Belize Missions History
The dream of the late Dr. Eugene Tate, his wife Kathleen, and their friends Lem and Jo Tipton, Belize Mission has been serving and saving the souls of Belize since 1986. Originally conceived as a way to use medical skills to open doors to the heart and spirit, the team has served the needs of over 40,000 people in Belize in its 21 years.
Each year an outreach team assisted by physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and support personnel travels to San Antonio village in the Toledo District of Southern Belize. They go primarily to see Mayan Indians who live in over 40 villages scattered throughout this poorest part of the country.
The Mayans are proud of their rich history and are a gentle, hard working people accustomed to living life one day at a time. Electricity and running water have come to the larger villages, but many of the people still live in thatched roof houses and cook all their meals over a fire pit called on a native Kamal. Their hearts are tender to the good news of a forgiving, soul healing Jesus in a difficult, unforgiving world. Traveling mostly by foot or packed into dusty buses, the families make an annual pilgrimage to see the Mayfair team during Easter holidays. For many of these people it is their only opportunity to see a doctor. They receive general examinations, lab tests, reading glasses, dental work, medicines and genuine care and concern from the 30-40 volunteers who give their time and skills so the people will be receptive to the teaching of the gospel.
Churches have been established in Punta Gorda, San Antonio, San Pedro Columbia, and Crique Jute over the years. During each trip, the outreach team’s goal is to strengthen and add to the numbers of Christians in the region. This past year new cooperation between the churches has resulted from the outreach team’s efforts to train and encourage the Belizean Christians to reach out directly to the neighboring villages. Fifty non-church members attended a combined church service this year. The long-range plan is to locate congregations in the United States who will adopt and encourage churches in additional villages.