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Saturday, August 29, 2015

Step Into My World: Rural Honduras

Today, we head back to Honduras. But, instead of the urban region, let's visit the rural region, shall we?

Compassion works all over the country of Honduras, but no matter what area of Honduras you're in, rural life is pretty similar everywhere you go. I have two children in rural Honduras and they both attend the same project. I have started learning a little bit about where they live, though a group of sponsors that visited the project over the summer. I got some pretty great pictures of them too:


Nahomy and Jairo (how cute are they?!)


As I said, Compassion works in several rural areas in Honduras, My kids live in a village that is situated in the mountains, near the border of Guatemala, outside the city of San Pedro Sula. 



People in these rural regions are desperately poor, even poorer than those people living in urban regions near cities. Due to so much of Honduras' rural villages being near the mountains, transportation is hard and many city benefits just simply don't reach these small villages. You can see the actual village that my children live in, the small white dots on the side of this mountain. 



Homes here are made of assorted materials. Some are made of clay/mud, with iron roofs. Others are made of a bunch of materials thrown together, in unstrudy shacks. 



These homes aren't equipped with modern kitchens, but instead cook over a fire, with homemade stoves that are improperly ventilated. This fills the home with smoke and causes many respiratory issues in children. 


One of the biggest difficulties, for adults, in the rural regions of Honduras is finding a job. In small villages, job are nearly impossible to find. Most adults have to travel to bigger cities to work, in order to send money home. Some adults, that work as farmers, have trouble selling their crops to people in their own village and can't make it to the city. I learned that in these areas, Compassion trains interested parents in how to drive a pedicab, which they can then drive to earn money for their families. How cool is that?! 



Schools in rural Honduras are often not the best equipped, when it comes to quality teachers and learning materials. Sometimes, school supplies are often too much for a family to afford so children cannot attend school, at all. In these cases, and as a way to to supplement an education, Compassion provides learning activities and games for the children at the project. 



As always, Compassion likes to give children time to just be children. A time to run, play, and be social in a safe place, away from the difficulties that many face at home and in their families. Children enjoy playing outside and doing various activities with each other. 



Another big part of sponsoring a child is letter writing. When sponsors and sponsored children communicate with letters, it has been proven that the child has higher self-esteem, does better in school, and is better able to communicate their thoughts and feelings in everyday life. 


Of course, part of the Compassion program is teaching children about Jesus and to tell them just how much they are loved by the King. Bible stories, activities, prayer, and worship songs are a regular occurrence at all projects. 

In fact, Compassion in rural Honduras has the following prayer requests: 

- For children's parents who are not Christians
- For children's good health
- For children's safety at home, as sometimes they are verbally and sexually abused by their own relatives. 
- For a source of income for parents, so they can find jobs and provide for their families. 
- For children living in high-risk areas. 



I have two children to share with you today. They both live in rural areas of Honduras and they are both waiting for a sponsor. 


Sweet Fernanda is 7 years old. Her birthday is November 22nd, 2007. She lives with her parents and is an only child. Her father works as a laborer, when he can find work and his mother stays home. Fernanda's chores include carrying water and running errands. For fun, she enjoys playing house, playing with dolls, and riding a bike. She has average performance in school. 




Meet Ever. He's 12 years old with a birthday on June 14th, 2003. I'm guessing he's due for a new photo soon, as he looks so small! Ever lives with his single mother and 4 siblings. His mother is employed, but it is not listed what she does for work. Ever helps at home by carrying water, gathering firewood, and running errands. His hobbies include soccer, playing with marbles, playing marbles, and playing group games. He has average performance at school. 






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