Courage.

It’s been oppressively hot here lately!

Ambar has been home from school three times in the past couple weeks because of teacher’s union strikes. This is a pretty regular occurrence—every public school in Honduras shuts down because the union leaders demand continual raises and bonuses. Kurt says the way teachers’ unions abuse their power give other sectors (like maquilas) cause to forbid unions, who in turn get away with mistreating employees. It seems like nearly everything here is corrupt, from the top with government and police down to the bottom. Just really awful. I take a lot about the U.S. for granted.

We are in our third and final class: Development in Practice. We’ve been talking about short-term missions, child sponsorship, missions & development, etc. It’s really interesting! We’ve also been taking the bus up to Nueva Suyapa every afternoon to do some basic social research. My group is interviewing youth about their community.

Yesterday, I bought pupusas from one classmate’s mama and an all-fruit homemade popsicle from another. A guy sitting by the mall sold me strawberries. It’s neat to be able to purchase things so directly from people, instead of some impersonal chain store.

Last night, Ambar “taught” me how to make scrambled eggs with tomato and ham. Later, while I was in my room studying she came and gave me 3 Skittles and 2 M&Ms “para postre!” That girl can make the most simple things so fun. Like standing around, throwing a balled-up napkin at a moth on the ceiling, or my favorite of her games, which is when we bounce this little, blue ball back and forth, and you have to make up a new “move” every time you catch it.

Today, Elvia Alvarez came and spoke to our class. The book Don’t Be Afraid, Gringo (which we read this semester) is the story of her life and work. She is a poor, uneducated campesina from rural Honduras and an organizer for human rights, women’s rights, and land rights. She is my hero! I could have cried the entire time she was talking, it was so moving. A few of us had lunch with her afterwards, in the presence of greatness.