Parish aids Honduran poor

While they were there to provide help to people in need, they found that they were on the receiving end of much more.

"They live a humble life," said John Butler, referring to the people of Comasca, Honduras. "They're a religious group of people. Their faith in God is impressive. Faith is the glue that keeps them together. For me, it was a bit like going on retreat."

Retreat feeling

This wasn't her first trip to the country. From 1987 to 1995, she lived in Honduras, first as a Peace Corp Volunteer teaching at an agricultural college and then as a lay missionary.

When she returned to Stamford, she shared her stories of Honduras with fellow parishioners. The parish also welcomed the pastor from Comasca, where she had served as a missionary. Parishioners responded to their stories by helping to purchase a vehicle for the priest.

After November's Hurricane Mitch, Sacred Heart parishioners responded again, this time by raising more than $3,000 for the people of Comasca.

Who are they?

The parish plays an important role in the people's lives. Small faith-sharing groups established by Ms. Vamosy during her last two years in Honduras are flourishing.

"I trained lay people to form small groups similar to our Renew groups," she said. The groups continue to meet weekly and prepare their own topics to discuss. Unlike Renew, which has two six-week semesters annually, the people of Comasca meet every week of the year, something that impressed Mr. Butler.

Damage

This is a scene repeated in many parts of the country. Where one would once fly into the country and see vast banana fields, Ms. Vamosy said travelers now see only muddy fields.

"The export crops were seriously affected and damaged," she said. "It will take years to get back to where they were."

Roads and bridges in the country were also destroyed, according to Mr. Butler. "Ninety-six bridges were washed out, and only 60 are scheduled for reconstruction," he said.

In some places, according to Ms. Vamosy, portions of cities are gone. "You can get around, but there are whole neighborhoods that are gone," she said. "Other buildings are filled with river junk."

Long process

"Poor people who don't have enough money in a good year [to send their children to high school] won't have money to send them in a bad year," Ms. Vamosy said.

Mr. Butler is also concerned about the education of these children. "I'd like to be able to describe what's going on there and promote awareness," he said. "High school is expensive down there -- $500. The school is also in need of paper and other simple pleasures."

Despite the damage of the hurricane, and the potential for more destruction during the upcoming rainy season that begins in April, the people of Comasca have a bright outlook. "They are very optimistic," Ms. Vamosy said. "They are going on. People are moving forward. Most are optimistic that this can be an opportunity to grow."

Mr. Butler was also struck by the attitude of the people there. "Most of our parishioners could not put up with the suffering," he said. "Their acceptance of their place in life is a result of their spiritual beliefs. They are a generous people with strong family ties and strong regard for each other."

Response

The first collection for the people of Comasca four years ago netted $3,000. When Hurricane Mitch hit, Father Cebula thought the parish should do something to help and placed baskets at the back of the church. $3,600 was raised. The average weekly collection is between $1,600 and $2,000, so it surprised him that so much was raised in one weekend.

After the collection, the parish sent two-thirds of the money to Catholic Relief Services. The rest was delivered by Ms. Vamosy and Mr. Butler. (St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Guilderland also contributed $1,100.)

Father Cebula hopes that Mr. Butler and Ms. Vamosy will help to continue to raise awareness of the needs of the people of Honduras. "The direction of the parish council is to investigate having a sister-parish relationship," he said. "John and Peg can raise the consciousness of the people."

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