Things change quickly…in 47 years

I left Honduras and the Peace Corps 47 years ago. One thing that hasn’t changed in Tegucigalpa is the Basilica, except that it was on the outskirts of the capital then and the nearby barrio did not have water or electricity. And now this time I’m staying in a nice high rise condo.

I visited two of the poorest barrios today and it reminded me of my time in the Peace Corps. What’s changed for the children is the amount of violence that, sadly, has been normal for them. But social workers reach out to them with love and support. Now they even talk openly about taboo issues like child sexual abuse.

Another change is from the military dictatorship of my time to democratic elections. They elect a new president this month . But they face many of the same political problems as the US, including some trying to create chaos by casting doubt on the validity of the elections. You know, if we lose it’s fraud, but if we win, well, that’s okay.

One non-partisan group stands out: the Association for a More Just Society. They hold the government to account with solid facts, such as the fact that one out of four teachers getting a salary was not working. Although the number of days school is required to be open was 200, the average was 120. By publicizing these well researched facts the government was pressured to change. A group of student volunteers comes to the office one day a week to survey parents on how many days their school was open to keep the authorities’ feet to the fire.

I met other young people working at this association towards a better Honduras. They are enthusiastic and very smart. This bodes well for the future of Honduras. The Peace Corps withdrew from Honduras 13 years ago and it’s time to come back.Read more