Dear Friends,
In response to the email notes and inquiries about the effect of the situation in Honduras on our many projects there, please know that our work is not affected.
Most likely there will be positive results.
As you may recall I was in Honduras just a few weeks ago and at that time our local volunteers and many friends in Honduras reported living in constant fear…
President Zelaya had begun a process of referendum with the goal of re-writing the Honduras constitution, thus permitting him to run for reelection. (The Constitution calls for a single term for the President.)
Honduras is a very poor country. Our project coordinator in Honduras tells me that about 70% of the population lives at or below the poverty level.
Some months ago President Zelaya increased the minimum wage by presidential decree. Details of the increase vary greatly – The Washington Times reported 300%.
The increase caused great excitement and great expectations among the poor.
The result, however, of that tripling brought extreme chaos and exacerbated the poverty situation as employers already struggling began massive lay-offs of employees. Next, followed closing of machiladora factories – more lay-offs.
As a result, as accounted to me by several different people, there has been a crime wave of massive proportions. The most horrid part of the crime wave is that typically the robbers are more nervous than their intended victims.Hungry people are preying on those who still have jobs. These are NOT criminals and are often shaking with such nervousness that their guns go off by accident and machete attacks more severe than the robbers intend. These “robbers” are fathers and brothers who have families that have to have food. They are not taking kidnap victims and demanding high ransoms – they are robbing for a few dollars for food.
The situation was bad when our team was there in May. I was very, very worried about Andrea and our disaster team that responded to the earthquake two weeks ago. Desperate people sometimes do desperate things.
As order is restored, and the rule of law prevails I anticipate the danger to our local volunteers and U.S. volunteer teams reducing to tolerable risk levels.
Jungle villages are not affected and all containers have been delivered with no problems.
Yours In Service,
Gary Becks
(619) 329-6511
www.rescuetaskforce.org
