Contrast

During our recent time in Honduras, I had this persistent nagging feeling that something didn't quite compute. I would look out at the gorgeously lush and picturesque Honduran landscape and for some reason it seemed my mind just wouldn't accept it.
I eventually came to realize that this disconnect lay in the incredible contrast between the beautiful country and the conditions in which many of its citizens lived.
Beautiful hilltop homes overlook a mountain view of tropical forests and stunning sunsets, but are made of aluminum siding without running water and with trash littering the ditches next to roads and interspersed in the lush greenery.


Our group led cleaning campaigns at the villages and it was remarkable the amount of trash that was present. I couldn't help but wonder if we were only contributing to this situation with all our plastic pill bottles and disposable toy goody bags for the kids. One colleague mentioned that the kids didn't seem to understand the campaign since one of the children broke his glove and, instead of putting it in the trash bins they were using, he simply dropped it on the ground. It would be tempting to assume that this reflects a lack of caring about the community, but I am reminded of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. If you don't have the basic necessities of life, worrying about where the trash gets thrown away is likely low on the list.


To live in such beauty and in such poverty is a stark contrast I'm still trying to match together. Perhaps the way there is to focus on the beauty and kindness of the people, which certainly matched their country's beauty. ENLACE's founder, Javier, and our hosts Don Israel and Doctora Floripe were incredibly kind, gracious people who love their country and its people and act as guides for others to see that beauty as well.


Emily Fisher PGY3