Our trip comes to an end...

March 23

Today was our last full day in Honduras and we spent part of it at the ACJ/YMCA building in Tegucigalpa as we reviewed our partnership agreement with Rosibel and her staff. The partnership agreement was signed in Nov of 2007 for the period of Jan 2009 – Dec 2013. Part of the agreement was to review it in March 2011, thus one of the main reasons for our visit.

As we began our discussions it was apparent to our group that the Honduras YMCA had worked diligently to fulfill their obligations. They had started and grown many programs for marginalized youth and did so without a lot of resources. They had mobilized volunteers in all locations and the youth and their communities were benefitting from these efforts.

Our meeting room....

As we looked at our side of the partnership we had realized some of our goals as well but there was still work to do to heighten awareness of the International Development work at our YMCAs. We need to do more with our volunteers as well as our youth. We also need to increase the level of communications among ourselves and our partners in Honduras.

The partnership group....

Can't forget the Newfoundland and Labrador contingent...

After the meeting we enjoyed a great meal together at an Argentine restaurant in the city and then headed out to the Valley of Angels (Valles des Angeles) to do the last of our souvenir shopping and have a chance to relax after a very full and busy week.

Enjoying our last day together...

It is siesta time...lots of crafts for sale...

Playing scoccer in the street...the kids all over Honduras play this sport...

Our hosts are finally able to relax!!

We ended the day with a pizza party and again we were up early this morning to catch a flight to Miami on the way back to home.

Looks like everyone is enjoying the pizza!

Ready to catch our flight to home!!

Bev’s Thoughts:

The basis of our trip to Honduras was to review a partnership agreement between the Atlantic YMCAs and the YMCA Honduras.  We were a part of it and we knew that we were financially supporting the work in Honduras under the YMCA umbrella.  What we did not know was the impact that we have on so many youth in Honduras that are learning life skills through YMCA programs.  They have such limited resources but reach a large number of youth in a lot of rural communities, most of the work is done by volunteers who went through a program and are excited to pass on what they learn.  

We spent nine days, visiting at least one site per day, and met the most dedicated people and awe inspiring youth, it was quite humbling.  We drafted a new partnership agreement that is satisfactory to both parties, but has to be reviewed by the other Atlantic YMCAs that never had the privilege of attending this exchange.  I am grateful for this experience and am proud that our YMCA is a part of this partnership.

Debbie’s final thoughts:

As I reflect on this experience I realize my greatest learning was how an organization such as the Honduras ACJ/YMCA can achieve so much with such limited funding. All of their funding comes from foreign donors because the economic and political environment in their country does not support private donations.

Not only achieve the goals of the partnership; but to involve so many highly committed volunteers is amazing when we sometimes struggle to find volunteers to support our programs. To have a person walk great distances just to volunteer shows the commitment they have to ensure that the youth of their communities can take their place as leaders and hopefully this will lead to a more prosperous Honduras.

Sometimes we think in the North that the people of the South have nothing to teach us as we have more resources and a longer history. This is just the opposite because sometimes being newer and poorer brings a higher level of commitment. Every decision becomes more difficult and every action has to bring a result. This experience again reminded me of our complacency in understanding just how fortunate we are but again how much we have to learn.

I am truly grateful for this opportunity and hope to take what I have learned to apply to my volunteer commitment to the values of the YMCA. We are a charity based organization and the few dollars we send to Honduras every month multiplies by so much more. Let’s hope we continue to do so and have many opportunities to reflect on what else we could be doing with the International Development aspect of the Exploits Valley YMCA.

Being a Tourist....

Being a tourist: March 20 -21, 2011

After a long week of visiting different sites of the YMCA and learning of the many programs that are offered here in Honduras, we had a chance to be tourists.  Our host treated us to a visit to the Mayan Ruins in Copan. We left on Sunday morning at 8am., and arrived in Copan at 2:30. The bus had two flat tires as we arrived at our hotel.  We didn’t get to the ruins, but they were celebrating the last day of a five day celebration.  The town square was set up with vendors and we managed to do a little bit of shopping.  We also visited a church that was next to our hotel.  We had a meeting to discuss the partnership agreement that was written in 2007 and made some preparations for our meeting on Tuesday.  We stayed inside after dark because of the crowds in the streets, but most listened to the festivities from the balcony.  The music was so loud that we didn’t get to sleep until after 1am.



Going back home from the fair...



The village church...

One of the streets around town...



Now which one of these will we buy?



Got up this morning (Monday) at 6am and was out the door and at the ruin site before it opened.  We learned a lot about the Mayan people who had lived in this region until 822 A.D.  This region went through the rein of 16 different kings before the people moved to more fertile land for survival.

This was one of the parrots that greeted us to the site...

