This summer we are endeavoring to reach the entire nation of Belize with the Gospel. Would you join me in praying for the people of this Central American nation?
Belize is
located south of Mexico and next to Guatemala. Belize is a unique country. It
was originally called British Honduras until they gained their independence in
1981. To this day, it is part of the British Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth’s
portrait is on their currency. It is the only country in Central America where
English is the official language.
Belize is a small
country. According to the CIA Factbook, the population was 353,858 in 2016. The
size of this nation is part of the reason we believe we can reach the entire
nation with the Gospel in one day.
For centuries,
Belize was the center of the Mayan civilization and Mayan ruins can be found
all over the country. In the 1700’s and 1800’s, Belize was a refuge for pirates
and buccaneers. They hid behind the reef and sailed out to prey on merchant ships.
Today, Belize is a popular stop for cruise ships and tourists.
There are
several unique language groups and cultures in Belize.
The people who speak Creole: Belize feels like a Caribbean nation
because many of the people in Belize are dark-skinned and love Reggae music. About
half of the people in Belize speak English mixed with a version of Creole.
The people who speak Spanish: Belize also has a Hispanic flavor. Because
of its proximity to the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, the other
half of the nation speaks Spanish. If Guatemala and Jamaica married and had a
baby, they would name it Belize.
The Garifuna people: It is said that this people group descended
from a slave ship that shipwrecked off the coast of Belize. The slaves escaped
and swam to shore. They still speak a unique dialect that has been traced back
to a tribe in modern day Sierra Leone. Many of the Garifuna people go to church
on Sunday, but mix African tribal religions with Christianity. Pray for an end
to syncretism and black magic.
The Maya people: In the south of Belize there are
seventy-two Mayan villages. Some of the villages speak Kekchi Mayan and some
speak Mopan Mayan. The villagers are very poor. They cook over campfires and
hunt in the jungle for food. Pray for God to prosper the Maya people.
The Mennonite people: Originally, they come from Dutch and
German backgrounds. For religious reasons, many of them refuse to use modern
technology. Often they are seen on the roads of Belize driving a horse and
wagon full of watermelons to sell at the market. They speak Plautditsch, a form
of Low German. Pray for an end to religious legalism and a revelation of God’s
grace to come to these people.
The Chinese people: There are about 10,000 Chinese
immigrants who have settled in Belize. I saw a Shen Restaurant and a Shen
Market. My wife Jessica’s maiden name is Shen. Of all the Chinese last names,
Shen is uncommon and people with this family name come from one particular
village area in mainland China. I am wondering if my wife is distantly related
to some of the Chinese in Belize. Pray for these Buddhist people to be open to hearing
about Jesus.
Because of the
diversity in Belize, we face unique challenges in reaching each group with the
Gospel. Right now, we are asking God to give us the right strategies and plans
to effectively present the good news to each of these language groups. Some of
our services will be translated into Spanish, others will be translated into
Mayan.
Nine evangelists
are joining together for our outreach to Belize. Over two hundred missionaries
will be part of the team. We will be doing nine outreaches simultaneously in nine
different population centers. We will be giving away a 40-foot container of
food to the children of Belize. We have a team of doctors and nurses who will
be offering free medical care. We will give away over 30,000 Bibles. We are
hosting a pastor’s conference, a businessperson’s meeting, a women’s conference,
children’s fiestas, and youth concerts. The Festival of Hope will be aired on
LIVE television across the nation of Belize. Our goal is to saturate the nation
of Belize with the Word of God.
For an outreach
of this size, we desperately need your prayers. Please pray for each of the
different groups of people in Belize. Please be praying that the entire nation
of Belize will turn their hearts toward God. Thank you for standing with us in
prayer for this historic event.
Asking God for
the Nations,
Daniel King
P.S. As you can
imagine, an outreach of this size has many expenses. Your financial gift is
urgently needed and much appreciated. Your giving this month will allow us to
touch the entire nation of Belize. Thank you!
To Give, click HERE: http://kingministries.com/give.html