Kyle,

The contact that I have is not part of the Belizean gov, but the UN. This guy has been there over the last year plus gathering data on agriculture. I can probably get the contact info for the Belizean Agriculture Minister.  There are stock yards, very few. I’ve never heard of Blue Creek Rodeo, but that doesn’t mean anything. I can find out how much a cow cost from some friends of mine there. You can contact me at Nathan@itruitt.com

  Nathan,

    How well do you know the head of Agriculture, or could answer the questions below.

1. Who would we contact to find out BZ prices for livestock? How much usually is a cow to buy. I know they are cheaper the more you buy. Are there any stock yards, shipping, exporting?

2.  Do you know anything about the blue creek rodeo, or a way to contact them for further questions.

3.  Do you think the Agricultural Dept. would be helpful in working with to getting a ranch started. My goal is to be involved in Agriculture, rodeo, & ministry.

4.  I would like to contact you personally, my E-mail is KDCRDavis@cableone.net, to ask some questions you might not want posted.

5.   I would like to find a way around all the mumbo-jumbo of being a tourist for a year.  There has to be something for a person who wants to start a business upon arrival.

6.   I would like to propose a program for Agricultural Dept., to not only to help us out, but to boost or at least help the economy there to have group of USA investors (us)  willing to work together to purchase land, cattle, equipment etc., with the intent of purchasing more land, and putting individuals in charge of their desired agricultural service on the different farms\ranches. We would build our own houses if it would save money, etc.

  The goal of this is to provide food, housing, jobs for belizeans and USA home school families having the desire to relocate and live in Belize.  Gives them a place to be for the year long wait and also helps give ideas and opportunities as well.

I am willing to pioneer this idea or if you or anyone has a better one please don't be silent.  I think for most people with limited money to invest, pooling and working together is a more feasible option, maybe the only one.

My goal is not to flee the US now, because the more I go down this road God is giving me vision for the country of Belize to hear and understand the Gospel.

Few believers understand grace and use it as a license to sin, I say like Paul God forbid, don't return to your bondage.  Christianity is Victory over sin through grace, not bondage because of grace.  What I understand Belize is like the USA, their Gov. they have prayers, but do they penetrate the Heart.  

 I think what your doing with blue grass music is great, we have a young man who is extremely good at blue grass music in our home church, I also have several friends that play in a blue grass band Wannigan.  Be all things to all people so that some may come to the saving knowledge of Him.

 Thank you,

 Kyle Davis

 Kidtrainers,

This is Nathan, Gingers husband.

Answers to your questions.

You need a passport. A travel visa is good for 30 days then need to renew. After a year in country you can apply for citizenship. I believe you have to have an AIDS test. I do gov contract work for US Embassy.

 Building tools and materials very expensive compared to US. Materials are accessible, but limited. Most houses built out of concrete block. I know several good builders. 

Cost of living is high electrical cost is .17kwh, food costs are above US.

There may be building codes, permits, but I don’t think anyone uses them. 

Belize under UN sanction- not sure, but I can find out in a couple of weeks. As far as, schooling there are a lot of homeschoolers in Belize and many good Christian schools. There are not really any public schools per se, most are Private Christian. 

Health Care hmmm. sucks! Best to just die than get your broken arm fixed. Imagine healthcare in the US in the '20s, that’s Belize. There are a few other health issues; AIDS is fairly high in some areas, Malaria, Dengue Fever, deadly Poison Snakes (9 of 27 deadliest in Belize), Chagas disease(Stink bug that bites). Vaccinations- I would recommend tetanus, hepatitis A / B shots. Babies- From what I understand they are some what up to date (3d ultrasounds) I've seen the pictures! 

Worldly goods- Unlike Heaven you can take them with you, but it will cost you. Shipping and tariffs-I would NOT recommend driving unless you speak Spanish very well; shipping by boat, air is much safer. I do have contacts we people who drive they may be able to help, for a fee of course! 

Banks are good there, probably better than the US, now. Ha-ha. They have debit cards, internet, ATM and so on.

 I have met with the head of the UN group that is in charge of Agriculture. This would be the best area to make money. That’s what the Mennonites have done. In Belize you get your fruits, veggies, milk, ice cream and chicken from the Mennonites / Amish. Your bread and groceries from the Chinese. Your sugar, spices and citrus from the Belizeans. 

Hope this answers some questions.

nathan

kidtrainers,

My husband is not home right now, but perhaps tomorrow he will have time to answer some of your questions.  Just as I am sitting down I have a little one that needs me, of course! :)  so, I will try to get back on later this evening or tomorrow and answer what questions I am able to.  I never felt unsafe with the children, or like there was any question whatsoever about them not being in school. 

 More later!

Ginger

P.S.  My blog is http://www.honeycomb.gingertruitt.com  I am not sure how many Belize entries are on there because I only started recently.  I think there are two or three articles on my website http://www.gingertruitt.com  "I deserve a break today" and ....can't remember the others at the moment.  I will look them up later and post links.

Indicators that would push the move to Belize button:  Good question.  The prayer part is the answer there, and it will in turn manifest things for us all.  At the end of Matthew Chapter 9, Jesus instructs those with him to pray to Jesus.  I believe that upon fervent prayer and supplication and a listening ear to God, that he is providing to each prayer warrior the answers to this question.  I believe that all of you that are participating in the forum, all of the emails that I have received from very concerned folks, and all aspects of the kingdom in each of our everyday lives will bring the answers.  He is calling his people to closeness with him and each other.  Hebrews 10 around verse 25 is speaking to folks that were under some pressure just like we seem to be going toward.  The writer instructed them, among other things, to be together, feed off of each other and not forsake it.  Christians need each other right now badly - more than ever in our country.  Let's pray for each other daily.

