Missionary Marentes

Missionaries Juan Bernardo and Maria Isabel Marentes serve in the Anglican Diocese of Belize. Passionate for the Gospel and in love with life and each other, they bring God's blessings wherever they go.

Above, Maria Isabel shares her passion for their ministry with supporters.

If you would like to make a difference in the lives of those whom they serve on a daily basis, contact me or them for more information.

BACK STORY: Since 1993 God has blessed me with a partnership with Juan B. and Maria Isabel Marentes.

I first met them and their three sons when they were studying at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. That "chance" meeting opened the door for a long-term partnership in mission which started at Trinity Church in Vero Beach. Trinity sent several short-term mission groups to Honduras to assist the Marentes in their mission there. The partnership continued at Christ Church Vero Beach until last year.

The Marentes are sponsored by the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders. Over the years they have served in Honduras, Peru, and now Belize.

A Mayan temple in Belize

He writes of their mission:

We live in San Ignacio, Belize, near the Guatemalan border. The church we serve is called St. Andrew's; it is an old and small congregation which has not had a settled pastor for three years now.

The parish has a primary school which Maria Isabel and I serve as chaplains. We are also chaplains for two other rural Anglican schools, at five and seven miles away.

The diocese is orthodox and Anglo-Catholic. The vast majority of church members are trilingual (English, Spanish, Creole), but some are bilingual (English, Mayan; English, Garifuna). The services we lead in St. Andrew's and in St. Hilda's (the rural mission church with the school) are in English.

Maria Isabel and I mentor three Hispanic pastors [depicted above right] who have had little theological training but who are very open and eager to learn.

We live in the Rectory of St. Andrew's about a half-block from the church. We have all the comforts...except air conditioning. Maria Isabel works diligently both in training the primary school teachers and in coaxing life out of our little garden.

If the Holy Spirit is moving you to pray for the Marentes and the children they serve, or to make a donation, click here.

-- Lorne

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Pictured below is a rare moment for any family with adult children, much less one in which the sons are in the US and the parents in Belize.

Shown, l-r, are Tracy (Sebastian's girlfriend), Maria Isabel, Sebastian, Bernardo, Tomas, and Juan.

Wherever the Marentes go, the Holy Spirit brings not only enthusiasm for their work but also laughter and good food.