transporte

So, you might not be able to fully appreciate this if you've never had the privilege of visiting Nueva Suyapa...but today is a very exciting day.

We got our first rapiditos in Nueva Suyapa!

Yes, I know it sounds like a terrible Mexican restaurant special...but really, it's nothing of the sort.

Right now, transport options are as follows...
1) direct taxi: the most expensive option, but will take you (almost) anywhere you need to go. if the price is right. as of late, it has been rising, due to the price of gas...clearly. Between $3-6 per trip, depending.
2) colectivo: this is a cool Tegucigalpa favorite...a taxi that waits until filled with 4 people. It has a set route and you know it always costs 15 Lmps. (like, 75 cents) or 12 Lmps. if you're downtown (67 cents?)
3) bus: yup, the big yellow ones you rode to elementary school (or in my case, high school too!) not the best option...often said to be most dangerous...but really we hate it because its so slow! it stops all the time and lingers if not full with people. also, when crowded, not the most fun experience. Cost is 3 Lmps...so like 15 cents.

but yesterday, a parade of 10 brand, spankin' new rapiditos paraded through the terminal in Suyapa!

Basically, a rapidito is a microbus (see photo below). It holds maybe 20-30 people and goes FAST! well, mostly because it doesn't stop so often. I have used these in a few other parts of the city and they are great. People usually arent allowed to stand, so when its full, you just fly. When people get off, more can get on! So ingenious!

So...today, my friend and I decided we had some "pressing" errands downtown and needed to "estrenar" or "inaugurate" the new rapiditos of our neighborhood. It was so fun! Everyone on the bus was so happy and excited. People watching from the street looked so curious to see the new addition to the neighborhood transportation...and the best part is, a trip to the stadium which might normally have take 30-40 minutes in a school bus to us 17-20 minutes! Score!

a view of all 3 options, from Left, rapidito, taxi and bus

The cost of a trip is 10 Lmps...or 50 cents. So that puts it right between the colectivo option (15 lmps) and the bus (3 lmps). Obviously, this is bad news for the taxi drivers...but I still think there will be enough business for the buses, as it is a much more economical options for families in Suyapa.

I was a little nervous that there might be some fighting because of the new transportation, like between the drivers, etc. but so far so good. We will have to wait and see how things continue.

But, for now, we are all a-buzz with the fun of something new and cool. They are so clean and fresh, its just fun to ride around in them and enjoy a new view of the city.

next steps

It is hard to believe it, but as of today I only have 9 weeks left in my SALT assignment. While the first month did not go so quickly, the last 8 definitely have. I don't need to wonder if the next 2 will fly by as well.

As my host family begins to talk about my despedida (going away party) it only gets harder and harder to think about leaving. I have enjoyed living with them so much, even when they drive me a little nuts. I think it was highlighted even more this week in light of tragic events in the extended family (sudden death of a cousin, age 26). Although I felt uncomfortable dealing with the grief and not knowing what to say, the family never acted like I shouldn't be a part of things. In fact, they wanted me to be there, murmuring words of "you're such a apart of this family" as we hugged and cried together. It has been a difficult week, and I'm sure the healing process has barely begun, but I feel an even tighter connection with my family and their extended family and I am thankful they have been so warm and welcoming to me. Please pray for them as they grieve for the loss of their cousin, nephew and son, Eduardo.

*****

In other news, it has come time to share with you that I have finally made some plans beyond July 25 (end of SALT term). It was a slow process, but one I feel really good about and am excited to share with you.

I have been offered a 2 year position with MCC, continuing in Honduras, but with a new organization on the other side of the country, in Santa Rosa de Copan. The organization is called ACDIM (Associacion Cristiana de Desarollo Integral de la Mujer) roughly: Christian association for the holistic development of women.