Some of the group way up on one of the ruins...

There were lots of snake heads, these three were on the soccer field, the teams score when the ball hit one of the heads. Then the captain of the winning chose one of his team to be sacrificed to the Gods!!

The trees were enormous!!

Of course there were lots of stairs...



The carvings were amazing, considering how old they are!!!



One of the kings...

After the visit we had lunch and went to a school where students were participating in a ACJ/YMCA program.  This program iWe viewed a Power Point Presentation, that explained the programs that were offered in this region. We were in a hurry to get back on the road for a six hour drive back to Tegucigulpa so we could not have a question/answer period with this group.



The new computer room...



One of the students in the program...



We got on the road at 1:30pm, on the drive back most of the group had a big nap.  We decided to wait until we arrived at our destination for supper, but just outside the city, the bus blew another two tires (bad road conditions, under construction).  After a long day, we arrived safe and sound, it was after 8.  Deborah and I opted out for supper as we never napped today and were exhausted.

Bev`s Thoughts:

The last two days were filled mostly with driving.  We had a chance to see the magnificent countryside: the view of the endless mountains, rolling fields, dense wooded areas and the most beautiful flowers plus endless cattle, donkeys and horses.  The animals here are free to roam, even the horses and cattle, on the sides of the road, on the highway, next to shops in small rural areas, it was quite the treat. Houses are erected all throughout the countryside, near the highways, in the thick of trees and on the sides of steep hills.  I was very excited about the ruins from the word go and our tour guide did not disappoint me, to learn about such a special people in their environment and to see the hieroglyphics and carvings up close was more than I could have imagined.  Overall the drive was long but I enjoyed the scenic beauty, the shopping at the market was fun and not so expensive and the ruins were definitely were the two day trip.

Debbie's thoughts:

As Bev indicated we had a day to play tourists and get an opportunity to see the Copan ruins and they were very interesting. Not as well preserved as the ones I saw at Chichen Itza in Mexcio but certainly more artistic. The guide told us that in the period in which the Mayans lived in Copan was the Classical Period when their art became more developed. Also enjoyed staying in the town of Copan which was the first place sicne we came to Honduras that we actually saw any tourists. Copan because of his proximity to the Mayan ruins has become quite a tourists town with many hotels, shops and restaurants catering to outsiders rather than the locals. The drive back was long and when we had to stop on the side of the highway in the dark it was not a pleasant experience, though we never worried since our hosts were always there to help us. However we were glad to finally get back to the city.

Taulabé

March 19 – we are up at 7:00 this morning, and on the bus by 9:00.  We got to tour an underground cave – Cuevas Taulabé.  The tour took us over 300m into the mountain and took us to a depth of 85m, very hot and humid.  The cave was discovered in 1969 when a road was put through the mountain.  The formations and crystallization of the Stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave were amazing .  They grow 1cm every 100 years, some were over 300,000,000 years old and some were so high and long that no age could be calculated. 

Just as we were entering the caves...

Bev and Heather standing in an arch which has been formed when they both grew together..

Amazing colors and formations...

Can you guess what this is?

After lunch we met at the ACJ in Taulabé. This branch is supported in the partnership with the Atlantic YMCAs.  We started the session with an icebreaker – we all had to light a match and introduce ourselves to the group and keep talking until the match burned out – it was fun and interesting, the Mayor joined us and enjoyed this as well.  He is very proud of the work of the ACJ in  Taulabé and the city collaborates to address social issues.  He warmly welcomed us and thanked us for our support and stated that this center depended on international funding to make the work here possible, to keep the youth educated, active and off the streets. 

Rossibel doing her introduction...





The first presenter explained that the volunteers from this site were at the university, where on every third Saturday they studied through distance education. This is a big deal as very few youth from this town go to university and many of them had participated in the YMCA programs, another direct benefit from our contributions. He went on to explain their programs at this branch.  One of their ways of reaching the youth of this and other surrounding areas was through a hosted radio show aired on Saturdays.  Our facilitator introduced us on the air in a live broadcast.  This went out to 1,000,000 listeners across 4 provinces and was available on-line.

Silke translating the message from the Mayor...

Alex interviewing Silke by cell phone on the radio show...

The second presenter prepared a slideshow with information about the work that she does as a volunteer of the ACJ.  She is a volunteer from a neighbouring  rural community of San Jose de Pane.  She walks 40 minutes (each way) to neighbouring communities, 3 times a week, to deliver the programs of the ACJ.

Here is the volunteer with Karen wearing the YMCA cap we gave her...

Outside their building by the Honduras/Canada logos

We went back to our lodging (Panacam Lodge) for a relaxing evening, we had a little camp fire and a sing-song, it was a great ending to a great day.

