The little girls, you read, feel safe and secure and loved in their white Mennonite family. Most Russian Mennonites live in Mennonite settlements like Spanish Lookout, Shipyard, Little Belize, and Blue Creek. The Mennonites embrace isolation, which in their eyes helps protect them from the temptations of the modern world. The former British colony is much more than beaches and blue skies. These Mennonites speak Plautdietsch (a Low German dialect) in everyday life, but use mostly Standard German for reading (the Bible) and writing. Little Belize Located on the eastern shore of the Progresso Lagoon, Little Belize is an Old Order Mennonite community of about 2,000 residents. Mennonites are lining up outside bookstores throughout Belize in anticipation of the new Harder Boys adventure. ===== History of the Mennonites in Belize Fearing that their community was being tainted, some more traditional members decided to found a new colony in a remote jungle in Peru, where they hope to live according to old customs and religious beliefs. But modern life is slowly making inroads in Little Belize. Little Belize is the home of approximately 3,000 Old Colony Mennonites, living on about 100 square kilometers of land. At first glance, time seems to have stood still in the Mennonite colony in Belize, where people still travel by horse-drawn carriage and do without conveniences such as televisions and electricity. SAN IGNACIO, Belize (PRWEB) March 21, 2018 -- Belizean Mennonites’ recent 60th anniversary celebration highlights the little Caribbean country’s vibrant multiculturalism and the rapid growth of cultural tourism in Belize, according to The Lodge at Chaa Creek, a Belizean eco-resort with a focus on culture In Belize, Old Colony people live in the north: Shipyard, Little Belize, Neuland, Indian Creek. They speak English, often Spanish (because of Mexican past) and German. The Old Colony Mennonites are Plain Anabaptist cousins of the Amish, with numerous similarities to them. In 1958, several groups of Mennonites (Kleine Gemeinde and Old Colony) from Mexico established their first settlements in Belize, by Nonetheless the Old Colony Mennonites protect their religious values and try to live according to their traditional farming systems. Belize's Mennonites - Once Again, Belize’s Colorful Local Cultures Make International News! Cenote and fisherman near Little Belize A small cenote lies hidden in the village. A brief success story about Little Belize Exporters Company Limited and how BELTRAIDE, thru its BelizeINVEST unit, helped the company to grow. The Mennonites in Belize are immigrant farming-families of Dutch/German descent who live in six communities in the Orange Walk and Cayo Districts of northern Belize. A second general name for them is "Russian Mennonites" although their Plautdietsch language is a dialect of Germany. Initially, some 3,500 Canadian Mennonites arrived in Belize, and today form communities on the upper reaches of the Belize River: Blue Creek on the Mexican border; Shipyard, Indian Creek, Richmond Hill in the Orange Walk District; Spanish Lookout and Barton Creek in the Cayo District; Little Belize in the Corozal District. They are commonly referred to as "Shipiareños" or "Shipyard people" even though they might be from Little Belize or another community. The total population of Mennonites, including unbaptized children, stood at 4,959 in 1987. The Mennonites are much like the Amish, living a humble and religiously pious lifestyle. One of the most distinct communities in Belize is the Mennonites. Belize is known for its stunning beaches and coral reefs as well as for its vibrant culture, jungles, wildlife and more. Belize and the Mennonites: The Early Years (1958-70) The bus trip taken by visitors entering Belize today is quite different from the trip made by the first Mennonites settling in Belize. Locals snorkel and spear fish there while precariously avoiding the resident alligators. Meet the Mennonites. This is an absorbing 42-minute documentary on the Little Belize Mennonite colony. The Mennonites embrace isolation, which in their eyes helps protect them from the temptations of the modern world. Sameer Rahim visits a Mennonite community which has shunned contemporary living. 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