Religion Scarbroughs recognized for Belize missionary work

Cliff and Bettye Scarbrough

Emeritus Missionaries Cliff and Bettye Scarbrough were recently recognized at Pineview Baptist Church, by Rev. Carl Myers, a member of the Board of Directors of the Baptist Training Center for their missionary work done in Belize.

After answering the call to serve the Lord as missionaries, the Scarbroughs were appointed by the Foreign Mission Board of the SBC to Belize. In August 1981 they arrived in Belize to begin a new work to reach those who did not know Jesus Christ.

Until the Scarbroughs and one other missionary family, there was no Southern Baptist influence or work taking place in Belize whatsoever. In October of 1981 the Scarbroughs' very own home became the place for the first church to meet. The following January they were asked to start another church in a village called Camolote. This work continued and they were able to

start a third church in Santa Elena on the western border of Belize. God was moving and changing lives in Belize as the Scarbroughs reached out to a people with the love of Christ. It was after their work in Santa Elena that they realized there was a need for a localized facility where believers could come together and worship God, celebrate their mutual faith, and specialized Christian leadership training could take place.

In the plans for this, it was determined that this training facility needed to be close to the only highway in the area. This would make it easily accessible by attendees. Of course proper lighting and running water would be needed for overnight and extended events.

Ministry in Belize continued and in 1992, 10 acres of land was given to the mission for a training center to be built. In November of that year work began on the first building. The first building served as the home

of the Center's Director and also a place where volunteers from the U.S. would stay and be in charge of the center's operations and minister to the people there.

Following the building of the director's house were dormitories, kitchens/dining halls and a large 'team house' which would provide a place for teams coming to work and minister in Belize. This "team house" had six rooms and was furnished with two bunk beds each and a bath. Next a large worship center that could seat approximately 250 people was built.

This is the building the board of directors voted to name "The Scarbrough Worship Center" in honor of Cliff and Bettye and their ministry in Belize. As a testimony of God's grace, after the Scarbroughs retired, ministry in Belize has continued as other buildings and dorms have been built by various church groups. Another training center

has been built in the southern part of the country to reach and teach the Mayan Indians there. To date, another eight church buildings have been built to house worshippers, and a twostory, 12-classroom high school has been built.

The Belize government has asked the churches to start another Baptist church and school in Belmopan, which is the capital of Belize, and another school in Santa Elena.

The vision that God gave the Scarbroughs began in their hearts! Their desire to reach people who did not know the love and salvation of Jesus Christ led them to obey the Great Commission Go into the world and reach the lost for Jesus. Their unfailing commitment to the Lord to answer His calling has yet to see what God can do.

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