Some of the group getting ready for a night walk, didn't go far too dark and wet!!

Bev`s Thoughts:

Every day just gets better, the hosts have made us feel very welcome.  Every session I attend in every different community we visit, just hits me to the core.  The volunteers deliver the mission of the YMCA so naturally and so passionately.  It is really a domino effect, they offer sessions to educate their youth on social issues, HIV and AIDS Awareness and prevention, and youth rights.  They turn these youth into leaders and they become facilitators in their communities and when they educate the next group, they in turn become leaders and so on.  The work that is being done hereis  very commendable.

Debbie's Thoughts:

It was interesting to take time out to visit the Cuevas Taulabé today as it is another example of the beauty of this area and yet unknown to most of the world. We were also staying in a National Park that included the largest lake in Honduras. The Panacam Lodge is also supported by Canadians as they help the Hondurans fiqure out how to develop the eco tourism market. We seem to be everywhere helping everybody!
Again the youth we met today were outstanding examples of volunteers who literally go the extra mile! Their passion and committment to their work is something I have seldom seen and as I said before they do so much with so little!

The Adventure continues...

Today started off with a visit to a local coffee cooperative that produces fair trade organic coffee. This cooperative works with 600 small farmers to produce great quality coffee which is shipped all over the world. In fact, the Just Us coffee which YMCAs in Atlantic Canada sells, comes from this facility. We use this as a fundraiser for our Honduras project so it was exciting to actually see where it is produced. As well many of the young people in the ACJ projects live on these small farms and are learning organic farming methods from one of the programs run by the local YMCA.



Part of the cooperative operation...



Raking the coffee beans so they will dry faster...



We were shown the process of taking the coffee bean from the raw state to where it is ready for roasting. It is a very labour intensive process and they take great pride in having a high quality product. They are also very passionate about going the organic way as they now understand that traditional methods were very harmful to the environment. We were fortunate to have a couple of producers there who told us why they switched to organic farming and how they now understand that they must be stewards of the environment that God has given us.



Loading up the outer husks of the coffee beans. Before going organic they would be dumped but now they are used for compost on the farms...



The coffee grower showing the beans and how they are sorted for processing...



We then took a long bus ride to our next destination. Most of the highway was very well maintained as it was built and continues to be built by American money. We also passed an American base which is near closure but is now being taken over by the Hondurans to build a new airport.



A pic from the bus window...you can see pass the tree down to the valley that we are climbing mountains again...



Also past lots of basket and hammock stands...



We then turned off the road and started to head to our next destination which was San Jose de Comayagua and it was here our adventure began… The roads got rougher and rougher as we went through the valleys and up the mountains and then we came around the corner and there was no road only a river! The bus couldn’t go through because it was too deep so we had to wade through to the other side. Then we had to walk for miles to reach the town. The plus side was that the landscape was so peaceful with lots of crops and livestock.

Bev getting ready to cross but Jan led the way...

Silke and Vickie making it across...

When we finally arrived at San Jose de Comayagua we were treated as special guests by the young ACJ people who were running a town fair on the church grounds. We were given refreshments as well as a gift of roses. Organizing and running this fair was one of the services they provided as part of their community development program. The fair is held every year to celebrate their patron saint as well as to celebrate Father’s Day. The young people also integrated education about HIV/AIDS into the program. We also met another group of young people from another community who had walked two hours to meet us. In fact, we were the first group of people from another country who had ever visited their town!

Some of the young people who walked 2 hours to meet us.

Karen with her rose...



Performing traditional dancing...



Some of the ACJ members performing in the band...

Isn't this little cowboy just the cutest?

Trying to catch the bus but it was already full, too bad we just had to keep walking!

So the back of the pickup was the way to go!!!

Our final adventure after wading the river, trekking the mountains and riding through the countryside in the back of a pickup truck was arriving at our hotel where they were not expecting us and there was no room at the inn! In fact the hotel didn’t even have a roof on it!

 So now we are in the middle of nowhere without a place to sleep and what was our host to do with 14 people in rural Honduras?? Well Rossibel and her staff jumped into action and we ended up in a Lodge way off the highway sleeping in a dorm with bunk beds and shared showers, just like summer camp!

We were so glad to see this room, cold showers and all!!

So it is here that we are writing our blog using our headlamp to see as we reflect on another great day!!

Bev's Thoughts:
Today was definitely an excursion. The trek through the river and then the hike in the country was a reminder of home for most.  The landscape was breathtaking,  it was sunny and warm with a soft breeze, and we just chatted and got to know alot about each other.  We were all troopers throughout all the obstacles and the end of the journey was rewarding.  We were warmly welcomed by a large crowd who had come to the fair, and to be presented with roses was a treat indeed, then treated to performances by the youth of the community and served refreshments, as I said - quite the reward at the end of our journey.   Our accomodation trouble was for the best as we got to share a camp-like adventure and again, we are resilient.  The day was long and we had lights out by 10:00pm.

