Mennonites in Belize

This is not to define or highlight specific traditions and practices. The aim is simply to point out some of the differences that set each group apart from the other.   The Old Colony Mennonites   In most of Belize, the Hispanic people generally refer to this group as Shiparenios, while English and Kriol call them Shipyard people, since that is the biggest community of this group, even though the person might be from Indian Creek or New Land or Little Belize, to the general population as long as the man is beardless, wears a straw hat and suspenders, he's a Shipyard Mennonite. Other than that they care little about the Old Colonist customs.   So what sets these Mennonites apart from other Mennonites? They believe that only their branch of the Mennonite tree is the right one and all other more liberal branches under the Mennonite name are of the world and thus eternally lost. Technology is discouraged except for those who have businesses and in such cases any electronic...

  Take a drive through Spanish Lookout and Blue Creek communities, and you will see some of the finest and costliest homes in Belize with well cared lawns and magnificent driveways. Take a drive through the Old Colony communities and the Old Order Mennonites' communities, and you will see wooden clapboard houses, metal shacks and front yards filled with odds and ends of farm equipment. Of course, their belief systems plays a role in the way they invest their money.       Review:  The Kleine Gemeindes have probably contributed more to the economy of Belize than any other Mennonite or immigrant group. From the 1950's until now, they have had thriving businesses and products that keep growing in demand. At first, only Mennonites worked in the businesses but as time went by and more Hispanic immigrants began arriving, the Mennonites found out it was cheaper hiring locals and immigrants to work in the companies. As of now, between 70 to 80 percent of laborers in ...