Thursday, March 27th, 2008

Greetings friends and family!

We have safely arrived in <honduras after only a few hours of sleep and a shower at 2:45 AM to wake us up. Our flights from Chicago to Miami and Miami to Tegucigalpa, Honduras went smoothly. We were shocked to discover that both of our flights were in First Class seating–definitely unexpected.

After passing through Immigrations and Customs without a hitch, we met Ana Joya, our CRWRC representative, who took us to the AJS office for a detailed orientation about the inner workings of the organizations.

Later, it was finally time to meet our wonderful host family–la familia Cerrato. The Cerratos are Dennis and Carolin and their five adorable kids Dennis (11), Kevin (19), Jonathon(9), Isaac (7), and Celeste (5). They have been very welcoming and have made us feel at home through their many meaningful conversations, delicious meals (including our favorites–pineapple tea and cafe…yum!), laughter and play (mostly clapping games with the kids), and patience with our growing Spanish. At night, the three of us slee in a cozy room with a bunkbed and a mattress on the floor. Besides the crowing of roosters and barking dogs next door, we´ve managed fairly restful nights of sleep.

Well, we just wanted to let you know that it´s been a wonderful first day–full of more blessings than we can count. Thank you for your continued prayers! More soon! ¡Hasta luego!

-Maggie, Allie, and Brittany

First Impressions of Honduras:

Maggie – My first impressions of Honduras come from my inability to resist comparing everything with Guatemala. Like Guatemala City, Tegus is a city surrounded by stunning mountainous terrain. It encompases a mixture of antique, rugged charm mingled with the modern “Americanized” atmosphere of fast food restaurants, bustling tiendas, and traffic congestions. There is something so amazing about seeing these somewhat familiar elements in such a different cultural landscape. I absolutely adore our host family and the people we´ve met so far. My Spanish is very rusty and coming slowly so I feel like I´m playing the awkward gringa role, but it will probably just take a few days to adjust. I can´t wait to see what we will experience next! Until then–¡Adios!

Allie – Man what AMAZING weather! Upon landing in this mountainous country and delving into the Honduran culture, I have participated in many amazingactivities and created memories that will last a lifetime. The first thing I noticed was the relaxed and stress-free attitude of the locals–what a change from the US! It seems an individuals priorities are different here ad consist of friends, family and God–all superficial items are secondary. In my opinion, a family could be living in poverty, but according to them they are satisfied with life because they have their family and the Lord. I now realize how important it is to take a stepp back once and awhile and consider what is truly important in life. I can’t wait to experience more of this amazing country!

Brittany – Upon arriving in Honduras, my first impression was that of warmth, friendship and wonderful conversations. Fond memories of my previous time in Honduras flooded my mind and excited my spirit. After seven months of planning, fundraising and praying, the long-awaited day has finally arrived! I have returned to Honduras – the place I can almost call home, and the place I have only longed for, since the day I left almost two years ago. Everything about this country feels like home to me. The mountains, the pulperias, the churches, the style of life, and most of all the people. There is no place in the world that can calm and bring peace to my soul than here in Honduras. Words can not describe how grateful I am to be back here, and how excited I am for the rest of our trip to unfold.

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Hello all!! We have arrived safely in Chicago after getting lost only a “few” times on our 4-hour trek from Cornell. Our trip thus far has already included some exciting moments such as: accidentally demolishing the handle of an extremely heavy suitcase, cramming the bodies and suitcases into ridiculously small spaces, and having quite a few laughs!!

Our friend Aaron Zaubi and his wonderful family have offered us a place to spend the night in Itasca, a suburb of Chicago, before leaving for the O’Hare airport in the wee hours of the morning…somewhere around 3am!!

Tomorrow will be a busy day traveling, as we will fly first from Chicago to Miami, and then Miami to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. When we arrive, we will meet with AJS (Association for a More Just Society), and our host families for the first time.

