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El Hogar Ministries eNewsletter
Special Edition - Update on Political Situation
September 8, 2009 |
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September 8, 2009
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Issue 25 | |
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| Introduction |
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We are continuing to send updates from Rich Kunz as new information becomes available.
Thank you for your concern for El Hogar and Honduras.
Liz Kinchen
Executive Director in NA | |
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| September 8, 2009 |
Honduras broke into U.S. news again last week, with the State Department canceling some aid and announcing that it will revoke the visas of some government officials. In addition, the spokesperson indicated that the U.S. might not accept the results of the election in Honduras. This is designed as a way of applying pressure to the present government to accept the accords proposed by Arias, which would allow Zelaya to return (under some constraints) and would give amnesty to everyone involved. Despite this news, on a day to day basis life has pretty much gone on here.
The third year students at the Agricultural School went on a retreat this weekend. Those of you who have gone to the farm know that they are more or less in the middle of nowhere to start with. Balbino was telling me that for this retreat they were going to get away so that they could enjoy nature. He said, in typical understatement, that the road to where they were going was "a little bit difficult". Their destination was a place off in the mountains next to a waterfall. He wanted the boys to be there with nothing but what was necessary. The water there is clear and potable, and the setting apparently is beautiful. Our chaplain was going, and the idea was to take the boys away so they could think about what God has done for them during the last three years, and also pray about their future plans and goals. I have not heard yet how their weekend went.
The teachers at El Hogar also took a day of retreat this week. Working as hard as they do, it is important for them to be rooted in their faith. Otherwise, trying to serve so many children would quickly become a huge burden. This week they are fasting part of each day, and at the end of the week they will share in a vigil of prayer and song. Meanwhile Claudia is continuing to try to make local contacts in order to generate local support for El Hogar. A crew from Channel 8 came, and broadcast a segment about El Hogar on TV that night. With support from the US lagging this year, and prices rising, we are doing everything we can to try to make ends meet. One of the contacts Claudia has made is with a local judo school. They are offering free classes for some of our children, and the girls are joining in. The kids are quite excited about this opportunity.
The Technical School had its special activities last week, so this week everyone is back to regular classes and assignments. But we are already making plans for a few special activities coming up, like a reunion of former graduates from all the sites.
So El Hogar is continuing to move forward. We are anticipating a return to a regular schedule of volunteer groups, which will be a welcome addition to our life. And we are looking optimistically, but cautiously, toward next year. This year has been very tough financially, and has left us with no cushion at all. We are hoping that we do not need to dismiss teachers or admit fewer children in this coming year.
A few comments on the political situation:
Although the State Department announcement made headlines, much of what was cut had already been suspended. Some additional funds were targeted, including a project to improve the road from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula. This will, of course, increase the unemployment level here in Honduras. Hilary Clinton was careful to note that the situation here is complex, and because the legislative and judicial branches of the government were involved in Zelaya's removal, they are not considering this situation a military coup at this time. The U.S. military is still sharing a base here in Honduras with the Honduran military. From my point of view, the U.S. is pulling its punches, wanting to make a statement against forced removal of presidents, but doing so in a way that does not force Honduras into complying. Once again, we will see what the future holds.
It seems to me that as time goes on, opposition to Zelaya's return is getting stronger. There are several factors that enter into this. First, he has spent a lot of time and energy trying to get other countries to impose sanctions and sever relationships with Honduras. He says openly that he believes Honduras should be forced to accept him back. Patriotism is alive and well here in Honduras, and having a former president advocate international pressure against Honduras has resulted in a lot of anger. In addition, Zelaya continues to claim that hundreds have been killed in a blood bath here, and that hundreds of others are being tortured for resisting the new government. This is not true, and people resent his portrayal of Honduras in this way.
