OUR COMMUNITY
Honduras is a beautiful and in many ways spiritually-rich nation, yet also one that faces challenges such as unemployment, unfair wages, poverty, corruption, and violence. In recent years, many people have been fleeing Honduras in hopes of better opportunity, economic stability, and increased safety, giving up everything they have ever known to head north. Many of these individuals are traveling with small children, and because of immigration laws and unsafe conditions along the way, families do not always make it to their destination.
San Pedro Sula is a busy city surrounded by beautiful mountains, with just under 800,000 inhabitants. Nearly any day of the week, you will see and hear bustling traffic, hardworking street vendors, fast-moving public transportation, people and even animals.
If you look closely, you will also see suffering.
Some of the needs that are quick to meet the eye include homelessness, prostitution, child labor, and of course, poverty. If you look a little closer, you start to see some of the deeper root issues of unsafe home situations or unhealthy families, as well as generational poverty, meaning many children grow up in environments that are not conducive to a happy, healthy childhood, leading them down roads that no child should have to walk.
Among the most significant issues in the city is that many children who have been either orphaned, abandoned, or removed from their families by the government do not seem to have many people fighting on their behalf. There is a significant need for advocates for these children. Every single child and adolescent deserves a safe, loving home, and the best place for a child to grow and thrive is most often within the context of a family.
OUR WORK
One of the greatest strengths of the city is the many, many churches that you can find in most every neighborhood. There are many “good things” happening here, but what is missing is people to help build bridges and bring churches, organizations, and even government together for the greater good of the community. The opportunities to serve and love on people in and around San Pedro Sula are abundant. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
A challenge that local pastors often face is having huge dreams but limited resources to make them happen. There is a need for workers to help identify and connect resources to those already serving in the city. Pastors often feel alone or lack emotional support, and thrive when others come alongside them to help make a greater impact for the Kingdom.
For someone interested in serving in the community of San Pedro Sula, a heart full of compassion and justice, a knowledge of (or desire to learn!) Spanish, and a focus on developing relationships in the community are essential. Starting out, One Collective workers here can focus on getting involved in a local church, making connections, abundant learning, and performing on-field research.
