Honduras is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, after Haiti. But poverty is not merely an absence of material possessions, but a lack of hope and power, the absence of a voice, and denial of basic education and health services.
I will be traveling to Honduras over the March Break as part of a team from Bethel Church in Kingston. This will be my third and final trip as part of our church’s 5 year commitment to the people in Honduras.
During my first trip in 2014, I assisted in the construction and painting of a leadership training centre in Puerto Lempira, a remote area on the coast of Honduras. My 2015 trip was focused on assisting at two schools in the small town of Siguatepeque. I acted as a consultant and coach for the foreign teachers who were struggling with issues such as adapting to the culture, classroom management, and effective planning. In addition, I visited two schools in the remote villages surrounding Siguatepeque to deliver water filters and teach students and staff about the importance of using clean, purified water. I also visited the home where the pottery pieces that your children purchased for Christmas presents were made! It was a humbling experience to see the effort these women put into making the pottery with such simple, primitive methods.
I am extremely excited about my upcoming trip this March. I will be travelling back to Siguatepeque to set up a feeding centre, to assist in the construction of houses for families who lost their homes in the recent floods and to assist families with repair work on their houses. Our class will be hosting a bake sale and fun fair this month to raise money for these initiatives and to provide funding for 6 Honduran children to attend school.
I have shared my experiences and photos from previous trips with my students and will be presenting what I have learned on this most recent trip as part of their learning opportunities in all areas of the curriculum when I return. If you have any questions about this initiative, please write a note in your child’s agenda.
