A People's Truth

I spent a week living in a hostel, immersing myself in the culture and people of Honduras. It doesn't take an expert to tell you what a beautiful country it is, but what struck me was the juxtaposition between the beautiful landscape and the poverty that enveloped the people. Even the wealthier people are well below the poverty line. I would see roaring hills of green and beautiful trees and flowers, but among them would be single room cement houses and an abundant of stray, diseased dogs. At first glance, this left me feeling sad and frustrated, but then I got to know the people as individuals and to say that they wear their poverty like a scarlet letter would be a disservice to them. The hope and the love that exuded every single person I talked to was overwhelming and put a smile on my face every time. We are all people and even those in tough circumstances find joy in the small things throughout each day. So I don't lend a helping hand to the people of Honduras because they hate their lives, I lend a helping hand because they see the potential in their beautiful country. People hear about Honduras and immediately equate it to gangs like MS-13, but after this experience, I equate Honduras to all the people I met who find hope in the darkest of situations and share it for others to bask in.