We are extremely excited for this amazing opportunity…and now we must get a few winks of sleep before our adventure begins!!

Wish us luck…and check back soon

Brittany, Maggie and Allie

P.S. Feel free to post messages on this blog…we would LOVE to hear from you!!

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has set up a fast, safe, and secure system for online donations using a credit or debit card.  All donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the funds raised will go towards SIA’s work through CRWRC to help the families and the communities of Honduras.

Just click on the link and follow the steps below:

http://www.crcna.org/crwrc/online_donation.cfm

1) Select your donation amount under “Please accept my donation of”

2) Under “Use my gift,” select “For a staff member or volunteer” and choose “WR Atchison, Nappe and Obermann (Cornell College, Honduras) ***You must select our names for the donation to go towards our trip!!***

3) If you choose, dedicate your gift

4) Complete the secure personal information section

5) Select “Proceed to Secure Server” where you will be instructed to select your payment method and submit your credit card information

We know that many of our supporters are college students and we can relate firsthand to the fact that money is always really tight.  But if you could spare $5 (coffee for a week) to help support this trip, it would be a great deal to us, as well as to the people of Honduras.

If you are financially unable to give right now, then we would just ask for your prayers for the funding of this trip as well as our experience once we are there.

Thank you for your support!!

SIA has chosen to travel to Honduras after contacting the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and learning about the country’s needs. 

According to CWRC.org, “natural disaster, violence and corruption have proved major roadblocks on Honduras’ road to development.  These problems have combined to form severe poverty and inequality.  With the disaster of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, it has been estimated that the country regressed economically about 20 years.” 

SIA desires to assist CRWRC in Honduras with community based development work to help improve the country’s social, political and economic standing. 

For additional information on Honduras, please visit https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html

***FAST FACTS***

~Population: 7,483,763 (2007 est.)

~Population below the poverty line: 50.7% (2004 est.)

~GDP per capita: $3,100 (2006 est.)

~Life expectancy: 69.3 yrs (2006 est.)

While in Honduras from March 27 – April 5, we plan to spend time in the towns of Nueva Suyapa and La Paz (both which are near the capital city of Tegucigalpa). 

In Nueva Suyapa, we will work with one of CRWRC’s partners, AJS (Association for a More Just Society http://www.ajs-us.org), and in La Paz we will have the opportunity to teach English at Faro de Luz, and also assist with a large scale community development project.

FIRST PART (March 27 – April 1)

While in Nueva Suyapa, we plan to assist with the following:

Organizational Research:  We will assist AJS in conducting organizational research in the towns of Nueva Suyapa, Villa Nueva, and Flor de Campo to access the efficiency of their organization with the people they serve.  This will be accomplished by distributing surveys and conducting interviews with the people of those towns and collecting data from the findings to assist AJS in determining how it can improve its services in the future.

Gideon Project: The Gideon Project is a specific program of AJS that addresses problems in the home, domestic violence, and problems with corrupt authorities.  We will have the opportunity to work with AJS on this project and also participate in a preventative healthcare discussion with the people in the surrounding communities.

Cleaning Campaign: We will participate with the current AJS cleaning campaign in Villa Nueva, and assist AJS in determining what additional projects could be developed in the future to help raise environmental awareness and reduce pollution and health problems in those areas.

SECOND PART (April 1 – April 5)

While in La Paz, we plan to assist with the following:

Faro de Luz: We will spend three mornings at Faro de Luz teaching English classes and assisting with computer, music, and choir classes.  We will also have the opportunity to deliver school supplies to the students and teachers at that school, as well as to children who live outside the town borders.

Construction & Community Development Project:  We will assist with the construction of a 25 square foot house for a single mother and her children.  We will also be using donations to purchase traffic signs for the streets of La Paz, as well as trash cans for the public areas of the city.