Meanwhile, his supporters here are not making a lot of friends. The core group that calls itself the "resistance" is composed mostly of teachers, and some union leaders. Each week, the teachers announce which two or three days they will hold classes, and then demonstrate the other days. This has parents up in arms, since the education of their children is being compromised. Most of the demonstrations are peaceful, but this past week they marched to an evangelical church where the pastor has expressed support for the new government. The church has a Christian school. While the children were in the school, the demonstrators surrounded it, shouted threats, threw rocks, and spray painted obscenities on the walls. (A few weeks ago they surrounded one of the school buses from this same school, and while the children watched in fear, screamed at them and covered the bus with graffiti.) I cannot help but compare these "teachers", who are willing to ignore their own students and terrorize others, with our teachers at El Hogar, fasting in order to be open to God using them more effectively. This past weekend some supporters of Zelaya in Choluteca converged on a rally of one of the candidates running for president, and threw rocks at those gathered there. Some were armed with machetes, and there were several injuries. They have also been systematically tearing down campaign signs. None of these things make people long for Zelaya's return.
And, finally, investigations continue into Zelaya's actions while he was president. I imagine that an unbridled investigation into any politician's affairs, both in the U.S. and here, might be able to dig up some dirt, but Zelaya appears to have provided some serious material to work with. The paper yesterday carried the results of one investigation by the accounting department, which has uncovered over $7,000,000 dollars of government money spent on personal expenses by Zelaya. This includes, in one month, $5,000 for cigars, fancy tack for his horse, jewelry for his wife, art work, and expensive suits. Makes it harder for him to press his claim that he is on the side of the poor.
So Honduras seems to be pressing forward. The campaign for elections in November has already started, and no one doubts that the intention of the present government is to hand power on to whomever is selected. The only fear is that Zelaya's supporters will do all they can to sabotage the process. Most people I talk to are extremely weary of the continuing controversy, and looking forward to the elections as a way of putting this all behind them.
The qualifiers for the World Cup continue. As of today, Honduras is in the first position, ahead of the U.S. There are two tough games ahead, but at a time when Honduras is feeling beleaguered and isolated, the accomplishments of their futbol team are especially treasured.
I leave this Wednesday for the U.S., and will be preaching and visiting in churches mostly along the East Coast. It will in many ways be a relief to be back in the Ol' US of A, but at the same time I am quite aware that I am leaving behind an amazing group of teachers, workers and students, who are a daily example to me of faith and love.
Please continue to keep them in your prayers. |
| August 31, 2009 |
The past week was a good one for El Hogar. It started with a wonderful celebration at St. Mary's Church on Sunday. It was the church's annual patronal festival. The Bishop was there to preach and celebrate, and the English and Spanish congregations combined for the morning. There were several confirmations. The Garifuna women presented the offertory, which included dancing to the altar with not only bread and wine, but also with traditional Garifuna dishes, including fish and platanas. After the Eucharist, lunch was served on the site of what used to be the Technical Institute, and now is part of St. Mary's Bilingual School.
This was also the week the Institute celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The celebration began with a Eucharist in the new chapel on Monday morning. Each day during the week there were special activities, with lots of soccer games. One of the games featured the teachers playing against the students. I will not report the outcome of that game, but only say that, miraculously, all the faculty were still able to walk with some help after the game was over. On Friday everyone went to a local park for a day long picnic. The park has a small pool, which the boys enjoyed. They also had two pinatas. Here in Honduras the pinatas move up and down and swing, and the person who has the baton is twirled around until he/she is dizzy and then blindfolded. The person who moves the pinata tries to keep it safe, but is not beyond trying to hit whoever is "it" with the pinata by swinging it at him/her. When it finally does get hit hard enough for the candy to fall out, there is an incredible scrum, with all the boys in a huge pile trying to grab at least some of the treats. Lots of fun! This year, to keep expenses as low as possible, Patricia and her kitchen crew cooked lunch, and brought it out to the park for the boys and the faculty. It was a wonderful day.
Balbino and Wilman returned from their ERD conference with lots of new ideas and also some new tasks suggested by the ERD staff. The conference had over 30 participants from 11 Latin American countries. It was at a beach, but the schedule hardly allowed for the chance to enjoy it. They come back with a fuller understanding of the partnership ERD would like to have with El Hogar, and a new relationship with the staff assigned to work with them. This was also a week when weather and timing were right for planting. The fields are now sown with frijoles and corn. We are trying to grow as much as possible to offset some of our food costs this year.
