Weekly reflection

Some thoughts comparing the big city with the country in Honduras...

One of the first things that struck me as strangely familiar yet uniquely distinct to Honduras was all of the fast food shops that pervade the largest cities here. In San Pedro Sula, there was one block in the downtown area of the city where the fast food giants Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonalds, and Burger King intersected. It was a familiar sight, since many of the same places populate US cities, yet it was somewhat different as the fast food places here were on a much larger scale than at home, and seemed almost upscale compared to some of the local eateries. The sight of fast food industries towering over my head in the city left a big impression on me, one that I carried through in a metaphorical way to think about the looming crisis of healthcare here. Some people are overweight here from eating too much greasy, fat-laden, and nutrient-poor fast food and not enough vegetables and fruits. It saddened me to know that American-based companies were contributing to the health dilemma here so blatantly, not even in a stealthy way but in a showy, extravagant way. Hmm... well the countryside has been much different. After spending a few days in San Pedro Sula, we arrived in El Porvenir, which is a small, relatively calm village sandwiched between the ocean on one edge and the mountains just a bit further on the other edge. It is a beautiful little town, rich with friendly people, clothes hanging on clotheslines, roaming cows, chickens, and a few pigs, and lots of malnourished dogs that could use a bit more love. There are many children here, some without clothes, most with messy hair and paper-worn shoes, a few with old bicycles meant for adults. The village is mostly impoverished. Houses are fairly sturdy here, but it is apparent that money is scarce and healthcare even more scarce. There is a tiny clinic here, but it is not very well-maintained. We´ll get a chance to tour it next Tuesday, and I think it will be interesting albeit disheartening to see what sorts of resources are available there. It has been an exhausting week. We´ve played with the kids at the Kinder and they have left an impression in our hearts as they have been welcoming, adorable, and generally full of energy and life. It is sad to see adults here whose energy and fullness of life seems to have been wrenched out of them, by drops of sweat and hard work. I´m very excited to spend more time here and learn more about the people here, their culture, and their daily lives. :)