Mother´s Day in Copan

May 9, 2010

Had a lecture in the morning with John Donaghy (whose blog can be found at http://www.hermanojuancito.blogspot.com/).

In the morning at breakfast, our host mother told us that she wouldn´t be home for lunch because their family (and extended family, we thing) were going out for Mother´s day. I tried asking if Anisa and I should go with them...which didn´t seem to get across, so we just said that we would make other plans for lunch. She said she would be back for us to have dinner at home, though.
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John talked to us about Missionary work in Santa Rosa, Honduras and the presence of the church in Copan-Central America. We discussed more about poverty, development, wealth, and lack of opportunities among the poor. John gave us some unbelievable statistics. For example that in Honduras about 40% of the population is poor. Among Maya Chorti in Honduras they make up 60% of the poor population. John also gave us some interested analogies. For example, the saying: ´Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. But teach a man to fish and feed him for a life time.´ John reminded us that in order for the man to fish, he has to have access to a place where he can fish (which is where land claims comes into play). Also, that we have to consider whether or not the area to fish is polluted. We learned that there is a Canadian mining company near Copan that uses cyanide to extract gold.

We talked about how being an oppressor is oppressive. John quoted Lilla Watson who said that ¨if you are coming to help me you´re wasting your time. But if you´re coming because your liberation is bound with mine, we can work together¨. He stressed that it is most important to learn and to listen. That we should be willing to accept gifts from the poor as a sense of mutuality. John told us that he takes a 3-step approach with everything he does:

1. see
2. judge
3. act

He continued that usually a two-foot approach is taken regarding charity and justice but the missing peice is integral human development (which he described as a 3 legged stool). John closed by telling the group to find what gives you life. He encouraged us to connect your greatest joy to the world´s greatest need.
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On our way back home, Anisa and I bought some roses for our host mom and gifted the Calgon spray I bought and some nice coasters that Anisa bought that are hand made from leaves in Victoria Park, London, ON.

We went swimming again that afternoon.