Meeting with the Mayor of La Paz:  We will be meeting with the Mayor of La Paz, government officials, teachers and other representatives of the citizens of La Paz to discuss the current social and political dynamics of Honduras, including human rights issues, environmental sustainability, community development and medical issues and health care.

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: CRWRC is a relief, development and educational branch of the Christian Reformed Church.  CRWRC partners with more than 130 churches and community organizations in over 30 countries around the world.  The focus is on community transformation by empowering and encouraging locals to be leaders in their own communities…using the bottom up approach.  For more information, please visit the CRWRC website at: http://www.crcna.org/pages/crwrc.cfm.  

Association for a More Just Society: AJS is a Christian organization dedicated to answering God’s call to “act justly” (Micah 6:8) through advocacy and action on behalf of the most poor in Honduras.  They fight for justice in legislative projects, judicial processes and encourage democratic participation of area churches in the fight for equality and opportunity.  AJS has also been recognized by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for its outstanding work.  For more information, please visit the AJS website at: http://www.ajs-us.org.

Faro de Luz: Faro de Luz (“lighthouse” in Spanish), is a private Christian primary school of 200 students in La Paz, Honduras.  These students range in age from 4-11 years old and have the opportunity to study English, computer and music in addition to Spanish, science and math classes.  They are also provided with textbooks and school supplies thanks to the sponsorship of many families in Red Wing, Minnesota.

Additional information on the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC):

http://www.crcna.org/pages/crwrc.cfm      

Additional information on the Association For A More Just Society (AJS):

http://www.ajs-us.org  

Additional information on Honduras:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html

***Brittany Atchison***

My name is Brittany Atchison and I am currently a sophomore at Cornell College.  Right now, I am on the path to majoring in Politics and Ethnic Studies with a minor in Music.  

At first glance, these studies might seem distinctly opposite and disconnected from each other, but in fact they are interrelated.  Following the completion of my education at Cornell, I aspire to attend graduate school for Public Policy and International Development, and afterwards, possibly start my own Christian non-profit organization in Central America.  That organization would be dedicated to poverty alleviation by providing equal opportunity education to all, regardless of income.  I also dream of starting a music school that offers instruction to everyone, without consideration to race or social status.  It would be founded on Christian principles, but would still be willing to work with those who have differing viewpoints.  This is how I would incorporate the assortment of knowledge learned at Cornell from my various majors into tangible action after I graduate.

The summer before I started college at Cornell, I had the opportunity to spend five weeks in La Paz, Honduras.  While I was there, I spent time teaching English and music classes at “Faro de Luz,” a Christian primary school, and also helped at “Iglesia Evangelica de Santidad,” a church in La Paz, and the local branch of Compassion International.  Having the opportunity to experience a different culture through real-life experiences had quite a profound impact on my life.  After returning home from Honduras, I knew I would never be the same.  My outlook on life had completely changed.  I knew from that point forward, I wanted to dedicate my life to serving others and to making a difference in the area of social justice.  

During my first year at Cornell, I had many opportunities to deepen my passion for advocacy, service and international issues.  I spent a month in Guatemala at a Spanish language school and also had the opportunity to serve at a rural elementary school installing a drainage system, constructing a wall, erecting a fence and painting a soccer field.  That experience solidified my desires and further intensified my passion to fight against poverty.  Once I returned, I started a Living and Learning Community at Cornell called STEP (Students Together Eradicating Poverty), and this year am living with seven other girls who are passionate about poverty issues and about making a difference on this campus. Having the opportunity to return to Honduras with a group of students from Cornell will impact my life in countless ways. 

This spring break research trip will encompass all areas of my interest and will provide an excellent opportunity to continue exploring Honduran culture and the Spanish language.  I will be able to further develop the relationships I’ve already established from the previous trip and also have the opportunity to build many more.  I will analyze the system of public policy in Honduras and will gain an increased knowledge of the governmental structure and law-making process.  I will also achieve a higher understanding of the different social issues in Honduras, as well as the impact (positive or negative) that the United States is having on the people living there.  All this will occur by working with already existing development programs that are creating a positive change in their town or city.  I will be able to see the projects first-hand and the different problems and solutions that have been found throughout the execution of those projects.  This research trip also greatly compliments my academic study here at Cornell by providing me with the opportunity to gather data, collect concise, detailed observations and draw conclusions from first hand accounts of real life experiences.  