Jeff     

If you have questions about the health care system of Belize, here is a web site I found helpful. http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/more/medical_care_in_belize/

There are many realtors for Belize listed on-line.  Here is one I thought was useful.   http://www.belizerealestate.com/property_listings.php   You can choose what type of property you are interested in and prices are listed in American dollars.

I also found this page in Wikipedia interesting.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize

One thing which concerned me about Belize is that they have ratified the United Nations, Rights of the Child Treaty.  I am not sure if they reserved the right to disregard portions of it, however.

My husband and I have been concerned with the possibility of the nationalization of our banks, the possibility of our government ratifying the Rights of the Child Treaty and the legislation which would make it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals when hiring or firing.  We feel that if these things happen it will only be a short while before our government and society actively persecute Christians.  We have been considering a move to Belize to give us (hopefully) enough time to train our children so they can stand on their own.

My question to all of you is, in addition to prayer (the most important factor), are you watching for indicators which would help you make the decision to move?

Welcome GInger,

I am so glad that you joined us.  We are very, very seriously considering going.  One of my first questions is:  Do you need an actual passport or a passport card?  I didn't relieze there were two different things.  I don't know if one is cheaper or not or what the difference is?  I just picked up the paper work last week and hoping to get passport pictures the end of this week.

You said your husband does contract work.  What kind?  My husband is a building contractor.  Built many homes in the last couple years including our own house in '07. We are thinking of going towards more agriculture though when we get down there.  My husband was a cowboy first.  Of course, one of our first goals would be helping other people get their homes built.  We have several other people who are interested in this possibility and thinking this might be a great idea as well. They are all builders whom my husband works with.  They all ready help each other out quite a bit just to help deflated building costs.  

I 100% agree with you on being involved with the people.  I plan on buying several boxes of Good and Evil books and passing them out there.  We already do that here.  The first and for-most way to fight corruption is spreading the gospel!!  My husband and I have both been involved in mission work, traveled to other country's and helped get a ministry started.  I think this may be why we are so seriously looking at this.  

We have heard that Belize is under UN sanction.  Is this true?  I thought it might be wise to contact HSLD to see what they have to say.  We are going to a Home school conference the end of this month in which Chris Klicka is the main speaker.  Hopefully we can get a chance to talk to him.

Health Care could be an issue.  Do they have a socialist health care system? 

We would definitely be in God's hands, God is our protector, provider and healer.  It's easier said then lived out I know.  On an over seas mission trip I did get to experience God healing a broken foot and seen other miracles.  Even here in the states we have had many miracles.  My husbands leg was healed from a spider bite - Our 4th baby was coming breech and flipped after the mid-wife said it couldn't happen,  it still was the easiest birth that I had.  

Educating our selves is the best thing we can do and best way to combat fear.  I have been trying to learn as much as I can about herbs, eating healthier,  building up immune systems and much more.  I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go, there is so much to know. 

I am concerned about vaccinations?  I do not agree with them.  Have you gotten any and what does Belize require?

Now things like a Mid-Wife are a BIG concern of mine!!  Babies are a happenin' around here.  But I am hoping that one of the family's moving down may have experience in this area, I don't think I could birth my own babies as of yet.

What about hauling some of our worldly goods?  Things like books and home school things, pictures?  Somethings I would probable just try to acquire there once we get there - like a sewing machine, copy machine, printer.  Are things like this easily acquired there, affordable?  We are thinking of driving!?!  So we can haul it, not that we have a lot of stuff( have been getting rid of things in the last ten years and a move like this would mean getting rid of just about everything) but....Can we fly any of it down, if we couldn't drive?  May be take a boat?  What could we take with us or HOW much could we take with us.  

What about banks?

I read your a blogger, me too(not that I keep up with it), where could I locate you at!!

Kyle and DeLyssa

In Idaho

Everyone that is interested in Belize, please note Gingeretta's post.  These are the types of people/contacts that we are all looking for.  Thank you Ginger for that.  One of my daughters has been on your blog in the past. We are all interested in hearing more about the Belizeans and how easy it was to live there.  Did you feel any danger/uneasiness about child protection etc...?

We are a homeschooling family with five children, and found out about your website through No Greater Joy.  My husband does quite a bit of contract work in Belize so we travel there several times a year.  Last year we had the privilege of living in Belmopan for two months and it was an amazing experience.  My children feel like they have two lives--their U.S. life with U.S. friends and their Belize life with Belizean friends.  

 We have talked about making a permanent move and I am glad to see that other Christians are thinking the same thing.  Thank you for starting this website to try to pull us all together.  I hope that anyone who makes the move will really get involved with the local people and not keep to themselves too much.  Our experiences with the Belizeans has been wonderful and we are thankful to count so many of them as friends. 

 We are taking a group of thirty with us to Belize in June.  We will be ministering as well as offering music instruction.   My husband's entire gospel bluegrass band is going and we are excited to introduce them to bluegrass music.  They loved our son's banjo!

One of my concerns, as a mom, is healthcare.  We made one trip to the hospital and it was not a good experience.  Has anyone given consideration to what they will do in a true emergency? 

If anyone has questions about living there, my husband or I might be able to help you out. 

Thanks!

Ginger