Belize

Belize, south of Mexico, has been shaped by the currents of global religion in the 20th century. In 1958, the Mennonite movement brought missionaries to this small Central American country, which was, at the time, still a British colony. It was not until 1964 that this country, British [Page 129]Honduras, received the right to internal self-government. In 1973, the name of the country was formally changed to Belize, and finally on September 21, 1981, this former British colony became independent. At present, with an area of 22,965 square kilometers and around 300,000 inhabitants, Belize is one of the smallest and least populated countries in Central America. The country has a multiethnic population consisting of Mestizos, Creoles, Garinagu, Maya's, Taiwanese, Chinese, and East Indians, among others. A relatively large portion of the population—approximately 4% of Belize's inhabitants (12,000 people)—belong to the Mennonite movement.

The Belizean Mennonites have their common descent from western Europe, especially from The Netherlands and Germany. Their religious identity, however, is based on the religious teachings about peace and use Christian belief to fulfill their lives. This implies that native Belizeans can also be part of the Mennonite church.

Despite the fact that most Mennonites live more or less in the margins of society, building on their Christian beliefs, agricultural skills, and a strong working ethos, they have been able to establish a strong and stable economic position within Belize. Ever since their arrival in 1958, all 11 Mennonite settlements in Belize are found in an isolated position with regard to the wider society, including school systems, health care, language (they speak a language called “low German” among themselves), and cultural systems. Nevertheless, more than 45 years after their arrival in Belize, most Mennonite settlements are economically rather successful. They are well known for their agricultural entrepreneurship.

The name Mennonite derives from Menno Simon (1496–1561). In 1536, this Catholic priest from the village of Witmarsum in the western part of Friesland in The Netherlands converted to the Anabaptist movement, as the Mennonites were originally called. Through his writings, Menno Simons became one of the most important leaders of the Anabaptist movement. The Anabaptist movement originated in Switzerland during a time of important social and religious conflicts in Europe. The name Anabaptist derives from a schism within the Reformation movement in Europe during the 16th century. Apart from the Mennonites, other Anabaptist movements involve the Amish, the Brethren, and the Hutterites. After their breakaway from the Reformation movement, the Anabaptists, including the Mennonites, spread rapidly across Europe (Germany, France, Austria, and The Netherlands). Today, there are more than 1 million Mennonites scattered throughout the world.

Most Mennonites are not organized in churches but in congregations or communities. Among them the concept of community (Gemeinde) has been and still is very important. The Mennonite community provides the context for individuals and their families to interact together in a way that their values and norms can be fulfilled. Besides these basic religious principles, the community also shapes the environment for its members’ economic and social activities.

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