Mennonites in Belize

  People gather to watch part of the canoe race at Mennonite Beach in Spanish Lookout An outdoor supper at a Conservative Mennonite church LP Gas at dusk with Reimer's Feed Mill in the background Countryside Park at night Cooling off in Pine Ridge Preparing to pour asphalt on the new roundabout in  Spanish Lookout A year's end school program at a Kleine Gemeinde Mennonite mission school A charcoal hand drawing by a Mennonite girl Sunset over Duck Run 3, western Spanish Lookout A farmer's buggy from Lower Barton Creek A 15ft kite in Spanish Lookout A worship night An Old Colony Mennonite man having fun A funeral in Indian Creek, exact date unknown. On Sundays and special events the Old Colony Mennonite pastor wears a black suit with a black felt hat Mennonite News View Blog                                                          ...

  Having a maid means our ancient pots and pans can now receive a proper scouring repeatedly instead of sporadically   Nervous? No, I’ve been through it before about 10 years ago. A bit worried? Perhaps. Thankful? I can’t say how much.   With a growing family and children out of school, I at first honestly thought it was the last thing I needed due to our tight budget but my husband thought otherwise. In fact he was adamant about hiring a maid, and it had to be a Plautdietsch one at that to avoid any language barrier. I questioned why having a grown woman in the house was necessary now that my own children would be home for summer break and could easily help with the regular housework. It would be an extra expense and would not really help much in the long run, I reasoned. He remained firm and gently explained his reason was entirely spiritual.   Having a maid would free up my mornings for a longer and more meaningful devotion. With a maid to complete the main tasks ...

     A Youtube video displaying an aerial view of the Old Colony Mennonite colony of Shipyard was released a few weeks ago. For some readers, the flat lands and dirt roads may evoke memories of Paraguay or maybe even Ukraine. For local readers, the fields and barns are a reminder of the amount of time and labor invested by this hardworking, traditional Mennonite group, time and labor which has greatly benefited the whole country of Belize and entrenched this people in the heart of the nation's industry. Watch the video above or click here:  Youtube Mennonite News View Blog                         A. Mendoza

Yes, I'm excited to wear them.      I never dreamed I would be excited to wear a Mennonite dress because I wanted to. I still remember slipping on a crop top and cotton shorts and turning up my nose at cousins and aunts who were still in the Kleine Gemeinde church with their wide collars and even wider loose dresses (although their style has changed over the years with the younger ones and even some older ones now using more form-fitting ones without collars and my attitude towards dresses in general has changed also). It's been quite a journey, hasn't it? But God is faithful. I still find it hard to believe that for weeks I eagerly anticipated this day when the church sisters from this Amish Mennonite congregation would unite to sew colorful cape dresses for me.   It certainly was a wonderful day with beautiful weather to match. Hubby stayed home to mind the toddlers while I joined the ladies accompanied by our 9-month-old who is breastfed and therefore insepar...

      I always knew my mother spent several minutes each morning fastening her headcovering, a triangular piece of black cloth mandated by the Kleine Gemeinde as a necessary garment for a baptized Christian woman whether single or married. I knew, and I saw, but I did not care. It was simply part of who and what she was. The few times I did ask I received a non-committal almost brusque reply. Yet there was a time when she actually skipped her morning routine and did not wear it. She repeated it the next day, then the day after that until I became perplexed and questioned her: why, Mama? There was a sigh and gentle expression as she attempted to explain that they (our parents) were no longer attending the KG church. Of course, I knew that much. We were now steady visitors at a new charismatic group which had recently broken away from the traditional KG church. But what about her headcovering? Well, the new church believed that some of the former practices were all traditio...

      It's the first week of the dry season, after months of extremely unstable weather. The sky was blue with a faint haze on the edges. Perfect weather for heading to the river to join the hundreds of spectators gathered at various points to observe and cheer the canoes competing against each other as they begin their 3-day journey from San Ignacio east towards the mouth of the Belize River. The race is held every year in this month to co-incide with the 9th of March, which is a national holiday. One of the main gathering point for observation is at the Iguana Creek crossing near Blackman Eddy junction. Since it's so close to Spanish Lookout, a sizable crowd of Mennonites also show up especially since several of their businesses sponsor canoe teams.   As the hot sun beat down on excited faces, the police patrolled nearby, controlling the traffic on the bridge. Interesting, isn't it, that despite all sorts of technology available at our fingertips in the first ...

A multi family yard sale A buggy from Lower Barton Creek covered to protect against rain and wind A family-owned nursery in Spanish Lookout The new soybean oil facility Rare flooding in February Early morning near Iguana Creek                       A new gift shop in Spanish Lookout                                Woodland Nursery A performance at Fusion Church, a "modern" church on Iguana Creek Road Employees at a store bringing down a metal gate Motorcycles on display at Universal Hardware Mennonite News View Blog Opinion:  Discrimination in Mennonite Groups                      A. Mendoza