Honduras (MNN) — Honduras issued
an ultimatum over Brazil's shelter of ousted President Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya has been inside the Brazilian Embassy
since sneaking back into the country last week. The threat of unrest hangs in
the air.
In the meantime, the de facto
government in Honduras silenced media outlets aligned with Zelaya. They also banned public gatherings and expelled diplomats from the Organization
of American States.
Randy
Daniels with
Buckner International says, "The mission groups that we've had scheduled into
Honduras certainly have been postponed until all this is resolved and we feel
that they'll be safe and that things will be somewhat predictable. The on-the-ground ministry–our transitional
homes where the kids leave the public system and live with us–that's a 24/7
operation."
Buckner's presence in Honduras is relatively
new. In 2006, the Honduras government
invited Buckner to visit the orphanages and needs of the children in Honduras.
Additionally, Buckner crossed the borders of Honduras for the first time on an
exploratory trip to visit orphanages in the city of San Pedro Sula.
Today, they're working with a Transitional
Girls Home in San Pedro Sula. There, the program is
designed to help young women transition out of care. It focuses on equipping
them to become self-sufficient and independent.
They also have an alliance with Kids Matter
International to run the Transitional Girls Home on Roatan Island. It's foster group care and an assessment center for girls ages 8-17
who cannot live at home because they are at risk of abuse and trafficking. The
goal is for the girls to stay 90-120 days before transitioning them to Buckner
or other foster or kinship care, or, ideally, back home through Buckner's family
intervention programs.
Buckner works with government-run facilities,
too, which include Nueva Esperanza and Casitas Adolescentes. Buckner provides dorms, food, clothing and other resources
for the kids.
The kids are aware of the
uncertainty going on around them. Daniels says their staff is using it as a teaching moment. "They certainly feel the unrest, the
crisis. That's an opportunity for us to talk about Christ, to talk about who He is, to further
disciple the kids–not only in times of national crisis in Honduras, but also
during their times of personal crisis–that by faith in Christ, He walks us through it."
Daniels urges prayer that the
issue would be resolved peacefully. He
goes on to say that "they need the help of countries like ours to support the
people, to continue moving them forward. So this needs to be resolved for the
benefit of the Honduran people."
