Tag Archives: Tegucigalpa

Si Díos quiere (God willing)

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When walking down the main street of Talanga, you’ll most likely see public buses (yellow relics of school districts from across the U.S. that no longer meet emissions requirements) painted across the backside with phrases like “PROPIEDAD DE CRISTO” (Property of Christ).  Many homes and businesses are decorated with an assortment of posters of the Virgin Mary, Bible quotes, and Crucifixes.  My sense so far is that the prevalence of religious references in public has to do with a blend of cultural tradition, heartfelt belief, and … attempts at crime-prevention.  I think grocery store management was thinking about the latter more than anything else when they plastered the huge sticker of Christ emblazoned with the words “NO MATARÁS” (Thou shalt not kill) on the cash register.

There are also a few phrases Hondurans often use that incorporate religious belief into everyday conversation.  It was startling at first to hear such overt religious references casually spoken, like “Si Díos quiere” (God willing) or “Si Díos lo permita” (If God allows it).  Even though I can recall people in the U.S. talking about God’s will in our lives, it seems like they are always in reference to big unknowns, like terminal illnesses and natural disasters, but here the sentiment pops up casually and often, such as:

Me: See you later this afternoon!

Honduran co-worker: Si Díos lo permita …

My first thought is … that’s crazy … can’t we at least take for granted the few hours between now and this afternoon when we have our meeting? I’ll see you soon. If God allows it. The phrases are more than just conversation niceties or kitschy superstition.  Actually they seem to suggest a way of looking at things that is full of gratitude, by acknowledging that every minute we have is pure gift.

I think that sometimes in the past, it’s been easier for me to assume that my plans trump those of the universe and that I’m in charge of my own life – it’s almost never that I’m challenged on those assumptions.  Supposedly, I’m an individual and I’ve earned what I have. In contrast, for so many of the families we work with here in Honduras, it’s not a given that things that are necessary to make a life – like work and food and open beds in the one public hospital in Tegucigalpa – are available.  How is it that I have those things through the [gift, luck, rigged system ...] of my family?  More and more as I have waded through both the incredible heaviness and the unexpected joys here in this community, a phrase like God willing seems like a truthful reflection of the big-ness, the interconnected-ness, the mysterious-ness of life itself.

- Melissa Eells is a Passionist Volunteer serving in Honduras.

Please consider a donation to help the Passionists in their ministry to people living in poverty: Please make checks payable to PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES.

Passionist Missionaries Inc.
526 Monastery Place
Union City NJ 07087-3398
Tel: 888/806-6606
E-mail: AGardiner@cpprov.org

Donate on-line by clicking the button below.
The Donate Now button will redirect you to Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) which is the credit card processing company for The Passionist Missionaries website.


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Passionist Volunteer Brooke Lahr Reflects on New Realities in Honduras

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Children enjoying a meal at the Comedor Infantil Pasionista

After being here for a little more than a month, my experience is still one of discovery.  But, little by little, what is frustrating, outrageous, shocking, and even debilitating is passing from “discover” to acceptance as everyday reality. With each experience of what I have found both amusing and shocking, I hear myself now saying “that’s just the way it is here.” A very difficult but necessary first step, is removing my “American fix-it mentality”, and just letting it all sink in. As I begin to accompany these wonderful people of Honduras, I am trying as best I can to accept so many things as they are. I am trying to accept reality as it is and not as the way I think it should be. It is very difficult for me seeing so many problems and knowing that back home we would find the resources and help to fix them.

Most of my acceptance has come from my being a part of Passionist Volunteers International’s growing project, “The Comedor Infantil.”  An amusing example of this is seeing little girls in worn, uncomfortable, frilly, princess-dresses, which are their every day outfit for the week, knowing they were discarded by wealthier kids after one Halloween use back home. A very humbling experience for me is seeing an older brother, at 9 years old; regularly refusing his only balanced meal of the day until he knows his youngest sibling has gotten a share as well. Another experience is the sinking and defeating feeling of coming upon the remains of a completely destroyed adobe home as the result of flooding in a community that doesn’t need any more problems.

While my initial reactions may be to laugh, cry, complain, or even run away, I now have learned to pause.  I have learned to process what has happened. I know that the debilitating loss experienced by so many doesn’t keep them down or from starting all over again.  Their attitude and spirit helps me to stand tall and not falter.

This week, I bandaged the foot of a 9 year old who stepped on a nail, knowing that at home a tetanus shot would surely be called for and given. This, however, will not happen. The family does not have the money for a tetanus shot. Any little money they have would be spent trying to provide food for their five children.

For now, I just have to take this problem for what it is. Worrying about the possible and more likely effects of a rusted nail is not going to bring that family the money for the shot, nor the necessary food for all five children and their parents. But doing what I can, bandaging the foot and providing one meal a day, can lighten their load that is already way too heavy.

Simply because these are the realities Hondurans face every day doesn’t allow them to see themselves as victims. They are people: proud, beautiful, capable people. And I am lucky to walk with them, think of them, be thankful for them and witness the beauties and strengths that thrive in their reality.

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Please consider a donation to help the Passionists in their ministry to people living in poverty: Please make checks payable to PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES.

Passionist Missionaries Inc.
526 Monastery Place
Union City NJ 07087-3398
Tel: 888/806-6606
E-mail: DLisotta@cpprov.org

Donate on-line by clicking the button below.
The Donate Now button will redirect you to Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) which is the credit card processing company for The Passionist Missionaries website.


