Belize, a country I honestly didn’t know much about prior to this journey, is (honestly) just so amazing. I’ve decided my word for Belize is BOUNTIFUL.
Belize has a bounty of jungle, fruit trees, stray dogs, kind people, and smiles! … BUT Belize also has a bounty of NEED. There is abundant need for jobs, safe housing, clean water, food for the hungry, assistance to the hordes of refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, as well as intervention and advocates against sexual violence. So hang out and see what I’ve learned in my first 11 days here.
1. Carry cash. Here in Belmopan most markets only take cash, and the few spots that take Visa usually only do so when the internet decides to work.
2. Get used to being off-grid. The WiFi definitely chooses if and when it decides to work. I cannot tell you how vital it is to save a word document of each attempt at my blog because several times I’ve gone to post and the internet went out when I was posting and I lost all my work. 🙁
3. It’s the rainy season; locals carry umbrellas for a reason, so you should probably do the same. Rain jackets should be in reach because it dumps water suddenly here, haha, so unless you need a shower (we do) I would take some rain gear June-December.
4. Learn to avoid looking at the dogs. There are so many dogs just wandering around here, most people don’t take great care of them so the dogs roam the street looking for scraps and trash, and many get hit by cars and sadly people leave them there. We drove past two dead dogs in one drive the other day, 🙁 it broke my heart. If you are an animal lover it’s hard to see so many emaciated animals (cats too) starving and wandering around.
5. Church isn’t all that different, except that it is. Church (at least the AMAZING church I’ve been attending here) is a lot like church might be in the States. Worship band, praise and worship, announcements, message from the pastor just like most churches. The difference I note here around churches is that, unlike in the States, there is a deeper sense of COMMUNITY. The church is much more involved than the average church I’ve encountered and I LOVE how connected they are to their members, community, local ministries and the region. I would love to see at least that much community in the Church in the U.S.
6. Sexual violence against children and women is a serious problem here. From testimonies shared by grown men to the ministries serving abused little girls I’ve had to encounter the fact that Belizeans have told me: sexual violence is rampant. Now don’t assume that I am saying all of Belize is some dark and vile place! However, before hitting the highway leaving the airport there was a massive billboard warning people of the legal consequences of child sex trafficking and abuse because of how rampant sex tourism has been here.
7. The value of marriage is culturally pretty low. Apparently it’s hard to divorce here so most people cohabitate till they don’t want to be in the relationship. Single parent homes are prevalent, many men abandon the women when she gets pregnant or shortly after their child is born. When we spoke with the head of the local Hope for Life she shared how all too often they’ve had women come in needing help because they were on their own and didn’t have anyone to help them through the pregnancy or raising the kids, especially financially. I would really encourage you guys to donate to the Belmopan, BZ Hope for Life center, they are doing a great thing.
8. Coconuts grow everywhere! They can get huge! The green ones have sweet water inside and you can open it and use the shell as a spoon to eat the soft coconut meat (yum). The yellow ones are older and it means that the inside has hardened and those coconuts are the ones people shave the meat inside for shredded coconut and oil.
9. Belize time is a thing. Belizeans aren’t in a hurry (unless they are driving 0_0 trust me, sometimes I feel like diving off the street for safety on my walks lol) so if they say they will be over at 12 it will probably be between 12:15-12:30, which is fine. The slower pace allows room and time to connect with people and interact and build relationships. (I’ve met some amazing people at the bus stop waiting for a busito).
10. The food is bomb! Papusas, Garnaches, fresh tortillas, onion sauce or fresh bread… Belize tastes soooo goooood.
11. And most importantly!… JESUS IS ON THE MOVE IN BELIZE. There is revival coming to Belize. There is passion, purpose, local people obeying Gods call on their lives, foreigners obeying Gods call to come here and so much more. There is a hunger in the Belizean soul that Jesus is ready to fill, PLEASE KEEP REVIVAL IN BELIZE IN YOUR PRAYERS!