Debbie's Thoughts

Again we had a wonderful day albeit full of fun and adventure. To walk through this beautiful landscape and be so warmly welcomed by these friendly people was something I will never forget. This village was tiny and it seemed the whole town was out for the fair...including babies and grandparents. This feeling of community is something we don't see at home anymore as it seems we are all too busy to enjoy the simpler things in life.
The town was so proud of what the young people were doing and we were so proud that the little money we contribute every month can do so much for people in this little village.

Our trip continues...

Marcala, Day 2

This morning saw us on the way to visit a program which takes place at a junior high school just outside a town called El Perdenal. We met with a group of Grade Nine students who have been taking part in the Sexual Health program for the last year. With permission from the principal of the school the facilitators run the program in the school building once every 15 days.



This was the area in which the school was located...



 It was interesting today that when we got to school there was no school taking place as teachers were holding a protest. Apparently the teachers close the schools down two days a week as a protest against the government and this has been happening for the last few years! Then we found out that the city of Tegucigalpa  was shut down because of protests and violence in the streets. It seems that Honduras is still a country with much political unrest.

Here is a link to a news article...
Honduras protests

The students today were very shy and not very forthcoming with sharing their experiences. In order to get everyone warmed up, one of the grade nine girls did an icebreaker called “the flirty guava” she got us involved with actions, it was fun.  We each introduced ourselves and as the time went on they began to talk with us and share a little about themselves.



Mack and Jonathan doing the flirty guava...



They told us that being involved in the program gave them new knowledge about HIV and Aids prevention and other aspects of Sexual Health. When asked if their parents supported their participation in the program, one of the girls responded positively saying that her parents wanted her to be better informed so she could have a better future. They told her that they were proud of the community service projects they had performed such as cleaning up around their school by fixing broken desks, doors and windows.



Jessica with some of the students...



Handing out our Canadian pins to the students...



When given an opportunity to ask us questions, they were curious about what young people in Canada liked to do, what programs the YMCA offered, what type of sports we play and other things about our lives.





One of the students sharing her story and thanking us and God for our support...




In the afternoon we took the bus to a more rural community called Florida. There we met with a group of participants from ages 14-30. They were so gracious to us by offering us coffee and sweet cake as well as presenting us with gifts of coffee and coffee liquor.

Tania taking notes as she prepares to translate...

They told us their experiences with the program as well. We found it particularly interesting to hear from the older men who talked about the opportunity to learn along with the youth about their issues and how they can work together to strengthen their community.



Bev accepting one of the gifts...

A group shot...



We also an opportunity to walk through the small town down to the river. This is such a beautiful country, however, waste management is not a priority. Hopefully this is an issue they will work on as they live in such a lovely environment.



We are all enthralled with the beauty of rural Honduras...



Beautiful flowers are everywhere...



As well as all kinds of fruits...here are bananas and grapefruit



And then you see this...too much garbage around but there are signs of improvement...



We finished the evening with some coffee tasting provided to us by the hotel owner who is also a coffee grower. Marcala region has the best coffee in Honduras, last year they even won a Gold Medal for their coffee.

The taste test....

Oh yes and we did a little dancing to the salsa music as well…..

Bev’s thoughts

Today again was full and educational.  After Breakfast we went to the school and even though it was closed for the day, the students were so excited that we were coming that they showed up to meet us anyway.  Their curiosity was contagious and for them to tell us their interests and then ask about our Canadian youth.  Everyone who speaks to us as a group, wishes us good morning, welcomes us to their country/community and thanks us for coming and for giving our support.  In the afternoon we went for a long walk, to the river (uphill/downhill/uphill etc…), during our walk, our translators participated in a session (HIV and Aids awareness), we had a group session when they were finished.  Again, this group was warm and welcoming, they also presented us with gifts. 

The warmth that I feel when we go to a community is overwhelming to say the least.  These are very special people who benefit so much from the resources we send.  I now feel like it is so little. The volunteers and the youth participants do so much with so little and still thrive to do much more and reach more youth, their diligence and passion is to be commended.

Debbie's thoughts...

Like Bev, I continue to be impressed with everyone I meet but especially the volunteers and partcipants of the programs we support. It is easy to see the results of their involvement as they are so passionate about the programs. The volunteers are so dedicated and the youth are knowledgeable about the issues that face them in their own country both at the local and national level. They understand the importance of being educated about their rights and are eager to make a difference in their communities. It makes me realize how much work we need to do at home to be able to engage youth in a similar manner.