Returning to Honduras has been yet another challenging yet rewarding experience. My concept of time had become totally warped. Much of my little Spanish had been lost. I had forgotten how hot this coastal region of El Porvenir was. Water availability could now be an issue. The country was in a national dengue emergency. Communication access was severely limited. This time around, I arrived with not my Duke Project HEAL Team, but alone. What had I gotten myself into again?
Yet, when you take a look at each of my worries, they simply come from being unfamiliar and inexperienced. It’s been a blessing to work through these struggles. I’ve been able to slow down and appreciate the activities more. Honduras has been a place to exchange cultures and learn another language better. Even the humidity and lack of water has reminded me of how important it is to conserve. My desire to better health conditions has been revitalized after seeing the local leaders fight against dengue. Having less internet and phone access has pushed me to have more face-to-face meetings while building genuine relationship. And, I didn’t really arrive alone…
I’m currently living in the volunteer house with a group of Virginia Tech students. I have a Honduran community behind me. The support of friends and family has not faltered. God’s been ever faithful and constant. While everyone involved comes from different places and has different passions, our vision of helping each other is the same. I love how this year we have been able to flesh out more of our ideas and expand them to fall under one umbrella. It’s only been 4 days and we have already built and re-built relationships with:
• El Centro de Salud (health clinic)
• Engineers targeting the dengue emergency
• Dentist of El Porvenir
• La Junta de Agua (water committee)
• Los Bomberos (firefighters)
• Charlie & Amalia (American community leaders)
• Senor Funez (local community leader in charge of many community outreach initiatives)
• Professors from the colegio
• Students from the University in Ceiba
• El Kinder
• Semillas de Esperanza (public school)
• Jessica (Peace Corp Volunteer who has been here almost 2 years)
• Agriculture Committee
As you can see, so many ideas and projects have already been initiated! Last year, we had been a part of getting the people interested in these various areas, but currently, it seems as if they have started taking ownership of bettering their communities and are more than ever ready to partner. All the planning and time put into this community is certainly visible in not only the meetings on a project, but the commencement of the initiatives. We have come to understand that we are all in this together. Idea and cultural exchanges are not out of obligation, but out of friendship.
-Melody
