Kathlyn was part of an international interfaith delegation that went to Honduras to be with the people of Honduras and to witness the treatment of people voicing their opposition to the government actions. Kathlyn responds to two questions about her experience.
Kathlyn, what during your trip moved you the most or opened your heart to the people of
Honduras?
“The only thing stronger than fear is hope.”
Witnessing the fierce vulnerability of hope in the people was both a powerful and heart-rending experience. José Luis, a young radio journalist, fearing he might be shot in the back walking away from a protest, turned to look back—and was shot in the eye. The wife of David, who died in the hospital where he was successfully recovering from surgery for a gunshot wound after a protest and died suddenly after visits from the military police who had shot him, explained how she was being followed and harassed by the police—and begged us, if they killed her too, to get her young sons out of the country for their safety. María spoke as her husband José sat silently in a wheelchair next to her, telling how he was left paralyzed and severely brain-injured after being shot by the police while walking home from work. He wasn’t even involved in the protest along his route.
These and many others shared their experience with us despite the fact that reporting such incidents is met with violent repression and continued harassment from the very “authorities” charged with their protection. They risked sharing their experience in the hope that their children would be able to one day live in peace in their own country.
What is the message or action you would you ask us to carry to others?
As well as praying for justice for the people of Honduras, we ask that you lobby legislators to end U.S. military aid to Honduras. It is being used to fund state-sponsored terrorism against the Honduran people who seek basic human rights and support constitutional justice in their country.
Ironically, while I cannot in any way condone or support the present U.S. administration’s stance against immigrants, it is U.S. government policy in Honduras that is one of the root causes pushing Honduran emigration. People are fleeing for their lives — and their children’s — not just from gangs and random violence, but from state-sponsored violence against those who cry out for justice.
If anyone would like more information, I would be happy to share.
Also, for more information about the delegation, see
https://rootcausesdelegation.wordpress.com/