THE FIVE MOST POWERFUL INFLUENCES ON THIS NATION

We are all influenced by a variety of forces every day of our lives.  There is nowhere to hide from them.  Some things influence us for good, others for bad.  Some things tend to make us happy while others drain from us our joy.  Honduras is no different.  We thought we would list what we feel are the five most powerful influences upon this nation.  We have put them in order of their significance.

#1.  THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

You see the influence of the Catholic Church everywhere in Honduras.  Every city has a Catholic cathedral and they are typically located at that city's very heart. They are more a symbol than a place of worship as only rarely are they open and most of its parishioners only attend a few times during a year.  However, the influence of the Catholic Church cannot be overestimated.  Nearly all of the people we have met here in the last fifteen months have taken their core values from what they learned from the Catholic Church.  The largest university in San Pedro Sula is the Catholic University.  The cross is worn by many, and they can be seen hanging from the walls of nearly all homes.  Upon offering our message to these people, the first objection we hear is "I'm a Catholic."  That objection is typically followed by, "I was born a Catholic, and I'll die a Catholic.  My father was a Catholic, me grandfather and great grandfather was a Catholic."  They know little of Catholic doctrine and make no pretense of proclaiming that the Catholic Church is true.  They only cling to it as the foundation of their lives.  Without a doubt, the single greatest influence upon the nation of Honduras is the Catholic Church.

#2.  POVERTY

Poverty is felt in every part of Honduras.  The poor do whatever they can do to try to make enough money to feed their family that day.  Horse drawn carts are common and share the roads with the cars.  Everywhere you look you can see men and women making their living by selling a hot dog, or standing all day long in the middle of the road with a handful of socks in their hands in hopes of making one sale. We are fully aware that there are places in the world where the poverty exceeds that experienced in Honduras, but it influences this nation every day.  When the belly isn't full it is hard to tell people that they should take a day off work to honor the Sabbath.  Every day men and boys head out into the forests to chop and carry out wood for the fires that will cook up their daily food, and the fires need tending every day.  People who don't have a penny to spare find it difficult to take a bus ride into town to go to church.  Poverty is, in our opinion, the second most powerful influence on this nation.

3.  LACK OF EDUCATION.

Little boys who ought to be in school sit by the sides of roads hoping to beg a penny or two.  They hold in their hands the rewards of their day's labors.  Without a trade or education to lift them from this cycle, they will stay in this pattern for the rest of their lives.  Adults sit all day in the shade of their front porch, occasionally talking to a neighbor that passes by, but often just doing nothing.  Finding a cool spot to rest from the heat seems to be the objective.  Minds go untrained.  Potential is untapped.  Education is offered to all in this land, but often just the cost of the required uniform causes many from continuing past the first few years.  The wonderful pastime of just sitting back and reading a book is all but non-existent in this land.  Finding a book store is difficult.  We have never seen a public library.  The lack of education makes it difficult for people to read the materials we leave at their doors.  This has influenced the entire nation of Honduras and will continue to do so for years to come.

4. A BASIC KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS OF THE PEOPLE

It might be nothing more than a reflection of those influences listed above, but the people of Honduras are just nice people.  You can strike up a conversation with anyone.  From the security guards that stand all day long in the blazing sun to those more highly educated people who work in the downtown offices, they meet you with a smile.  They don't have a lot, but they will always offer a bite to eat or a drink.  They have time for us.
   Now, there is an exception to this rule.  When one from Honduras gets behind the wheel of a car, they change!  They become aggressive and angry.  However, they normally are not this way.  Little children will gather around us as we walk down the streets.  Smiles and "inside jokes" about the old gringos and their lousy Spanish cause spontaneous bursts of laughter.  Normally they are a little bit shy.  We love these people.  Their nature is to be good.  They enjoy life.  Those of us who are privileged enough to spend some time with them come to appreciate them for their goodness and kindness.  Their nature to be such has a huge influence on this land.

#5. THE FRIGHTFUL WICKEDNESS OF SOME

 Many walls are covered with graffiti, but this message, we thought, was particularly insightful.  It says "La maldad nunca fue felicidad."  (Wickedness never was happiness)  While almost all Hondurans are kind and gentle, there are a few that cause all the rest to live in a constant state of fear.  People barricade themselves behind huge walls of wire and cement in hopes of avoiding the inevitable robberies (or worse) that would occur if they didn't do so.  Windows are barred to prevent unlawful entry. It truly is a shame.  The government vows to clean up the cities, but everyone with whom we speak say that it "just wasn't this way ten years ago."  They, too, long for the days when they used to be able to walk the streets at night in safety and comfort.  Certainly, the frightful wickedness of the few has had a major impact on this nation.

Finally, there is one more influence that is filling this land.  It is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  One out of every 52 Hondurans is a member of the Church today. (1.84%)  That number is small, but it is rolling forth.  We are grateful to be a part of this influence.  In time, hopefully not too long of a time, this final influence will overcome the other influences that affect this people.  Education will improve, people will not be afraid of their neighbors, false traditions will fall by the wayside, and all that will remain of the former will be the goodness and kindness of the people.  This "desert" will someday fully blossom as a rose.  We are glad to be a part of the harvest.