Threefold Ministries
March 14

Greetings and blessings to you as we move into 2025 and all the good things God has in store for this upcoming year. Plans continue to evolve with Threefold Ministries so we wanted to provide an update to you, our faithful supporters.

On February 1st, 2025, we became a legally registered NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and Christian Charity in Belize. This mirrors the structure of our registration in Canada. The Ministry has now officially been moved from Nicaragua to Belize and we are building on the historical mission we established and ran for 18 years in Nicaragua. See below for more information on the country of Belize.

Our first mission statement in 2006 was ‘Creating Partnerships in Projects, People and Programs that encourage Great Commandment Living and Great Commission Thinking.’ Our second vision and mission statement (Revised 2016) became… ‘To build healthy, sustainable communities in Nicaragua and Mexico that reflect God's great love and care and to engage, equip, empower, energize and encourage people to build up these strong local communities.’

We are reopening in Belize with a renewed vision and mission to build on the two previous missional statements with a focus on living out our faith through action and acts of compassion. Our renewed mission statement is ‘To give a hand up, not a hand out, to those in need in the name of Jesus Christ.’ We have chosen to embrace a new operating name - Sow Good Ministries. This better reflects our operational focus. Our mission is all about sowing the Good News of Jesus Christ by showing that Good News in practical terms through the good works He commands of us. A James-modelled Ministry (James 2:14-26) embraces works like sowing good health, medicine, education, opportunity, faith, compassion and encouragement. It points people to God through acts of kindness, goodness and practicality. James 1:27 says, ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’

This first newsletter sent under the new banner of Sow Good Ministries sets out our five year plan for the Ministry in Belize. Please tell us what you think. Your input is important to us.

We hope you will join hands and hearts with us as we pray for, then seek, in practical ways, to bring the hope that is ours in Jesus Christ to the nation of Belize.

Blessings,
Pastor Gary Robinson
Founder and Managing Director

Threefold Ministries and Sow Good Ministries

Threefold Ministries New Ministry Home in Central America

Belize, formerly the British Honduras, is nestled between the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala with its east coast bordering on the Caribbean Sea. In the distant past, it was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. What followed were the continued deterioration of the Mayan civilization; bloody conflicts among the various people groups populating the area; Spanish colonization efforts; and the rise of British influence. In the 1700’s, the British and Spanish disputed the region until it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1862. In June, 1973, it was renamed Belize. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize as its own nation until September 21, 1981.

While the country’s institutions and official language (English) reflect its history as a British colony, its culture is more typical of that of other Central American countries. Belize’s small population - ~420 000 - is ethnically diverse. Many Belizeans are of mixed ancestry, most being descendants of generations of immigrants. Mestizos (mixed Mayan and Spanish heritage) constitute the largest ethnic group representing about one-half of the population. English-speaking people of largely African and British ancestry, called Creole, account for more than one-fourth of the population. Other communities are comprised of Garifuna (descendants of Carib Indians and Africans), as well as people of European and South Asian ancestry, plus smaller numbers of immigrants from places such as China, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Mennonite farmers began to migrate from Canada and Mexico in the 1950’s and although this group makes up a tiny percentage of the population, its contribution to the Belizean economy, largely through farming, has been significant. In more recent decades, refugees from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador began migrating to Belize to escape civil war and political unrest in their own countries. Throughout the 1990’s, these refugees made up the largest immigrant group in Belize. Today, their descendants account for about four-fifths of the total foreign-born population in Belize. Many expats from US, Canada and Europe have moved to Belize – the latest estimates are ~20 000 – plus the number of seasonal expats increases significantly between the months of November and April. There is much to draw people to this beautiful, culturally-rich country.

Since 2000, the economy of Belize has experienced significant shifts, driven by a combination of domestic policies, international influences and natural factors. Agriculture and tourism are the two basic foundations for the economy of Belize. Key agricultural products for export include sugar, bananas, citrus and seafood, particularly shrimp. Belize is one of the largest producers of sugar in Central America; however the sector faces challenges like climate change and competition. Tourism has become an increasingly significant sector and one of the country’s most important revenue sources. Belize is known for its rich natural resources, including the Belize Barrier Reef, Maya ruins and eco-tourism destinations. However, the pandemic hit Belize hard with a steep decline in tourism. In spite of measures to mitigate the effects, the economic downturn led to rising unemployment and poverty. The country is still recovering.

Belize is vulnerable to natural disasters, including hurricanes and flooding, which have also periodically disrupted its economy. Two recent hurricanes – Dean (2007) and Iris (2001) - caused significant damage to infrastructure and agriculture. These events have highlighted the need for resilience-building and severe weather adaptation strategies including structures like hurricane-proof shelters.

Despite some economic growth over the past years, poverty and inequality remain significant challenges in Belize. Many rural areas continue to face higher poverty rates. The government has focused on programs aimed at poverty reduction, but access to education, healthcare and infrastructure remains a struggle.

Healthcare continues to be one of the most pressing issues. As is often the case, there exist medical buildings that provide a level of care that North Americans, for example, would expect - but there access is severely limited. Particularly in the rural areas, there may be a practical nurse available to assist with minor injuries but for anything requiring hospital care – from non-acute to severely acute; from further diagnostics to follow-up treatment – a patient needs to make their way to one of the very few hospitals in the country with the capability to deal with more serious injuries or illness. These hospitals are located in the south and central areas of the country which impedes people living in the more rural north of the country from receiving care – particularly as there are currently very few operating ambulances in the entire country.

Threefold Ministries will be based in the northeast area of Belize, which is the Corozal District. For many years, this area has been underdeveloped, underserviced and undernourished. However, due to a newly built highway from Corozal City to Sarteneja, along with two bridges, all built by the Taiwanese government, access to the area is improving. Much new development is slated to take place. With increased development comes increased need. Threefold recognizes this need and feels called to serve and minister in the Corozal District as it expands.