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Heavy Rains make a Bad Situation in Honduras Worse

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The staff at St. Benedict’s Clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras has been working long hours in response to the dengue fever epidemic. Now, with unrelenting, torrential rains and wind their situation has gone from bad to to worse. There has been damage to the clinic. The staff fears that the water that came in through the roof might cause an electrical short circuit and cause a fire. There is virtually no help from the government who says that they don’t have any money. Until they can get more money for the roof they are going to buy some sheets of plastic to cover things. This morning we received the photos above and the message below from Hernán Reyes Soto, a staff member at St. Benedict’s.

We have been hours without electric power because of a strong storm with thunder and lightening…  It was very difficult to leave the clinic. There were cave-ins at both exits and very strong currents of water.  In these last few days there has been much damage especially in Tegucigalpa.  Again, there were many houses that were destroyed, trees fallen, markets flooded, cave-ins and closing of streets, boulevards and highways…

Today I was at the clinic as it rained and I could see that the damage was even greater than I had expected. There is a lot of damage in all areas of the building. I observed that various doctors were unable to perform their duties due to the quantity of water that fell inside their offices.

The injection room has closed its doors.  Files are wet. Today pieces of ice fell like stones with great force and I believe it has created even greater damage. The employees became very frightened due to the large quantity of water that was leaking into the offices.  At the offices of odontology and microbiology it seemed as if they had a ceiling shower from the quantity of water that was leaking.  I took photos and video with the camera on my phone. But the camera on the cell phone doesn’t focus well enough.  Either way I sent the pictures and video for you to see… I do not want to cause inconveniences but when I say this matter is urgent, it’s because it is urgent, I understand what was said to me, but the problem is that it rains a lot now.  We should have made repairs in the summer but I understand that there weren’t enough resources available and that there aren’t any now.  I worry a lot about not being able to find a solution… the government will not help anyone for now… they say there is no money and now there is possibility of a general strike of all the unions, because after 8 months of trying to negotiate their minimum wage salaries they have not come into agreement…  There are other strikes by institutes of security as that of the teachers… If I give more details I can write many pages of so many conflicts that are occurring here…

Today I thought about other minor solutions, but I do not find solutions because each time that repairs are done after a short time the damage is greater…  On the other hand we cannot make repairs with so much humidity… you can only change it…

At the beginning I couldn’t understand why the electric system began to fail, but today I could see something that worries me a lot:  It is that there are filtrations of water on lamps and this can cause a short circuit and a fire… it is another reason why we stopped attending patients, since it is necessary to turn off all the lights and disconnect some machinery so that they wouldn’t get damaged… We need help as soon as possible…Please do something quickly… excuse the pressure…

Hernán Reyes Soto – St. Benedict’s Clinic

Translation by: Jocelyn Padilla

Please consider an emergency donation to assist St. Benedict’s Clinic. Please make checks payable to PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES.

Passionist Missionaries Inc.
526 Monastery Place
Union City NJ 07087-3398
Tel: 888/806-6606
E-mail: DLisotta@cpprov.org

Donate on-line by clicking the button below.

The Donate Now button will redirect you to Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) which is the credit card processing company for The Passionist Missionaries website. You can direct your donation to St. Benedict’s by choosing Honduras – Dengue Fever Fund from the drop-down menu



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St. Benedict’s Clinic Responds to Dengue Outbreak

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A patient with Dengue. He is receiving IV fluids at the clinic as there is insufficient capacity at the hospital.

These photos were taken today at St. Benedict’s, the Passionist sponsored clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where the state of emergency due to the dengue fever epidemic continues. At least 13 people have died and 10,200 others have been hit by the disease. Health Minister Arturo Bendana said that of the total reported dengue fever cases, 476 were of the hemorrhagic type. Both staff and patients are grateful for the generosity of our donors who have made it possible for the clinic to provide free medications to those who need them.

Honduran President Porfirio Lobo is leading a nation-wide campaign aimed at eradicating the mosquitos, which are the carriers of the disease. All public offices are clearing areas of still water in their vicinity.

Please consider a donation to help the Passionists in their ministry to people living in poverty: Please make checks payable to PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES.

Passionist Missionaries Inc.
526 Monastery Place
Union City NJ 07087-3398
Tel: 888/806-6606
E-mail: DLisotta@cpprov.org

Donate on-line by clicking the button below.
The Donate Now button will redirect you to Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) which is the credit card processing company for The Passionist Missionaries website.


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Update from St. Benedict’s Clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

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Medicines from Europe being delivered to the clinic

We have just received this update from the Dr. Casey, the Medical Director of our clinic in Honduras.

“Things have been rather hectic in Honduras with an outbreak of dengue fever. Because of the grant we are able to manage well the needs of the people that we serve as well as some others who are coming to us because they know we have medicines and the other clinics don’t.”

The medicines were purchased from a grant of $15,000  that was obtained from the Catholic Human Services Foundation located in New Jersey.

St. Benedict’s Clinic in Tegucigalpa serves more than 45,000 women, men and children a year bringing the most modern and efficient medical treatment to poor families in the nation’s capital, a sprawling city of millions.

Please consider a donation to help the Passionists in their ministry to people living in poverty: Please make checks payable to PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES.

Passionist Missionaries Inc.
526 Monastery Place
Union City NJ 07087-3398
Tel: 888/806-6606
E-mail: DLisotta@cpprov.org

Donate on-line by clicking the button below.
The Donate Now button will redirect you to Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) which is the credit card processing company for The Passionist Missionaries website.


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