly traditional church. We shared our lunch and supper with her several times and visited her home with small gifts here and there.   She entered our home several months ago. Now she has left. What her future plans are we don’t know. Last we heard she is happily reunited with her family.   Yet the stories she shared with us...

      I have spoken with several local carpenters and contractors in the area, and their response was unanimous. Lumber is increasingly difficult to obtain. I visited a hardware store and was shocked to see their warehouse devoid of wooden doors and frames and other wood items. I asked questions and was told the Mennonites of Shipyard, who are some of the country's biggest supplier of wooden furniture and wood building material, were complaining of lumber shortage. Were the Belizean forests mowed down by hurricanes or wiped out by fires?   Noone can explain it better than Scott Varro, manager of Linda Vista Lumber & Houses, one of the country's biggest prefab home builders. Below is a link to an article recently published by him: Lumber Crisis in Belize Mennonite News View Blog                   A. Mendoza

Some pictures are from March Large scale business expansion happening in Spanish Lookout The speed of a buggy on Center Ave. Spanish Lookout A school program Quality Poultry is also expanding View ofAguacate Lake Part of the Expo Edental Village in Spanish Lookout celebrated its 50th anniversary Mennonite News View Blog                 A. Mendoza  

     You can't afford to miss it. Perhaps the biggest event for the country this year, the 2026 Commercial & Industrial Expo at Countryside Park, Spanish Lookout on March 13 & 14, opening at 9AM and closing at 5PM. Mennonite News View Blog                             A. Mendoza

     Two things shook Spanish Lookout--and the rest of the country--today, the 2nd of February. Cold weather records were smashed as Belizeans throughout the country endured a shocking plunge in temperatures not seen in several decades. Spanish Lookout recorded 46°F (8°C) while other places recorded 40°F (5°C). I don't know what it was like up in the mountains. Am I the only one who wishes for several months of this weather? I would far rather enjoy 6 months of this cold than 2 months of blistering 105°F (40°C) in April and May. I can honestly say I love this cold weather.   The next event which shook the country and especially Spanish Lookout was the arrival of the president of Guyana today afternoon. Two helicopters and an assortment of police trucks temporarily closed off sections of Route 20 East as the president and his entourage along with Belizean officials landed on an empty field next to Bel-Car. The Guyanese were here to tour some of the grain processing fa...

      I have been urged by some readers and friends to turn my blog into a full-time job and start earning an income from it. Perhaps I should, perhaps I will continue the way it is. A year ago I wanted to switch over to a more modern platform but decided to stay on Blogger for the time being.   My blog has certainly grown. From 40 views per month years ago to well over 400 views per day now. I have intentionally kept a low profile though. No Facebook or Instagram page both for me or my blog. Recently during a busy month for my blog, I reached nearly 100,000 views per month. Although the numbers do not always remain the same, it certainly indicates the potential available in this niche without me personally depending on Facebook or other social media platforms.   This year, Lord willing, I would genuinely want to do something different, now that I no longer have a full time office job: visit the various Mennonite colonies scattered around the country and actuall...

     A website/blog run by a Mennonite family recently published an extremely fascinating and emotionally disturbing piece of history about the early years of evangelical conservative Mennonites in Belize: the murder of Ben Stoltzfus, a missionary pastor in Orange Walk district. I have posted a link to the article below. Murdered While a Missionary Mennonite News View Blog                        A. Mendoza

     The first quarter of the 21st century is behind us. What will the next three quarters bring us? For us the last 4 months has been full of life-changing events.   We became full-fledged members of a conservative Mennonite church; after 18 years I finally left my job as a salesperson at the local shopping center; we started a business building rustic furniture and DIY decór from pallets and wood scraps; we attended a marriage seminar for the first time in our lives and it was fun. Our little art and craft shop has a steady line of customers, certainly not as much income as before but oh the freedom and joy it brings as we channel our passion into something that people enjoy! Between October and Christmas we built approximately 400 wooden crates for people across the country.   Now Christmas is over and I want to pursue another one of my passions: writing about Mennonites in Belize. Lets see what all I discover this year. Mennonite News Joselyn and the Kitchen...

       I am not the first, nor will I be the last ex-Holdeman, to publish a letter to the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. My desire is not to expose the failures of the Holdeman church nor to boast of myself as being superior to them.   First of all, I believe that my spouse and I are at peace with God and man, we have been reconciled unto the Lord and have received assurance of salvation as evidenced by the abundance of joy and peace we experience in our daily lives. We do not speak in tongues, we do not cast out evil spirits or pivot and cavort in odd positions while worshiping nor do we now wear silver bracelets and gold chains around our neck to express our "freedom"; we have and are experiencing that true spiritual liberty does not consist of beating drums or jabbering in unknown gibberish, nor is it composed of wearing double head-coverings (for the Holdeman ladies) or of beards and plaid shirts (for the Holdeman men).   I genuinely appreciate the...

     A historic event about to occur. Churches protesting and praying. Politicians and doctors hopeful. Civilians torn between yes or no.   Its the cannabis controversy regarding Caye Caulker, an extremely popular tourist hotspot off the coast of Belize City. A proposal which garnered nationwide attention with individuals both for and against which in turn inevitably led to this moment: a referendum. Read the whole article below: Caye Caulker Cannabis Referendum   Not surprisingly, a majority of the Mennonites I spoke to are against it, despite the fact that the main motive behind the movement is to create a legal industry which could in turn have a positive effect on the medical field, fearing that to legalize it would open a flood of consequences which the nation of Belize is wholly unprepared for. Rampant misuse of the substance, addiction among youth skyrocketing, etc. just to name a few. There are those who are liberal in religious views (it's ok to drink b...

September 21, our Independence Day The night of the 20th in Belmopan, the capital Roseville, a Hoover Mennonite colony. Exact date unknown Springfield, another Hoover Mennonite colony Late night harvesting Achieve Fitness, Spanish Lookout's first official gym building where modern Mennonites build muscles A different kind of gym for conservative Mennonites. All you need is a crosscut saw Mennonite News Joselyn and the Kitchen View Blog                             A. Mendoza

A Hoover Mennonite boy mowing grass in Roseville      In Spanish Lookout, it appears that every year the holiday becomes more important. This year for example if you would have driven down Center Avenue you would have thought it was Sunday. Stores closed, processing plants silent, restaurants dark. Have the modern Mennonites become more patriotic? Although millenials may not be that excited about patriotism, Gen Z is now taking the reins and infecting Gen Y with their enthusiastic flag-waving approach to this national day, September 21, the birth of our country. Since the holiday fell on a Sunday this year it was observed on Monday. I thought perhaps businesses might be open due to not observing it on the actual day but I was wrong. The night before Independence Day certain Mennonites from the community headed to Belmopan for the evening parade and midnight fireworks. I've been there, done that. Trumpets, drums, tobacco, alcohol, dancing and smoke from food vendors. A won...