Arrival in Honduras: First Impressions (suivant en français)

Arrival in Honduras: First Impressions (suivant en français)

We took off from the Dorval airport at 6:15 after an all too short sleep. Fortunately I hadn’t trusted the Days Inn for a wake-up call, since it never came!

We arrived in San Pedro Sula airport in Honduras at 1:15 pm (Central time), and once we ha got our 6 suit-cases through, Melodie met us with Tina, to drive us to Siguatepeque, stopping on the way to pick up some food contributions for the home, and doing a bit of shopping as well. They took us to the home of Dr. NahimNasrallah, on the Evangelical Hospital compound. Dr. Nasrallah had invited us to stay in his home until we should be able to settle in to our own rented place.  This 84 year-old doctor’s hospitality, dedication to God and his fellow man, is exceptional. One night we saw him go out of his house around 9:30 – to assist in a surgery. A committed Christian of Palestinian origin, Dr. Nasrallah has devoted most of his life to serving Hondurans.  He had another guest in his home, Dr. Gerald Hagin, an oncologist, who was giving a couple of weeks of his time to serve in this Honduran hospital. Toward the end of the week a cousin of Dr. Nasrallah had an intestine pierced in a colonoscopy. She had emergency surgery for that, and for a tumor that was found. So relatives flooded in From the USA on Thursday and Friday. Fortunately, we had our furniture delivered by Friday and were able to move in to our own rented home.

The owners of our house are Ron and Mandy. (Mandy is a Honduran lady). Mandy accompanied us into town to show us the best stores and help us bargain for furniture at “Honduran” prices instead of “Gringo” prices. She devoted a full day to us, and both Ron and Mandy have continued to be very helpful to us. On the same property as us there is a small one-room house, where Dan and Issa, another American-Honduran couple live. They also have been very friendly and helpful with information. We are well surrounded! 

Of course, among the roses, there have to be some thorns. An American who is a little older than us has been using one of our two driveways, and will continue for another month. No problem at all with that. But as we were talking outside on our first day here he saw a young Honduran passing by outside the fence. He ogled her and said “Buenos días” with a very suggestive voice. She stiffly responded “Buenos días” and walked quickly on. He told me he had come down to live in Honduras for two reasons: first “to escape the cold” and second “for that thing that just walked by” and just in case I hadn’t understood, he added in a false whisper and chuckle “I mean girls!”  I thought” This guy probably returns to his country occasionally, claiming that Honduran girls are “easy” – I wonder if he’s ever looked at himself in the mirror! This attitude, considering that if you have money you are allowed to use and abuse people, shows up in the number of old “gringos” going around with young Honduran girls, as well as in industry – both agricultural and textile, and, I am told, the mining industry. But I’ll spare you any further rant on this matter!

On Wednesday afternoon we went to the Vida y Libertad home to visit the children – it was great to see their progress. Then we went out for supper with Melodie and her friend.

Friday we played the role of “grandparents” to four of the children from the Home who attend the Bilingual school of Siguatepeque. They were having a science fair and very much wanted us to attend.

Sunday morning we were at church. The pastor, HectorVillatoro, preached a great sermon on evangelism, as a team of young people from Texas is here to do some intensive evangelism all through the city in cooperation with a number of Baptist churches. He then taught one of the adult Sunday school classes, dwelling on Mathew 25 “What you have done unto the least of these…” .  Lise and I went back to the Home to bring some things to the children in the afternoon, then returned for the 5 pm service at Iglesia Bautista Hermon. Hector preached a powerful gospel message, stressing the fact that salvation brings new life, and transformation. He used the example of Simon in Acts chapter 8, showing that a person can make a “profession of faith” and even be baptized, without ever having really come into a living relationship with Christ. Hector is truly a gifted evangelist.

Hector’s son, also named Hector, drove us home at 7:30 pm.

Did you notice I mentioned a fence surrounding our property? It is unclimbable, and has a heavy padlock. Then the outer steel door has another heavy padlock and a double lock in the door itself. Then there is a wooden door with another double lock. I have a key ring with 10 different keys, all for the house. (Two keys to get through the two back doors and a key for every room). In order to get in, we need to use at least four different keys – or dynamite!

The owner has a huge female pit bull that doesn’t like strangers (the feeling is mutual) and two large dogs that are a mixture of Rottweiler and pit bull. He has just bought two baby Pit Bulls.  I just don’t feel inclined to visit for some reason. J

We learned of a tragic story Sunday night. A young man from the church, who was in his twenties, witnessed a murder on the street a few months ago. The murderer ran away, and the young man approached the scene and bent over the victim to see if there was any life in him. He was seen, and accused of the murder and put in preventive custody in Comayagua without being charged. A couple of months later a fire occurred in the overcrowded prison, the guards fired on any prisoners trying to escape (throwing at least one back into the flames). Most of the prisoners remained locked into their cells. While firemen arrived on the scene within ten minutes, the guards would not let them in until over half an hour later.  Hundreds died, and it took weeks to identify those who had perished. This young man turned out to be one of them. His funeral was Friday March 5^th.