MISSION IN LA CEIBA, ATLÁNTIDA, HONDURAS

On Friday, February 21, Donna, a lay associate, along with Katia and Chalo, members affiliated with the SME (Foreign Mission Society), departed from Tegucigalpa to La Ceiba, in the Atlántida Department. Sister Verónica Ponce of the MARILAM Missionary Congregation had invited us to support and encourage the newly formed women’s ministry in her parish, The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Upon our arrival, Sister Verónica welcomed us with lunch at her home, where she lives with Sisters Íngris and Kenia, in the neighborhood of Brisas del Norte, known locally as "Barranco Chele" due to its red soil. While enjoying a delicious beef soup, we discussed the activities and expectations of the women’s group and considered the possibility of visiting some of the parish’s sick members. We were about to leave for some family visits when a heavy downpour disrupted the afternoon’s plans. So, we headed to our accommodations for the weekend in the neighborhood called 17 de Septiembre, also known as Los Maestros, one of the parish communities.

Our hosts were a retired couple: Don Oswaldo, a former teacher, and his wife Doña Belisa, a psychologist and accomplished artist. Her beautiful artwork adorned the walls of their home, which was once a school for children with disabilities that she founded and directed. She and her family lived in the adjacent house on the other side of the garage. Doña Belisa kindly welcomed us and prepared all our meals for the weekend.

On Saturday morning, we went to the Chapel of Saint Anthony Mary Claret in another parish community called Colonia Dantón, where members of the Legion of Mary were gathered for a retreat. Sister Verónica was to give a talk on the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in this ministry. Her companion, Sister Kenia, coordinated the retreat. Katia, who is also a legionary in her parish in Tegucigalpa, was excited to participate and already knew the usual prayers. After her talk, Sister Verónica took us to visit some of the sick.

We walked for about half an hour through muddy streets—remnants of the previous night’s heavy rain—until we reached another parish community, Colonia Las Delicias, where we visited three homes belonging to the same family.

We first entered the home of Doña Bertilia, who was caring for her three grandchildren. Two of them led us to Zoé, an eleven-year-old girl who had undergone four brain surgeries. We prayed and spoke with her mother and other relatives. It was clear that, despite their circumstances, their faith in God remained strong and their hope alive that the girl would wake up in the future.

Katia writes:

Visiting a girl named Zoé Garrido deeply impacted me. According to her mother María and Sister Verónica, Zoé made her First Communion in November 2024. She spoke, played, and walked like any other child her age. But following a brain operation, she was left paraplegic and is now completely immobile, only her eyes can move. I continue to pray for her recovery. Seeing her in that state was heartbreaking, but I have faith, hope, and trust in God that she will get better. I also believe that Mother Mary is interceding for her before her Son, Jesus Christ.

We then went to the third home, where the girl’s grandfather, Don Félix, lives. He is battling lymph node cancer and was waiting to begin another round of chemotherapy. Katia shared her own testimony of God’s mercy in granting her healing after surviving both breast and uterine cancer. We prayed that God would also show His infinite mercy to Don Félix and grant him healing.

After lunch, the women arrived for the first craft workshop held at our lodging. We created crosses and coasters using toilet paper rolls. With much enthusiasm, determination, and perseverance, everyone succeeded in crafting creations they could be proud of. Bravo, women! They even decided to make more crosses to sell during Holy Week in order to raise funds for other women’s ministry activities. Let’s go!

After saying goodbye to the women, Belisa accompanied us to Mass at the parish headquarters, located just five minutes’ walk from her home. After Mass, she introduced us to Father Vicente, the parish priest, who gave us a tour of the church, the presbytery, and the parish office. He gifted us commemorative mugs celebrating the 25th anniversary of the parish’s foundation. He pointed out all the recent renovations still underway, all funded by the parishioners themselves. After all, it is their spiritual home.

The next morning, Sunday, we woke up early to take a walk to the beach, located at the end of the street where we were staying. A beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea greeted us — Praise be to God! Sadly, this beauty was marred by litter, and the shoreline was visibly eroding, despite efforts to preserve it with stone and sand deposits. We picked up some items and placed them in a spot where — hopefully — they won’t harm the ecosystem. There were several hotels and bars lining the beach, typical of a tourist area.

We returned from the beach to prepare for Sunday Mass. It was a very special day at the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish because a parish Lenten retreat was being held, as well as a farewell for the assistant priest, Father Omar, who was being assigned to another parish. Adults and youth, religious and Garifuna alike, all paid a loving and grateful tribute to this missionary priest who had spent many years in Africa.

The Women’s Ministry Council invited us to lunch at a nearby restaurant, where we enjoyed grilled dishes and natural juices. The second craft workshop followed—this time origami hearts and heart envelopes made from colorful papers. Few women participated due to the parish retreat. That day, a young woman with cerebral palsy joined us. She had improved significantly thanks to the therapies given by Sister Belisa. She couldn’t walk, but had a bright, open personality, a joyful spirit, sharp wit, and an amazing talent for crafts, even with her twisted hands. Needless to say, she inspired us all.

We began with a Song of Creation and a relevant meditation, followed by an explanation of the Jubilee Year and praying together the Jubilee Prayer. We reflected on Pope Francis’ words that we are to live as pilgrims of hope—for others and for all creation. Under Donna’s guidance, each participant managed to create several hearts and envelopes, and Belisa encouraged everyone to sing a little song about hearts while we danced them through the air. The women were very pleased with their creations.

They organized a little fellowship and sharing time to close the session, including a round of SME Human Bingo (the squares on the bingo cards contained facts and images related to the Society of Foreign Missions). By then, some husbands had arrived, and we invited them to join by tempting them with the promise of prizes. Before we started, Donna shared a short history of the SME, highlighting its presence in Honduras and noting the celebration of 70 years of mission in the country this year. We had a great time playing three rounds of SME Bingo, giving out the prizes before enjoying the fellowship. We shared a snack amid joyful conversations and laughter. We took a group photo before saying our goodbyes.

On Monday morning, Katia received a visit from a cousin who lives in La Ceiba. Don Oswaldo, Belisa’s husband, gifted us a bottle of homemade cashew wine. Belisa gave Katia one of her artworks and sent a floral cross for Chalo’s mother. We arrived in La Ceiba as strangers, and we left as friends and family. As Pope Francis says in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, we are one “human family,” brothers and sisters. Our new family in La Ceiba invited us to return, and we hope we can, God willing.