Pray with Honduras, April 9, 2023

Lectionary Selection: John 20:1-18

Prayers for Honduras

Beloved Heavenly Father, God of creation, life, and love, we come before your presence with hearts ready to honor and exalt your Holy Name. We are grateful to you, Beloved Father, for all your blessings and goodness. Thank you for your love through your Son Jesus, his precious blood, his resurrection, and the hope that one day we will be with you for all eternity. Lord, we pray for Honduras, my beloved country. Please, have mercy on your people and bring peace and forgiveness to us. Let your Grace and favor flood our lives, especially when we cry out “ABBA FATHER” as we raise our hands as a sign of your adoration. We implore that you remember our country. We want to see the light of your Holy Spirit shining upon us. We want you to see a Honduras surrendered to you, Lord, and that the most vulnerable can receive the blessings mentioned in the Scriptures: That you will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings until they overflow. We believe that and pray in the name of Jesus. Amen!

Mission Moment from Honduras

I still remember my story with tears in my eyes due to the violence in Honduras. After my husband was murdered for unknown reasons and out of fear from threatening anonymous calls, I looked for the “American dream.” More than a dream, it was a nightmare. I thought I could become a refugee in the United States and take my niece Nancita, whom I love as if she were my daughter, with me. We paid a coyote that took us along the road through Ocotepeque, Guatemala, Chiapas, Reynosa, and Texas. Once we arrived at the U.S. Border, we were detained. I claimed my right to be with my niece as I was her aunt and had custody of her. I knew of my rights, and my niece’s at that moment. I knew I could claim status as a refugee and take my niece with my brother and family, as they were already living in the U.S. Would there be a future?

But all my dreams and illusions for a better and safe future then died and were buried at the “corralón” (detention center). The cold boring into my bones, the handcuffs on my hands and feet, chained and locked up with bread, mortadella, and bitter water. I asked myself, “Why do they treat us like criminals if we are just looking for a better life?” I spent 50 days surrounded by guards for what? Immigration authorities denied my request to enter that country. However, they did allow my niece to stay in the U.S. I returned deported and prevented from returning.

But I experienced what it means “to resurrect.” I returned safely to Honduras and received no more anonymous calls. As time passed, I became the Executive Director of the Christian Commission for Development (CCD), a faith-based organization in Tegucigalpa. There, we work with passion and dedication, overseeing projects and creating rural banks for people with no credit access in the outskirts of the capital city. At CCD, we seek to improve the socioeconomic conditions of our compatriots so they don’t have to take the path I followed more than 15 years ago. At CCD, we believe that with the help of God and partners such as Global Ministries, significant changes have been achieved in the lives of many Hondurans who struggle daily to survive. I end by saying: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GLOBAL MINISTRIES, for what you have done for Honduras. The reward comes from heaven!

Written by Nancy Romero-Pavón, Executive Director of the Christian Commission for Development

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