Mission Resource Network

Bro. Maurice's Story

Brother Maurice Lanza- local, (semi)retired minister of Isabella Harmony Fellowship—was born on September 22, 1918, in the small village of Isabella Bank, located along the Belize River. His home was where Brother Joseph Lanza now lives. Bro. Maurice was born into a Catholic home and was baptized into the Catholic church. He attended the Catholic school, which was just next door close to the tamarind tree, from Beginners to Standard Six, his teacher a Ms. Maude Wade from Belize City.

When he was fourteen years old, Bro. Maurice's mother, Gertrude, died from childbirth. His sister, a Catholic nun, had moved to Punta Gorda, way down at the southern point of Belize, and that aided in his decision to move there at the age of 15 or 16, after his father, Faustino Lanza, passed away. In Punta Gorda, he found a job working as a store clerk for a place named Roberto Chee until 1941.

By then, World War II had begun, and Bro. Maurice decided to move to Panama, where he worked for the US Army and Navy as a time checker, keeping track of the workers in his department. It was while he was working there that Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941.

After three years, he moved back to Belize; this time to Belize City. That was where he met his wife, Isabel Salas, a lovely Spanish girl from Cayo. They were married in 1952 and decided to move back to Isabella Bank, where he bought some land and built a house. In 1961, Hurricane Hattie blew through and leveled their house, so Bro. Maurice built a new house, part of which is their current home.

Over the course of time, they had eleven children: five boys and six girls. By that time, the Catholic church and school were no longer being used and had moved out to Bermudian Landing, about two miles away by foot. And that is just how his children went to school every day: by foot. Every Sunday the family attended church at the Catholic church in Landing. Bro. Maurice supported his family as a plantation worker. He and his sons spent days out at the plantation along the river, working hard for their daily food.

In 1968, the winds of change began to blow. Not too far away in a village called Double Head Cabbage, an American man and his wife had arrived as missionaries under an organization called Amish Mennonite Aid. The man was Melvin Glick and he and his wife called themselves Mennonites. Bro. Melvin started coming to Isabella Bank, going house to house in the Roman Catholic village, and reading the Bible for many who had never read it for themselves. He also brought Bibles and taught the villagers about God. As Bro. Maurice put it, many of the villagers “came to know the truth”, and “changed their minds” and left the Catholic church. Ms. Chab, Bro. Maurice's wife, was converted before he was. It was not until 1970 that Bro. Maurice “gave in” and accepted Christ at the age of 52. He was baptized under the village Center, where their church meetings were held until the church house was built in 1976 or '77.

As Bro. Melvin became acquainted with the villagers, he realized that the children had to walk to Bermudian Landing for school each day. At the same time, Joe Lanza, the village chairman, brought up the subject to him, and told him that the village really needed a school. Bro. Melvin took the situation to the AMA board members, a delegation was sent to check it out, permission was sought from Prime Minister George Price, and soon a little building had been built and christened Isabella Harmony School. The last four of Bro. Maurice's children attended the new school, along with around fifty other students.

AMA saw the need for a missionary couple to live in Isabella Bank, and Bro. Lester Coblentz and his wife Nancy answered the call. Besides being pastor of Isabella Harmony Fellowship, Bro. Lester (and his wife, Ms. Nancy) taught at the school.

The first members of the Mennonite church in Isabella Bank were Ms. Chab, Bro. Maurice, Ms. Laura (affectionately called Aunty), and her husband Bro. Don Marine. At the most, there have been about 15 local members at one time. Most people attend, but do not join, mostly because of what they term “strict rules.” Many young people who do join eventually backslide for the same reason.

In 1978, when Bro. Steve Yoder was stationed at Isabella, Bro. Maurice was ordained the local pastor of Isabella Harmony Fellowship.

The Mennonite church has been here in Isabella Bank for forty years, and Bro. Maurice hopes that it will continue. He sees a future in the church. Although the rules of the church might be strict, he states firmly that the church “needs standards.” Bro. Maurice and Ms. Chab have been faithful members of the church and a great strength and encouragement to the missionaries who find themselves stationed in Isabella Bank. Every Sunday morning, they are at church, unless they are not feeling well, or the weather does not permit. Bro. Maurice still takes part by giving devotions when his turn comes around. Ms. Chab always has a good word for everyone and remains cheerful, even though she has glaucoma in both her eyes, causing her pain and making her go blind. They are a great blessing to us all.

Contributed by Paula Hulse.