St. Michael the Archangel Honduras Mission Project

Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all…St. John Paul II

It was no surprise that our reflection for this day was focused on solidarity and the passage above resonated with our team as we prepared to encounter a new opportunity for our mission. Our journey to Tegucigalpa was an adventure, the roads and highways here look much different than what is typical in the US. Potholes are frequent and the hurricanes that impacted Honduras over the last 2 years did not spare the roads. In addition to cars, trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians, there were horses, burros, cows, goats, chickens and many dogs on the road. Every creature travels the same roads in Honduras!!

The countryside we traveled was stunning with many grand vistas along this mountainous region. It is rich in agriculture in this area and beneath the tall pines, crops of bananas and coffee were frequent in addition to potatoes, corn, beans and rice. The majority of farm work is done completely by hand regardless of the mountainous terrain.

Most of the trip was on two lane highways with many switchbacks as the elevation rises and falls. It is about 135 miles to Tegucigalpa but the trip takes about 6-7 hours from Santa Rosa. To give you an understanding of how rough the roads are, one of our team members logged 74 minutes of activity during our drive (probably from holding on for life).

Tegus is the capital of Honduras and has a population of about 1.5 million. The city sits in a valley with houses built up the sides. Two major rivers wind through Tegus.

We arrived right around lunchtime and were surprised to learn six of the religious sisters that live and work at the home for children in Tegucigalpa also had all lived and worked at the homes in Santa Rosa de Copán. It felt like a reunion!

We enjoyed catching up with the sisters over a delicious lunch. Next we got an overview of the current state of the house, recent improvements to the facility as well as the challenges they face. They gave us a tour of the very large facility. A large part of the home was a government run school that closed about six years ago. Much of the home is in disrepair although a large area of the roof and ceiling has been replaced and the nuns living space has been updated. There are currently 28 young girls residing at the home. Right now they attend school virtually due to the pandemic. The primary need at this home is a stable food source followed by support for education.

After our tour, we were treated to a visit to the Our Lady of Suyapa Basilica. Our Lady of Suyapa is the patroness of Honduras. The basilica is stunning and can be seen from a distance. Pope John Paul II visited the basilica in 1983. Learn more about Our Lady of Suyapa here: https://nationaltoday.com/our-lady-of-suyapa/

We returned to the Casa del Niños and continued to learn more about this community. After dinner, the girls in the house serenaded us and asked us many questions about our life in Kansas. We will continue to pray for guidance on how to love, serve and live in solidarity with those in this community.

¡Paz!

Juanita