Thursday, December 15, 2011

In the face of violence - love


A major political leader who was openly opposed to drug trafficking and police corruption was recently killed. Two more journalists were killed this month in Honduras putting the number of journalists killed in the last two years at 19. A demonstration of journalists in Tegucigalpa was broekn up by the police with tear gas and violence.

What has the Honduran Congress done?

They are giving the military police powers.

They are justifying wiretapping.

They are, for six months, not allowing motorcyclists to carry passengers.

Go figure!

I, though, feel safe. Our part of the country is fairly tranquil, both in Santa Rosa and in the countryside, though crime and violence are not unheard of.

But the people I work with are very protective. When we got stranded late at night in my car way out in the countryside the four guys with me insisted on sleeping with me int he car instead of walking 45 minutes to sleep in their homes. The next morning they even sent someone to give me coffee and breakfast while I tried to get someone to fix the car.

And, most of all,  I still feel strongly that here is where God is calling me to be.

Perfect love casts out fear, according to 1 John 4:18. And that requires humility - willingness to put one's life in the hands of God and others. 

And here in Honduras this is not hard for me.

A carved image of Jesus at Caritas Santa Rosa de Copán


2 comments:

pereirus said...

Hola Juancito,

Cuídate mucho. No te expongas. El pasado lunes en la sesión de estudio de la Biblia en la iglesia Santa Cecilia leí este proverbio: 'El que acepta que lo corrijan ama el saber, el que aborrece la reprensión es un tonto.' (Pr. 12:1). Decía Don Quijote que los refranes son medias verdades, y eso lo creo, pero ese proverbio me pareció apropiado en mi contexto como educador y ahora en el tuyo.

Hay otro proverbio que siempre oí cuando yo era niño en Colombia: 'El que ama el peligro, en él perece'. Lo del gobierno hondureño controlando a los pasajeros en las motos hay que entenderlo. Es una medida, que por seguridad también se usó en Colombia, para prevenirnos de los 'sicarios.'

Take good care.

Eduardo

John (Juancito) Donaghy said...

Eduardo

I am very careful and don't put myself in danger. Usually I do not drive after dark and I know where it's best to walk after dark here in Santa Rosa. It's generally very safe here, but I am careful.

Peace

John