Right now they do a lot of counseling and support for women in all walks of life, especially dealing with domestic violence. They are starting community groups in 4 rural towns around Santa Rosa, and want to begin trainings in various areas: self-esteem, health, raising children, family gardens, etc. Their goal for the next 2 years is to also implement savings and loan groups and begin training the women in money management and starting businesses to improve their economic situations. Of course, for me this is awesome :)

So, my job (as I know it now, but always subject to adjustments) will be working in the office to help with records, resources, grant-writing and possibly doing donor communication/promotion. I will likely assist with the community meetings and trainings, and in the future help start up a savings and/or loan program.

Reasons I'm EXCITED:

1. I really love Honduras, MCC Honduras, and am excited to stay longer and get to know even more of the country, people, language, etc.
2. The organization is small with 2 people running things right now. I really love the passion and faith of Ruth (director) and Oscar (assistant) and think I will have plenty of opportunities to explore my interests and use various gifts.
3. Getting to work with a grassroots organization and possibly starting a loan program is GREAT experience for the future.

Of course, there were reasons for hesitation in my decision:

• Leaving Tegucigalpa and moving to a new area means starting from scratch...having to learn a new area, build new relationships, etc. It also means leaving some great friends behind in Teguc.
• A 2 year commitment means I won't be seeing a lot of people in the states very often. Most importantly, my soon-to-arrive niece!
• Deciding if this is what the next step should be. Was this God opening a door or me trying to make my own way to stay in Honduras?

Thankfully, I had the opportunity to visit Santa Rosa in April and meet the director of ACDIM. We went to one of the communities where they are working and I helped with the meeting on my first day there. It was really great and I felt so excited and inspired by what they are doing there. Also, I love the town. Its so quaint and tranquil compared to where I live. Also, much safer, which is a great thing.

Since April I have felt very at peace about my interest and ultimately my decision in going to Santa Rosa. I am really looking forward to this opportunity to work and learn even longer in Honduras. The great thing is, a service worker for MCC, I don't need to raise more funds! Praise the Lord. I just ask each of you to go to your nearest MCC Relief Sale and eat lots of food (or buy a quilt!) to support the work that MCC is doing around the world.

I will still be returning to the States in July (25th I am free of responsibilities in Akron) and will be home til the first week of September! I hope with this amount of time I will be able to visit many of you (especially in Ohio and Pennsylvania) and catch up.

And...in case you were worried the blog was ending in July, there is good news! It may live on :)

skype alert

Hey-
Just a quick update to those of you who are used to seeing me on skype and take the time to skype with me...

I have been having major problems with the program (or my computer) and can't run Skype as of late (yeah, let's not get into the details of how much this has annoyed me!).

So, right now the only option is video chat in Gmail, which so far has worked well. If you don't have a Gmail account, then we'll have to figure out something else. I can at least call you on my cell phone that makes relatively cheap calls to the States.

Thanks for understanding. Hope to stay in touch...only 2 more months to go :)

plato tipico

In fitting in with the last post about mangoes, I thought it might be appropriate to write about what I eat on a regular basis in Honduras. I have tried to take photos of some food, but realize I lack photos of the day-to-day stuff. Mostly because I forget to take them, but also because my family would think it weird. Here's a rundown, to give you an idea:

Breakfast: Always coffee...made with WAY too much sugar. I was almost able to drink coffee w/o sugar before I came, but that has gone out the window. Coffee is made by boiling water on the stove and filtering it through a cloth sieve thingy. Not great coffee...apparently Honduras exports all the quality stuff and sells the overpriced crappy stuff to Hondurans. But let's not get into that now.

Most days I eat tortilla con quesillo which is 2 tortillas with melty, salty cheese in the middle, fried til crispy. Some days its just sweet bread and rosquillas (salty, hard bread) with coffee. Randomly we have pancakes (or panqueques in Spanish) or occasionally "plato tipico" for breakfast, which will be explained in the dinner section.

mini watermelons!

