Some of Inez's boys & neighbors. They all help on the farm (along with their mothers & sisters) & they were excited to have us visiting.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Honduras
This is "the wife" here...Levi has invited me to post on his blog (he might regret it later). :P
I recently returned from a trip to Honduras with Heifer International, a global non-profit dedicated to ending hunger & poverty. I have volunteered for them for many years & was very excited to get the chance to see their projects in action. The trip was incredible & eye-opening--although it was sad & difficult at times to see the extent of poverty, it was also always hopeful.
Although we were only gone five days, returning home was a little bit of culture shock. The grocery store was just overwhelming & for a few days I was depressed & overcome by the incredible uneven distribution of resources in our world.
Americans always like to say how we "are lucky" & shouldn't take for granted all the wonderful things we have. I see it more as a charge to live simply & within our means, to not use in excess the amazing things we have constant access to.
Again & again on the trip I saw people we would consider poor that were happy & satisifed with their lives. I met a little girl named Juanita who was so happy that she was able to attend school & then still have time to come home & help her mother & aunties roast coffee beans to sell. I met a farmer with eleven children who lived in a two room mud house & who welcomed us into his home with more pride & hospitality that anyone I have ever met in the U.S. He explained that the whole village had been praying for our safe arrival & would continue to pray for our journey home after we left. I couldn't help but think that in so many ways this man & his family were richer than me.
It was amazing to see the happiness in those whose basic needs had been met & they are content. In our small & often blind country of incredible wealth & overabundance, it becomes our duty to assist our brothers & sisters. Not out of charity or the goodness of our hearts, but because every human being is entitled to the basic rights of living. The non-profit Oxfam says it well: to help people living in poverty to exercise five main rights: Right to a sustainable livelihood, Right to basic social services, Right to Life and security, Right to be heard, Right to an identity.
Above are some photos from my trip.
I recently returned from a trip to Honduras with Heifer International, a global non-profit dedicated to ending hunger & poverty. I have volunteered for them for many years & was very excited to get the chance to see their projects in action. The trip was incredible & eye-opening--although it was sad & difficult at times to see the extent of poverty, it was also always hopeful.
Although we were only gone five days, returning home was a little bit of culture shock. The grocery store was just overwhelming & for a few days I was depressed & overcome by the incredible uneven distribution of resources in our world.
Americans always like to say how we "are lucky" & shouldn't take for granted all the wonderful things we have. I see it more as a charge to live simply & within our means, to not use in excess the amazing things we have constant access to.
Again & again on the trip I saw people we would consider poor that were happy & satisifed with their lives. I met a little girl named Juanita who was so happy that she was able to attend school & then still have time to come home & help her mother & aunties roast coffee beans to sell. I met a farmer with eleven children who lived in a two room mud house & who welcomed us into his home with more pride & hospitality that anyone I have ever met in the U.S. He explained that the whole village had been praying for our safe arrival & would continue to pray for our journey home after we left. I couldn't help but think that in so many ways this man & his family were richer than me.
It was amazing to see the happiness in those whose basic needs had been met & they are content. In our small & often blind country of incredible wealth & overabundance, it becomes our duty to assist our brothers & sisters. Not out of charity or the goodness of our hearts, but because every human being is entitled to the basic rights of living. The non-profit Oxfam says it well: to help people living in poverty to exercise five main rights: Right to a sustainable livelihood, Right to basic social services, Right to Life and security, Right to be heard, Right to an identity.
Above are some photos from my trip.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Bike to work
Bike to work Month started last week. So far I am 5 for 5. Tomorrow will be a tough day, I think it is going to be raining.
Painting
Well we now own the townhome we were looking at buying. We spent the weekend painting it. All the walls were dirty and rather boring. To make it worse it is a pretty small space, so we chose different colors for different rooms. Most of the pictures didn't turn out but below gives a little idea of what we were trying to accomplish. Overall it turned out very well. We still have to finish our bedroom and closet. After we move in we need to do the stairwell also. Move in is getting close and we are getting very excited. First however is Ohio, grandma, and CEDAR POINT.
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