Celebrating Diversity

By Sr. Carlette Gentle

Even though Belize only has a population of 366,942 people this country, my country, is one that is a melting pot of cultures.  We have an array of colors and people found in our cultures of the Creole and Garifuna people, the Yucatecan Mayans and Mopan Mayans, Mestizos and Lebanese, the Mennonites of German decent and East Indians, the Chinese and Taiwanese.  

In this small country we all call ourselves Belizeans.  However, on November 19^th, which is known as Garifuna Settlement Day here in Belize we take the time out to celebrate the arrival of the first Garinagus to Belize.

As we stop to celebrate this beautiful culture, I stop to ponder the world and all it holds.  We, the people of diverse backgrounds, races, religions, ethnicities, traditions, cultures and languages, we are the ones that make up this beautiful world.  We share and partake in what we each call home, this EARTH created for all of us by God for God’s people.  We were all created equally.  Each hair, bone and flesh created and designed intricately by our Maker.  So as we stop to celebrate the Garifuna culture in Belize, let us also pause and remember to celebrate the diversity in each person.  God gifted us with diversity and for that we should celebrate.