School continued at El Hogar this week. Our recycling program is still going strong, and the classes on Saturdays in which adults can learn to read, taught by our older students under the supervision of our teachers, are still attracting some very motivated parents and even staff members. There is some new furniture in the dormitory, bought with money raised by our staff. The "logical consequences" approach to discipline is going well. When I stopped by this weekend, the kids were relaxing and having a great time.
The political situation remains unresolved, but, like many Hondurans, we are going on with life, albeit against an uncertain backdrop. Just a few reflections on that political situation...
Today is the official kick-off of the campaign for the next president. Elections are scheduled for November 29, with the new president scheduled to take office on January 27. Something like 500,000 new voters have registered to be able to vote in these elections. There is a lot of hope that completing transparent elections will be a way out of the current crisis. But there are signs that it might not be so easy. Yesterday, one of the police officials assigned to protect the election process was murdered, and his papers that gave him that assignment were left in a prominent place at the scene of the crime. This indicates that there are those who are looking for ways to subvert the voting process. Several countries, including Spain, have already announced that they will not recognize the new president, as the current situation has not been resolved, and therefore in their opinion the electoral process will not be legitimate.
The actions of the US are still mixed. I get asked often, "Why is the United States acting in this way?" It is a good question, and there is no simple answer. This morning, looking at the U.S. press on the internet, I found two editorials on the situation here. One was criticizing Obama for encouraging "leftist thugs" by pressuring Honduras to reinstate Zelaya. The other was criticizing Obama for undermining democracy by NOT pressuring Honduras to immediately reinstate Zelaya. Obviously there is room for interpretation. On reflection, I think this is because the U.S. is pursuing two goals that are in tension with one another.
In the past, the United States has been criticized, often with justification, for meddling in Latin American politics for its own interests, without regard for the people of Central and South America. This has led to some deep resentments, and people like Chavez have used those resentments to grab power for themselves, blaming almost all ills on "Yankee Imperialism". The current administration seems determined to diffuse that, seeing that past stances have often proven counterproductive. So, for instance, I think if the US had immediately recognized the current government, the situation here would have been interpreted as yet another example of US meddling, and would have become a cause celebre for leftist governments to rally around. So, the US is trying to be part of an international team.
At the same time, the US recognizes that the direction of much of the hemisphere has become anti-American, and has no interest in yet another leader taking his or her country in that direction. Zelaya is seen as a trouble maker and a friend of Chavez. No one is really anxious to have him return.
The result is that the US is outwardly supporting the Organization of American States in seeking a "return to democracy" in Honduras, and imposing some sanctions. So far, however, it is coming short of imposing sanctions that would in effect force Honduras to comply. This has led to the rather strange situation in which Chavez is calling for more US intervention. It has also, paradoxically, made the US a key player in this crisis.
I am not smart enough to predict where this is all going, or what the US will do next. The acting President has presented a proposal by which he would be willing to resign if Zelaya also resigns, both doing so for the good of the country. In that case, the person next in line according to the Constitution would assume power, and the Congress would grant Zelaya amnesty for political crimes he has been charged with. The Organization of American States has rejected that proposal.
In the meantime, there is still a group that carries on regular protests, but much of the country is carrying on with life as usual, and energy is focusing now on who the next president will be. But the political situation has had and is having an effect on people and agencies here. This morning's paper carries the story of one institution that has been serving teenagers who are trying to recover from involvement with drugs and alcohol and gangs, and is now considering closing down because of lack of funds. We feel blessed that we so far have been able to continue to do our work, but are also feeling the effect of the combination of US recession and political crisis. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to keep this refuge, this "Hogar", open to those in need. |
| Past Articles |
| To read past articles, please visit our website at: www.elhogar.org. | |
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Sincerely,
Rev. Rich Kunz
Executive Director, Honduras | |
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