Missionaries from Kilmurry Parish

Elanor Cronin

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In 1994-1995 I took a career break from my job in Ireland. A friend of mine told me about this Irish priest working in Belize who was looking for volunteers for his parish. I applied, was accepted and so began a very happy and adventurous period of my life. Belize is an extremely poor country economically but the people are friendly and welcoming. Belize has a rich multicultural society with people from many backgrounds and faiths. The indigenous people are Indian.

My job for the duration of my stay was to help the teachers in the local primary schools with religious studies though I was roped in to many other jobs as well. In order to reach some of these schools I had to avail of whatever local transport was available, usually battered old pickup trucks, which wound their way up rutted tracks, through rivers and around frightening bends to get to our destinations. Having survived those trips I usually spent the next quarter hour dusting my shaky self down! (Not for the faint hearted!)Elanor Cronin May 2003

 
 


School Class Room

Belize has a wonderful collection of animals, insects and birds---toucan, humming bird, jaguar, tapir, and howler monkey. The insects are many and varied. However, there was one insect I particularly disliked---the cockroach. Running water was scarce in Belize so people had great difficulty keeping everything spotlessly clean and of course the cockroach revelled in dark, damp, humid corners.

One night in a friend's house I awoke to the sound of rustling. Gingerly I peeped out from under the sheet and spotted my white plastic bag moving across the floor at a terrific pace. No, it was not the wind, it was 4 cockroaches inside having a ball with my bag and its contents---Yuck!

In my spare time friends and myself usually took off to explore the fantastic countryside and seacoast. There are many opportunities for water sports on the coast--snorkelling, diving, and exploring the barrier reef .Up on the mountainous areas waterfalls abound. Unfortunately I could not swim at the time so I spent my time looking after my friend's belongings while they frolicked in the water! One day I got bored with this so I decided to get nearer my friends by clambering onto some boulders which surrounded a deep pool under the waterfall. I slipped and into the pool I went, head first. It seemed to take ages for one of my pals to reach me! I tell you I kept well away from deep water after that frightening episode.


A Dwelling House

 Finally, one of my greatest pleasures was working with the children. My religious lessons didn't always go to plan as we spent most of the time singing and dancing! Classrooms were crowded and often the only seating were planks of wood placed over buckets.
I made many friends ---the wonderful Belizean people taught me to be grateful for every day of my life.

Belize


Located on the Caribbean coast of Central America just south of the Yucatan Peninsula is a new nation. Formerly called British Honduras, but now known as Belize, this fledgling country acquired its independence from Great Britain on September 21,1981. Today there exists a government dedicated to democratic values and human rights that rests squarely upon a foundation of a parliamentary system of governance, a legal system based on English common law, and English as the official language of the country. Geographically, Belize is an integral part of Central America, but it has a strong affinity with Caribbean nations.


Geography


The Belizean landscape is wonderfully diverse with 192 miles of shoreline, a superb baffler reef, 450 caves (pronounced keys), northern lowlands and the Maya Mountains in the south (highest is at 3806 ft.) The climate is subtropical with a mean annual temperature of 790F, and a trade wind that provides cooling breezes most of the year. Rainfall varies between 50" in the north and 160" in the south; a distinct dry season falls between February and May. The largest city is Belize City (pop. 50,000), a bustling seaport and airport gateway to the country, and the former capital until a devastating hurricane in 1961 prompted the removal of the seat of government to a more secure inland location. Belmopan, the nation's capital was established in 1970.


History and Culture


Temples and archeological relics are found throughout Belize, evidence of an extensive Maya civilization that endured for more than three thousand years (2300 BC to 1600 AD). From an estimated peak of 3,500,000 at one time, the Maya population was ravaged by war, disease and attrition; it now numbers only a few thousand in Belize.
The first English arrivals were buccaneers who attacked Spanish ships but later became harvesters of logwood-the source of an important red dye. Beginning in 1720, African slaves were brought in as laborers to harvest logwood, and later, mahogany. Despite frequent disputes between Spain and England dating back to the 17th C., it wasn't until 1862 that England claimed Belize as the colony of British Honduras. By this time, slavery already had been abolished (1831), and Carib Indians and others of African descent had come to Belize. Throughout the 19th and 20th C., immigrants from many countries continued to arrive. The diverse ethnic origins of the people are reflected in the multilingual Belizean community where Creole, Spanish, Garifuna, Mopan Mayan, Kekchi Mayan, Yucatec Mayan, low German, Chinese, Hindu, and of course, a unifying English, are spoken.