Belize Mission Trip June 12-19, 2013

Belize
Formerly British Honduras, Belize is a country in Central America. Once part of the Mayan and Spanish Empires, it was most recently a British colony, gaining its independence in 1981. The country is bordered to the south and west by Guatemala; to the north by Mexico, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Northern Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains and heavily forested. Southern contains the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle's Delight at 3,688 ft. The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as cayes ("keys"), form the approximately 200 mile long Belize Barrier Reef. It is the longest in the Western Hemisphere. The climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from June to November, and hurricanes and floods are natural hazards.

Language
English is the official language of Belize, a former British colony and is the primary language of public education. Spanish is spoken as a native tongue by 50% of the population and is taught in school. Most Belizeans speak Spanish, but almost all speak Belizean Creole and English. Belize is also home to the endangered indigenous languages Mayan Mopan Maya language, the Arawakan Garifuna language and Plautdietsch or Mennonite Low German.

Religion in Belize
Religious freedom is guaranteed in Belize. According to the 2010 census 40.0% of Belizeans are Roman Catholics, 31.7% are Protestants (8.5% Pentecostal; 5.5% Adventist; 4.6% Anglican; 3.8% Mennonite; 3.6% Baptist; 2.9% Methodist; 2.8% Nazarene), 1.7% are Jehovah's Witnesses, 10.2% adhere to other religions (Maya religion, Garifuna religion, Obeah and Myalism, and minorities of Mormons, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Bahais, Rastafarians and others) and 15.6% profess to be irreligious. Once a Catholic-majority country (they were around 49% in 2000, 57% in 1991), the Catholic tradition has been progressively eroded in the

Religion in Belize 2010 Census

45.0%

% of Belizean Population

40.0% 35.0% 30.0%

25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0%

40.0%
31.7%

15.6% 10.2%

Roman Catholic

Protestant

Other Religions No Religion

last decades by the growth of Protestant churches, other religions and non-religious people. The Greek Orthodox Church has a presence in Santa Elena. Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants, and Islam, common among Middle Eastern immigrants, has gained a following among some Creoles.

an and Central American nations. Belize has a relatively young and growing population. Its birth rate is among the highest in the world, and there are indications that this trend will continue in the future.

Birth Rate & Life Expectancy

Belize's birth rate currently stands at nearly 25 per 1,000. Nearly 6 people die per year out of 1,000 members of the population; includes murders, accidents, and natural causes. Infant mortality, now at 24 deaths per 1,000 people, has been decreasing over the last century. Male babies are more likely to die than females. The life expectancy of a typical male is 66 years, while for a female it is 70. HIV/AIDS, while not a serious threat to national stability, does affect enough of the population to give Belize a high infection rating among Caribbe-

Belize is a very poor country; with the per capita income at $8,400. With a high unemployment rate, 43% of the people live below the poverty line. Belize information used by permission from Thirst Missions Website: www.thirstmissions.org

Ministries
Childrens Ministry: Vacation Bible School or kids clubs Outreach Ministry: Game nights, concerts, youth night, family night, love feasts Mercy Ministry: Senior citizen centers, hospitals, prisons, orphanages, visit shut-ins Sports Ministry: Soccer, football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc. Evangelism: Large group gatherings, door-to-door ministry, street ministry Home Ministry: Provide blessings to individual families and could include: service projects, clean-up, Bible studies, and anything that helps build cross-cultural friendships and relationships

Belize Missions Team

Sarah Adams Madison Clark Josh Cruz Matthew Cruz Rick Cruz Charlene Frye Noah Frye Brad Johnson Brett Miller Jeremy Miller Bailey Stewart Debbie Stewart Heath Stone Caleb Stutts Dionne Stutts Jaden Stutts Tim Stutts Grace Tang Matt Tang Jaime Tang Beverly Wright John Wright