Fuegos

By now, you've probably heard something about the fires that have recently affected Honduras. There was the terrible prison fire just about 1 1/2 hours from here that killed over 350 prisoners...Then, a couple of weekends ago, one of the busiest marketplaces in Tegucigalpa was burned down by some gang members. It's been grim of late for these Honduran families. But Hondurans are resilient people. And they forget the horrors of one day because new ones will be there tomorrow.

Why do I mention these fires? Well, it's March--the beginning of "scheduled" fires up on the mountainsides. Many farmers believe that by burning the ground (a very old practice) their crops will have a fresh start in the rainy season (which begins somewhere in early May or June). SO, the fires have begun. I'm not sure all the fires we see are farmers' fires, but regardless, it is NOT one of the things I will miss. It grieves us every year when it begins as we look at the loss (both of the vegetation and what happens when fires get out of control)...and then it floods our homes and school with constant ash and smoke. I wish they believed that there were other ways to get the land ready for the planting season, but change is hard...and for some who have lived all their days on the edge of poverty, these predictable practices are what they look forward to every year.