The need is overwhelming so we must be strategic and focused with our energies and resources to make sure we remain good stewards of God’s resources and follow faithfully in the direction He leads. The five-year plan is built on the model of our 18 year ministry in Nicaragua. We believe He has led us to embrace three specific projects and one ongoing program for 2025. They are as follows:

Short-Term Project: Build a base of operations in the Corozal District.

A one-acre piece of land located near Santa Elena has recently been acquired. We have hired a Belizean logistics manager named Gabriel Quetzel to oversee this project. This base of operations building will be constructed using a combination of local Belizean construction workers and North American short-term mission team members. The goal is to complete this build over the next six months

Mid-Term Project: Establish a dental practice in Sarteneja

We have recently received a generous donation of up-to-date dental equipment from an office in Ontario that, unfortunately, had to close prematurely. This donation is sufficient to start up four dental offices in Belize. Currently, we’re working out the logistics to transport this equipment to Belize. We’re also in the process of trying to determine the most efficient locations to set up the dental offices.

The initial step of this plan is to set up the first dental office in the town of Sarteneja. This office, along with the other three, will be staffed with Belizean dental workers and complemented with periodic dental teams from North America. This follows the model that was established for medical relief during our years in Nicaragua.

The goal is to have these dental offices up and running in the next eighteen months. Dental medicine is our entry point into establishing a multi-disciplinary outreach into Belize. Future areas of medical assistance will hopefully include optometry, primary care, first response and surgical.

Hospital in Sarteneja (population 5000). Open 3 Days a week. Staff complement - 1 Practical Nurse with a very limited scope of practice. No equipment, no diagnostics, very limited medicine. There are no doctors in the town. The nearest functional medical clinic is 45 minutes away.

Long-Term Project: Build a Multi-Purpose Community Centre in Sarteneja

We have been made aware of the pending closure of the non-denominational Christian High School in Sarteneja scheduled for 18 months from now. They have lost the use of the town community centre, where they are presently operating, and if they do not get a new building this will effectively end the educational secondary school opportunities for 120 kids in grades 9-12. We have been in meetings over the last 5 months with the Belizean government, school officials and staff and have come up with a plan forward that will provide a multi-purpose building that will keep the school open. What we need now are partners who will help provide the necessary funding to make this project a reality.

This proposed multi-purpose building will serve as an education centre as well as a hub for cultural exchange, community engagement and the promotion of local heritage plus it will double as a hurricane/emergency shelter as a part of the Belizean emergency readiness program. In addition, once completed, it will act as a venue for local entrepreneurs, artisans and agriculturalists to showcase and sell their products. It is anticipated that the building of this project will create twenty new full-time construction jobs, retain ten positions in education, plus add an additional ten to twenty seasonal jobs in tourism that will stimulate economic activity in Sarteneja.

Under the educational usage, the Centre will be used as a non-denominational Christian High School, a skills development training center and office space for social and employment services. These outcomes will significantly contribute to the prosperity, well-being and security of the community.

The goal for completion of this project is within the next 36 months, with the first phase beginning in June 2025.

Ongoing Program:

Running simultaneously with the three aforementioned projects will be our ongoing program to introduce North Americans to the work God has planned for Belize by re-establishing the Short-Term Missions Program. This program provides opportunities for people to see for themselves what God is doing and to partner with Him through Threefold as they serve the Belizeans in various capacities on the short-term mission trips.

The re-establishment of the short-term mission trips will include opening up avenues for medical ministry in the country which will, hopefully, in the coming years, include the aforementioned optometry, primary care, first response and surgical aspects of the medical needs.

Lastly, we plan to re-establish our community outreach and provide maternal health programs such as Best Start in Christ, youth ministry, sports camps and vocational training – the latter primarily for women to work at creating an income for themselves.

Who we will be working with:

Our Belizean Partners

Churches

We have the endorsement of most of the major denominations in Belize.

Individuals

We intend to utilize Belizean human resources as often as possible by tapping into resident expertise and employing local labourers.

The Government

Many contacts have been established and we are receiving the strong support of Florencio Marin, Minister of Defence; Elvia Vega Samos, Minister of Human Development and Indigenous Affairs; the Mayor and the Council of Sarteneja; and the Corozal Region Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Organization, Ronnie Hernandez.

NGO’s

We’re partnering with several NGO’s already working in the country, like the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired.

Our North American Partners

We have been reaching out to our partners with whom we have worked for over 18 years as we served in Nicaragua. The response has been very encouraging.

How Can You Help?

No ministry can have an impact without the support of people catching the vision and considering how they can help. The need is great.

First, the Ministry depends upon ongoing prayer support so we can remain focused on where the Lord is leading and how we can best partner with Him to accomplish His purpose. We need His wisdom to discern next steps and to make wise decisions.

Next, the Ministry requires resources. We need financial support in order to bring His plans to fruition. God uses people who are looking for where He is at work and who want to come alongside and support what He is doing.

A third necessity - we need human resources and partners. Boots on the ground. People who will partner with us by joining a short-term missions team. God is able to use anyone with any skillset as long as they have a willing heart! He longs to have people on the ground that are open to viewing the world through His eyes. These trips are guaranteed to change the participant!

Would you prayerfully consider supporting God’s work through this Ministry by stepping up to the plate in one or more of the three ways listed above? Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Upcoming Events:

We are planning two short-term mission teams within the next few months:

The cost to join a team is $2000 CAD plus cost of flights. If you are interested in participating in either of these teams, or if you have any other questions, please contact Gary Robinson at gary@threefold-ministries.org.

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

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