Spending spring break in Honduras will be greatly rewarding for me.  I will experience personal growth of an unimaginable magnitude from learning and listening to people who are different than me.  I will learn more about my field of interest through the different research opportunities this project will present.  Overall, this experience will shape and mold me into a better student and person, and will continue to impact me for the rest of my life.  I can imagine nothing that fits my choice of academic study and my passions better than this spring break research opportunity.

***Allie Nappe***

My name is Allison Nappe (Allie) and I am a second year biology and exercise science major at Cornell College. To put my spring break to good use, I have decided to participate in a service and research project in Honduras with three close friends. While our volunteer group may be small, we pledge to be mighty. Our desire to truly help others will guarantee an all out effort every hour of every day. To assist a family, town, or even a nation in learning skills to live for today is essential; to teach how to survive for the future is paramount. An old proverb once stressed the need to learn by saying “Show me and I will participate, include me and I shall learn”.  By traveling to this Central American country, I will be able to assist and hopefully make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most.  

I chose biology as a major because it is the study of life. It is my firm desire to promote and support the well-being of those who need assistance in the most disadvantaged regions of the world. Human, sociological and ecological development is essential to both personal well-being and the growth of nations. With a degree in science, I plan to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy. This education will prepare me to make a difference in any individuals’ life, in any part of the globe.  As a physical therapist, I am interested in working in a variety of locations, not just the typical “sterile” environment. By traveling to Honduras I will be given an opportunity to learn about the healthcare systems and educational programs in an entirely different culture.  

My first block class this year was ecology, which took place in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for sixteen days. This experience provided me with many unforgettable adventures and I gained knowledge that I view as priceless. By taking this class and being forced to improve my skills in leadership, the outdoors and relating with others sparked my desire to travel even more, and to step outside of my comfort zone. Just like this experience increased my level of comfort, I believe our project in Honduras will as well.  

As a group, we propose a hands-on project to work with the people, not for them. Since we are currently in touch with a specialist in Honduran affairs, it is our goal to ascertain the real needs of the average Honduran. Once we do so, I will assist in designing our project to enable and empower the people to help themselves. Since the main interest of our group is focused on public health, education and development we propose to take part in a research study in the capitol city Tegucigalpa and the near by community of La Paz.  

I feel as if I have been blessed to have the opportunity to attend Cornell College. Being around a diverse and open minded community has instilled in me the desire to share my abilities with those less fortunate. Cornell has opened my eyes to the world and since I have lived in a small corner of Iowa my entire life, now is the time to expand my horizons and begin the quest of giving back. This trip to Honduras will allow me to put into action the values and education which I have gained as a Cornell student. In the end I hope to grow as an individual and become a member of a world wide community which shares in the belief that we can live together, love together, and grow together. With your assistance our mighty group of three will be empowered to make a difference in the lives of those living in Honduras.  

***Maggie Obermann***

My name is Maggie Obermann and I am a fourth year student at Cornell College.  I will graduate in May of 2008 with a degree in English and then I will return to Cornell in the fall of ‘08 as a returning education student to complete my student teaching and my degree in Secondary Education. 

Over the past year, my perspective on my future has changed somewhat profoundly.  After two and a half years spent preparing myself to become a high school English teacher, last winter I began a long and difficult process in which I realized that teaching, in the traditional sense of the word, was not what I wanted to do with my life.  My passion for education still remained strong within me, but after realizing that I did not want to teach in the education system of the United States, I was suddenly at a loss as to what I should do with this passion.  Fortunately, I was able to put aside the worries for my future and do the best thing I could have done in that situation—I traveled abroad in service of others.  In June 2007, I joined members from my church in traveling to Guatemala for ten days to build houses for the impoverished with Habitat for Humanity. 