Lunch: This is the main meal of the day. I am lucky I live close to my office and I go home for lunch every day. We usually have some kind of meat, rice, a side of veggies or potatoes and tortillas. Some days, my host mom will make tacos or enchiladas, which are my favorites. On the not so lucky days (and always the hottest days) we have soup. Sometimes with beans and eggs, sometimes with large pieces of meat and lots of startchy add-ins: yucca, potato, green banana, rice...yes, all 4 at the same time.

kitchen stove with tajaditas and pork

Dinner: Our dinners are pretty standard at my house, so it's called plato tipico (rough translation: typical plate). We usually have scrambled eggs, beans (red, of course :), queso seco (salty, dry cheese) and tortillas. Most Hondurans will eat all of this with "mantequilla" which is basically runny sour cream. I'm not such a fan, so I usually leave it for the rest. Occasionally we'll have fried plantains or fried green banana...or some variation on the beans/cheese/eggs theme. I really love it and have gotten used to having this almost every night. When I am away for a few nights, I really miss my plato tipico.

Then there are Honduran specialties and snacks...

Baleadas: These are one of my favorite things...a flour tortilla (freshly made!) with liquified beans (think refried, but better), cheese, mantequilla and occasionally scrambled egg. These are eaten any time of day...breakfast, mid-morning snack, dinner, late evening snack...you get the picture.

Pupusas: These are also popular. More for when you go out to eat or for a special event. It's dough with melted cheese in the middle, some times with beans or a bit of sausage added in. Also delicious. I helped make these to raise funds for our church (see previous post about pupusas).

Tajaditas: Fried green banana. Sounds weird, but kinda turns out like a potato chip. Can be thin and crispy or thicker and more like potato wedges. Often served with a tomato sauce and cabbage salad. The downside is, when not made at home, they come with chicken feet!!! It totally grosses me out. I pick those out for my brothers and then eat the rest :)

 <--yes, thats a fried chicken foot on top of my snack. g-ross.

sushi boat!

My Honduran diet is also made complete by other random treats now and again...this could be a sushi splurge with my girlfriends, pizza out with the family (they love Little Caesars!), frozen yogurt at the mall, or bumming a meal from MCC friends who have their own kitchen and can decide what to eat.

Let's just say, I do not lack for good food...but I am looking forward to some home cooking when I get back.

mango loco

In the last week I have rekindled a love for mangoes. I thought for a long time that I did not love mangoes, and for the most part, I was right. If not eaten when perfectly ripe, they have a pretty nasty aftertaste, or even a fermented bite to them. The strings are always caught in your teeth, and there is no graceful way to polish off this beloved tropical fruit in front of other people. Of course, Hondurans do it all the time, but, lets just say it's not pretty.

There are several varieties of mangoes...the first ones of the season being small, green mangoes. These are peeled and often served with chile sauce (like hot sauce). Let's just say, I've been scared of these for a long time.

Then, later on come the larger, reddish, sweet mangoes. I was not too impressed with them...until my host mom went to visit family in Comayagua who have mango trees on their property. She brought back about 5 buckets full of the sweet, perfectly ripened tropical delicacy, right from the tree!

I ended up downing 2 in about 11 minutes. It was glorious. When a mango is perfectly ripe, there is pretty much no better fruit. I was dripping with juices and getting bits of peel over everything, but it was delightful.
The thing is, even though we live in a country rich in fruits, many are exported, and many others are kind of expensive for the average family...so I get surprisingly minimal variety of fruit in my diet. Sad for me.

My host mom was also giving out mangoes right and left to anyone and everyone who passed by the house. My siblings were freaking out that she would give them all away, but we had so many, they have to be eaten when they are ripe. Because of her generosity, and because she was seen eating a mango at all hours of the day, my older brother started calling Lucia "mango loco" which means "crazy mango" :)

justice

I really wasn't going to post anything today. The internet is crammed full of people posting their thoughts on yesterday's worldwide news...so who needs to read anything more I might have to say?

