Mennonites in Belize

      I first met Mr. John Harder around 10 years ago during a fanatical streak. My spouse and I,  another young couple from Spanish Lookout, some very conservative non-Mennonite families from Germany and the US, and a mixed group of Mennonites from various conservative groups who had left their home churches, were enthusiastically starting a new church in Agua Viva, a rather primitive community (at that time) in the foothills of the Maya Mountains in central Belize. Some of us had read books by David Bercot, others were seized by an urgent desire to return to primitive apostolic fellowship, but most appeared to be seeking some middle ground between Mennonite and non-Mennonite.   I was introduced to Mr. John Harder, a mild-mannered person who had been expelled from the Old Order church for "using technology". He was part of this new little church and shared with us his experiences in the rigid, disciplined community he used to live in. I was keenly interested in...

A Good Friday church service with communion at EMMC, Blue Creek . The EMMC in Spanish Lookout also had communion on that day. Old Colony     If you had been driving through the Old Colony Mennonite communities of Shipyard and Little Belize on Good Friday in northern Belize you would have thought it was Sunday. Most Old Colony Mennonites observe Good Friday rather rigidly, with some parents even going so far as to tell their children not to fuss, fight or complain on that day because to do so was like crucifying Christ all over again. After a church service, families retire to their respective homes where later in the afternoon some gather for group singing. An Old Colony Mennonite family.   Holy Saturday remains a holiday but is treated with less respect than Good Friday. On Easter Sunday after the usual routine of church service, children in different homes eagerly anticipate the Easter candy hunt. While young children remain inside, a parent or older sibling w...

       Do you enjoy listening to acapella singing by Mennonites? If so, here are some videos for you to watch. See the  video above , which took place recently in Orange Walk, northern Belize. I received an invitation and had plans to attend but regrettably was unable to go due to last minute matters. The Mennonites featured in the video are from various conservative Amish Mennonite churches in the region.     Below is another  video featuring young men and women from a Kleine Gemeinde church in Spanish Lookout:        And here is a  third video from a Conservative Mennonite church in the Cayo District:    While I have a weakness for vintage reggae music with gospel lyrics, I enjoy listening to 4-part acapella singing especially since I grew up in a conservative Mennonite church and used to be a song leader, a position which I enjoyed back then.        Note:  I had planned on releasing ...

       No more masks, no more social distancing, no more 50% capacity of this and that. Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? You bet, but after all it's April's Fools, so is it really happening? According to the government this is not a joke though. From today onward, all restrictions not related to border crossing (except vaccine mandates) are lifted. Finally, back to normalcy... or is it forward to freedom? Note: Some businesses and government offices still require use of mask in their buildings.                                                                                                        A. Mendoza

    Two major events that will impact the whole country happened this week in Spanish Lookout.    Quality Feed Mill broke ground for a vegetable oil refinery to be built in the colony. Their aim is to supply the whole country with cooking oil derived from soybean. Up to now the byproduct was left in its raw form but with the building of the new facility the oil will now be refined, packaged and sold countrywide as well as exported. For decades most of our cooking oil has come from Mexico but now with this new factory, we'll be supporting Belize by buying Belize.     The country's major producer of milk products also celebrated the beginning of a new phase in their milk processing facility. Thanks to the purchase of an Ultra High Temperature processor, Western Dairies will now be producing milk products that do not need refrigeration, which in turn will greatly benefit the whole country since up to now our non-refrigerated milk was all imported from Mexico a...

  At 9 in the morning the crowd wasn't very big, but by 11 it had swelled several times.     It was a great success. Dozens of businesses showcased their products, children had fun in the temporary playground as well as in wagon rides and other activities, there were crane rides, food vendors had long lines outside their stalls. But to me the most wonderful part was seeing the thousands of people walking freely without masks (there were still some persons who chose to wear one), without fear of Covid, without tiny bottles of sanitizers, without bothered by police in spite of the fact that the crowd inside the building was so densely packed that you could hardly move without elbowing someone. Government police strolled around, some with masks, some without, generally keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity but for the most part thoroughly enjoying the event. Alcoholic drinks are not available at this expo which is a load off from many of the officer's shoulder as co...

  The western side of the community town hall houses the Heritage Building, which displays pictures and relics.    Completed in 2020, located at the crossing of Center Avenue with R40, and dubbed "the White House" by some local residents, this state-of-the art building is an impressive testimony to the founding fathers of Spanish Lookout, a culmination of 60 plus years of sweat, stress, integrity and commitment, the embodiment of all their work ethics and a highlight to the unity of this community.    The eastern side holds a large room which is sometimes used by those needing extra indoor spaces such as family gatherings. The community's livestock marketing department has its office on one side, as well as various other rooms which are used for the many different functions required to run a community efficiently and professionally. In the center is a bar(mini kitchen), while the main hallway contains pictures of major events and daily life in the past.   ...