The trip was life-changing and it was in Guatemala that I came to understand that there is so much that I can do with my life.  I decided that I want to devote my life to issues of social justice in the world through my writing skills, my passion for educating others, and a study of public policy.  It is my desire to come to know and understand the social issues of the world and, more importantly, the people that they affect so that I can act in whatever ways I am able for social justice.  This is why I want to be a part of the Spring Break research trip to Honduras, so that I can have an opportunity to gain a critical understanding of the political, economic, and social issues that are currently impacting the people of Honduras, as well as the greater area of Latin America. 

The Spring Break research trip in Honduras will open up new ways for me to develop and use the writing skills that I have gained from my English major.  As we will be journaling, conducting interviews, and presenting our research at the Cornell Academic Symposium, writing will be a fundamental element of our trip.  As I do mission work throughout my life, one of my goals is to write about my travels and publish my writing in either books, periodicals, or other forms of non-profit resources.  It is important for me to begin experiencing now what it is like to keep an accurate account of my travels, including statistics and facts, people I have talked to, observations, etc.  I am also considering using my writing skills in the future as a grant writer.  During our time in Honduras, I would be very interested in researching the ways that relief organizations gain funding to help those in need and how this process is similar or different in comparison to the United States.  I believe that there are many opportunities available on this research trip for me to use my writing skills and to discover how I can apply them to issues of public policy in the future. 

As was mentioned previously, my passion for education still persists.  I believe that education is essential in relating to the surrounding world as well as in understanding one’s own humanity.  Through the opportunities of education, one can begin to question, reason, and grow in wisdom and knowledge.  True change can only come from this opportunity to expand and liberate one’s mind, and change is necessary for both the individual and the world to progress and to better oneself.  I believe that education should be an equal opportunity for all men, women, and children of the world.  While I will be certified to teach in the public schools of the United States when I have completed my Education degree next year, I have learned that this certification is not the only way that I can use my passion for education.  I would like to teach English as a second language to children and adults as I travel.  I would also like to improve in speaking and writing Spanish (which I have studied for seven years) so that I can assist in empowering citizens of Latin American countries to improve social justice and public policy concerns. 

We will have the opportunity to teach English to children in the school of La Paz, Honduras on our trip.  I would like to examine the similarities of their schooling in order to compare them to the schools of the United States.  During our Spring Break research trip to Honduras we will also be a part of a large community cleaning campaign to reduce pollution and health issues in the city of Villa Nueva.  I would be interested in researching how these citizens are currently being educated about the effects of pollution in their community and how this education can be developed further in the future. 

I am very interested in this project specifically as I have a strong interest in environmental concerns and would like to be a part of reforming environmental policy worldwide.  Education also remains a central part of this research trip as we will be educating the Cornell campus about public policy issues in Honduras as well as our research findings both before the trip and after we have returned. 

Overall, I believe that this Spring Break research trip to Honduras will be one that will not only further my desire to work with public policy and social justice issues throughout my life but that it will also teach me how it is that I can use my skills and knowledge of English and Education to do so.  It is my desire to be of service to the people we encounter by assisting with their previously started projects and empowering them to take action in their own communities.   

Through researching the public policy issues of Nueva Suyapa, Villa Nueva, and Flor de Campo in Honduras, I hope to gain a better understanding of their current situation and, thus, how it is that Honduras can grow into a safer, healthier, more educated, and more just nation in the future. 

 Brittany Atchison – Sophomore, majoring in Politics, Ethnic Studies and minoring in Music

 Allie Nappe - Sophomore, majoring in Biology and Nutrition and Wellness

 Maggie Obermann - Senior, majoring in English and Secondary Education

AWESOME INFO!!!