Mennonites in Belize

     This weekend is set to be a momentous occasion for the Mennonite colony of Spanish Lookout as it celebrates its 65th anniversary. Kleine Gemeinde, EMMC, charismatic, prosperity gospels, one and all will lay aside their religious differences in a splendid example that demonstrates the peaceful and harmonious lifestyle in this beautiful community with rolling hills, sprawling cattle ranches, glass shops, metalworks and shopping centers. Due to its status as a commercial center and economic powerhouse, the Prime Minister himself will be present. Not only the Prime Minister was invited, the non-Mennonite employees of the community as well as all residents of certain surrounding villages which are within the area  but not directly under the administration of Spanish Lookout are invited to join the celebration on Saturday. See the agenda below.      The last time I posted an article about the Spanish Lookout anniversary was back in 2018 when they were c...

      Knowing very little about the Kleine Gemeinde religion and being a naive teenager, I confidently strode in, located one of the middle benches, nodded at an older gentleman, and joined in the English song being sung at that moment. Wasn't 20 seconds until I felt more than saw dozens of eyes boring into my back. Turning my head slightly I noticed the stares. There were no welcoming smiles. After the singing service was over I politely greeted both co-workers and friends but to my great surprise they seemed hesitant to speak. In fact they even acted slightly embarassed to be seen with me. Was it the color of my skin? Was it my culture? For sure it wasn't my clothing since I was wearing typical conservative clothing. Plaid button-down, khaki pants and black leather shoes. I didn't know what to make of it. Confused and frustrated, I walked outside, inhaled the cold fresh air, and decided I would never again attend a Kleine Gemeinde church service unless it was a special ...

       A belated Happy New Year to my readers. It's been a busy time of the year with little time to post on my blog but here's a recent documentary mostly about Spanish Lookout. Very interesting facts in there, such as the first non-Mennonite adopted child who faced discrimination in her early years as well as a glimpse into a Kleinde Gemeinde school in session. The film also contains short clips of the ultra conservative Mennonites of Lower Barton Creek, a colony which is a few miles south of Spanish Lookout. See video above or click  here .                                                         A. Mendoza

    After two years of regulations and travel restrictions preventing them, the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite finally held a youth reunion in Belize. Visitors from various Central American countries as well as Mexico and the US were present.   The pattern remained the same. Visitors arrive Thursday night and Friday morning; activities on Friday and Saturday are usually only for baptized members. On Sunday the youth group presented a program (during these events Sunday school is always skipped much to my relief) which was open for anyone to attend but in the program itself only baptized youth were allowed to participate. Typical yet understandable.   I thoroughly enjoyed meeting old friends, watching the youth group interacting with each other since it goes without saying that these reunions are also a time for the single young men to "spy out the land", listening to the acapella singing, and of course partaking of the Belizean specialty, BBQ chicken with...

    Gerhard Schmidt   A young man from the Old Colony community of Little Belize in the Corozal District was officially reported missing this week even though he was last seen more than a week ago. According to a "source" of information, he had been temporarily working in Spanish Lookout but had travelled to Little Belize to visit his family. A few days later he disappeared. The "source" suggested that perhaps internal family disputes, such as leaving the Old Colony religion, might be part of the issue since a Whatsapp post just before his disappearance revealed he had made a decision which would have negatively affected his family. Whether this is the case or not, those with any information regarding his location are urged to call 911, 922, or contact the nearest police station.                                                   A. Mendoza

   After a few weeks of planning and preparing, we set our sights on Mountain Pine Ridge for a weekend of fun and spiritual sharing. The weather was quite fair, the mountain temperature a perfect 70°F, and the group small enough that we could all gather around the campfire to toast marshmallows and sing hymns.   As I chatted with old friends, made new ones, and sang along with them, I was strongly reminded of my days in the Holdeman Mennonite church. The playful banter of young men and women sharing the kitchen work, the solemn ministers joking and poking each other's ribs, older ladies joining in the outdoor games, children romping and screaming in fun without ever once referring to Xbox games or the latest electronic device or the latest horror movies. In fact, based on the general conversation you would think these people had never once watched a movie or heard of an Iphone. Unlike other modern church groups I've been in where the talk (accompanied by rather st...

    Mennonite werenaki (perogies)   Schmauckshoen? she asked, grinning broadly and offering me another perogie. I looked at her, drew a deep breath, and ran for the bathroom with peals of laughter following and my ears burning. This was my introduction to the famous Mennonite werenaki , 15 years ago. I had convinced a girl I could eat the perogies with cottage cheese filling even though she knew very well I was not a fan of both milk and cheese (why are Plautdiestch Mennonites so fond of milky, creamy, cheesy, WHITE foods?) hence her challenge. I lost.   Growing up in a Mestizo--aka "spanish"--culture influenced by Plautdietsch Mennonites from Spanish Lookout and North American Holdeman Mennonites, I grew up eating a good amount of what would be considered Mennonite food compared to our Mestizo neighbors: cheesy casseroles, mashed potatoes, etc. yet they were always seasoned with plenty of the necessary "spanish" spices and most importantly... colors. I have to have...