The Origin of AMA in Belize
Amish Mennonite Aid (AMA) was formed in October of 1955. After the work was established in Berlin, Germany, AMA began to explore other mission opportunities on this side of the ocean. They made an initial trip to El Salvador and to British Honduras early in 1961. British Honduras gained its independence in 1981 and is now called Belize.
The First Minister whom the AMA delegation spoke with in British Honduras was not favorably disposed to AMA beginning a work there. His impression was that they already had plenty of Mennonite groups in Belize and did not need another. It seemed to those investigating that the door to establishing a work was closed in that small Caribbean British territory.
Lester and Sarah Gingerich were married on October 28 of 1961. They had expressed interest in serving in Belize if the opportunity arose.
After that initial visit, the board received some encouragement that they not give up on this idea too quickly. So, the committee purchased tickets on another flight to Belize that arrived on November 8 of that same year. However, just a few days prior, on October 30 and 31 Hurricane Hattie roared ashore in Belize and wrought extensive damage to coastal areas, leaving a humanitarian disaster in its wake. The tickets that the committee had purchased to fly to Belize were on the first flight to arrive after the hurricane. When the committee secured an audience with first minister George Price, he invited them in and asked if indeed the couple who was interested in serving would be able to come and if so, how soon they could arrive. He had recalled from the earlier visit that they had referred to the interest that Lester had in serving in British Honduras. While Mr. Price was now ready for the aid that AMA could bring, he reminded them that they not proselytize.
Lester and Sarah moved to Belize and established an inland center for people displaced from the coast by the hurricane. The village that grew up in that area was named Hattieville, since folks moved there who were displaced by Hurricane Hattie. Many folks questioned Lester and Sarah about their faith and were even encouraged by the locals to start a Bible study. But Lester explained that they had been warned by the First Minister not to proselytize. So, one of the locals announced a Bible study and invited Lester to speak. Mr. Price was no longer skeptical about the work that Lester and Sarah were doing. In less than a year after their arrival in Belize, materials were being secured to build a church house on real estate freely provided by the grateful government.
In subsequent years, churches and schools were established in Crique Sarco, Doublehead Cabbage, Scottland Halfmoon, Cayo District and Belize City. Currently Haynes Street in Belize City and Cayo are the only two areas where AMA personnel are stationed.
The journey from church planting to fully functioning autonomous churches is not always smooth, quick nor predictable. Sometimes it happens pretty quickly and sometimes we wonder why it takes so long. However, in Belize the Lord has raised up people in His Kingdom through the efforts of many faithful workers in Belize who were supported by folks who stayed home so others could go and spread the Gospel. We’ll need to wait for eternity to understand all the ways that God’s Kingdom has grown through these efforts. But we don’t have to wait until then to be encouraged by the witness and testimony of many faithful children of God serving in the churches that have been established under the direction of Amish Mennonite Aid.