But--all these responses to an event that will forever be remembered (especially in American history) have gotten me thinking about a lot of things. Mostly, I have been challenged by 1 phrase in particular that I keep seeing on news sites and even on facebook...that "justice has been served."

We (especially Americans) like to use this phrase, and we believe strongly in the idea of justice. But watching the world's response to the death of Osama bin Laden has been a struggle for me. What has become of our definition of justice? It feels like someone decided to give up on thinking critically and now all we can come up with is "well, he hurt me so I have the right to kill as many people I need to until he is killed. And that makes the world just." Ugh...just the idea of this entitlement that we have to hand out what people "deserve" is so disgusting, it makes me sick to my stomach.

But this idea of justice has been bugging me longer than the past 24 hours. It's become a much bigger issue to me now that I live in Nueva Suyapa and continue to see and hear about the injustices of life in Honduras. Living in a society where corruption is well-known, accepted and expected is a big adjustment. Living in a community where people have no voice and live in fear of speaking out against injustice is a totally different thing.

There is a lot of violence in Honduras. Especially in major cities, like Tegucigalpa. I don't really want to get into the details because...well...the scare factor isn't necessary. But it is a reality. It's part of my host family's life, it affects my coworkers and their families, and it impacts the way we live our lives in Suyapa.

There have been several tragedies since I've been here that affected people in the neighborhood. But victims or victims families are too afraid to speak out against the perpetrators because they live in fear of retaliation. However, if no one ever steps forward, how can justice ever be served? And what exactly is justice in these situations? Is it seeing the kidnappers, rapists, gang members and murderers locked up in prison and lose their freedom for the rest of their life? Is it seeing them killed to pay for what they've done?

As Christians, what has become our definition of justice? Some would say it is God's work to hand out justice, so I don't have to do much. There are many who still appear to go along with the idea of an eye for an eye. But can we (or should we) in good conscience allow for justice that involves taking more life?

Working for a Mennonite organization that continually talks about working for peace and justice does not make this any clearer. All my life I've heard about restorative justice and I choose to believe that there has to be another way. There has to be an option between throwing our hands up and saying "it's God's to deal with" or only seeking to repay one life by taking another. We are God's hands and feet on earth, and while the kingdom of shalom and justice has not yet come, it is still our responsibility to be working on that now.

To me, working for justice has to involve putting an end injustice. Making right the wrongs that have been done...but not necessarily in a way that continues to foment division, hatred, "fairness" and repayment. What is "fair" is not always just. Nor is it always right. Jesus changed the accepted law of an eye for an eye, but never said there would be no justice.

Today I was challenged by a friend's blog post to think about handling justice with grace. We believe in a just God and a gracious God too...but do we really like to consider how those two characteristics are held together? It sounds nice to live in a world of justice...but it scares me even more to think of living without grace. I mean, as a Christian, I can't. Therefore I must consider how I share this grace that has been given to me as I work for justice in a broken world.

So I guess all I'm trying to say is I'm feeling challenged today.
Challenged to consider what it means to seek justice.
Challenged to believe in the value of justice with grace.
Challenged to know what kind of justice to work towards and pray for when I so desperately want the restoration of wholeness for people who are victims of violence and injustice in my neighborhood.

But there's encouragement too.
I'm encouraged by the response of many friends and believers that goes against the grain of mainstream America.
Encouraged by colleagues and organizations in Honduras that give voice to many who have no political influence and work through unjust systems to create more just-ful outcomes.
Encouraged by the thoughtful response of a priest:

"Osama bin Laden, as we all know, had the very grave responsibility of spreading division and hatred amongst the people, causing the death of countless of people, and of instrumentalizing religion for this end," he said. "In front of the death of man, a Christian never rejoices but rather reflects on the grave responsibility of each one in front of God and men, and hopes and commits himself so that every moment not be an occasion for hatred to grow but for peace."           ~Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi