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Purpose Construction |
Caye Caulker, Belize, Central America
Sing to the Lord a new song...you islands, and all who live in them.—Isa. 42:10
Place: Caye Caulker, Belize
Belize
is a small English-speaking country just south of Mexico. Formerly British
Honduras, Belize won its independence from Great Britain in 1981. Many
immigrants from nearby Central American countries have mixed with the core
population of Afro-Caribbeans, and made Spanish an oft-spoken language
here. But the national language is English (though there are local Creole
variants) and schools are required to teach in English. Despite a growing
number of Christian schools and churches, most Belizean pastors say that
today Belize is in deep need of discipleship, leadership training, and
transformation.
Caye Caulker is a beautiful island about five miles long just off the eastern coast of Belize. It has a fast-growing population of 1900 mostly Mestizos (Maya/Hispanic) and Afro-Caribbeans. They earn their livelihood by lobstering, fishing, and serving tourists who come to snorkel and scuba-dive along Belize’s famous barrier reef. The island is accessible by boat and has an airstrip for small planes.
Transportation
on the hard-packed dirt streets of the island is by means of bicycles,
golf carts, and of course by foot. It has three main streets, Front,
Middle and Back. Front Street (aka Avenida Hicaco) has many mom-and-pop
hotels and restaurants for the small-scale tourist business. Middle Street
(aka Avenida Langosta) has more businesses geared to locals. Back Street (Avenida
Mangle) is the less-advantaged side of town. The northern half of the
island is mostly undeveloped. Telephone service and internet is available
on the southern half of the island, and electricity comes from a
diesel-powered generating plant.
In a tourist attraction such as Caye Caulker, there is the threat of excessive foreign development. As the people are equipped to fulfill their callings, we want to see them keep the community in local hands by starting new businesses, services, and missions that benefit others, exert a positive influence on visitors and glorify God.