2009 Mission Trip to El Hogar's Agricultural School outside Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Cancelled.
In July 2009, Redeemer was planning to send its fourth mission group to work and live at the Escuela Agricola in Talanga, Honduras - one of the three schools operated by the El Hogar Projects in Honduras.
However, on June 30th the leaders of the 2009 mission trip to El Hogar made the decision to cancel the trip. Two days earlier a military coup d’etat in Honduras had removed President Manuel Zelaya from office. All other countries in the Americas have condemned this action by the Honduran military. Within Honduras social unrest mounted as demonstrations, for and against Zelaya, filled streets in the capital. On Tuesday the 30th the US State Department issued a travel alert advising US citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Honduras; and advising US citizens inside the country to refrain from travel.
This change of plans is a deep disappointment to all of us who have been preparing for the trip. We had anticipated a return to a place of great beauty, industry, and hope - to be again with our dear friends at the Agricultural School and all the wonderful boys. For several of us this was a return to a very special place – in Honduras, in our hearts and in our parish life. We anticipated stepping back into a place that welcomes and embraces us; where we could reestablish our connections with the staff and teachers who give more than we can offer.
As a parish we have grown together with this relationship. A few dozen parishioners have gone to El Hogar; several members of our community sponsor children at the schools; and many are very generous with their material support. All of this simply means that the cancellation of this year’s trip is only a momentary change in the way we live into this ministry. We will keep connections with the boys and staff we have known and those we hope to meet for the first time - as we sustain our connections and plan for the future.
Our brothers and sisters in Honduras, our dear friends at El Hogar, the children and young men and all of their families, remain a part of our community. Now more than ever they need our support and prayers. Please keep them all in your thoughts - for their safety and their peace.
The El Hogar website (http://www.elhogar.org/) has frequent updates on the situation in Honduras written by the Rev. Richard Kunz, Director of Los Proyectos El Hogar in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
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