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8/11/1981 - A Visit to San Juan Bosco by Kimberley A. Conroy

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS KAC Paseo Referma Col Cuauhtmoc Mxico D F Mxico A Visit San Juan Bosco August Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampsh 03755 Dear Peter Recently second visit San Juan Bosco small rural community Southern Honduras Between spring spent impoverished village At I working Save Children Federation SCF When I joined their staff I planned conduct feasibility study fruit canning cooperative But pleased study SCF asked coordinate construction organization initial operation cannery At first I second thoughts Somehow Lat American undergraduate studies major sufficient preparation But these fears quelled audacity common amongst American youths I audacity resulting confidence capabilities enthusiasm greater quantity I accepted San Juan Bosco potential cannery attributes abundance fruit enthusiastic populace strong leadership It almost everything disrecommend perilous region precipitous mountains nearly illiterate poorly nourished population neither potable water electricity The members group which informally organized itself project married female older I Together worked twelve years small industry underway Today still operates which miracle given history small scale rural industries throughout Latin America Further expanded product mango puree three items mango puree mango mango candies established cooperative store Forgive digression antecedents order This visit distinct previous Kimberley Conroy fellow Institute Current World Affairs She generalist interested current political social economic issues Mexico Central America parents along The villagers heard great about parents throughout years parents about villagers Given supreme value Latin Americans place famCly I looked forward visit greater cipation Bay arrived By parents friends Save The Children tightly packed decaying Landrover Tegucigalpa San Juan Bosco As pounded Inter American highway paved highways Cn Bonduras yellathons conducted futile attempt converse above incessant rattling The stuaton improved somewhat slowed covering final kilometers As neared village I commented parents notice Idren shoes My mother repled II tliey probably Some conversations natural death The people lived oukskirts commun their doorways welcome I pointed vllage church which under construction since arrived As turned corner climbed stretch country crowd sight least San Juan Bosco population hundred stood outside factory I quickly scanned group Teresa Torres cooperative president This difficult search easily taller other women As spotted raised handg triggering gunshot salute Her experience resulted separation several tiles factory Embarassed error inmediately began making jocular remarks That style widely recognized traits community respected leader ability encourage console scold witty expression mischeivous smile As disembarked Jeep local country accompanied cooperative members untrained voices intoned following God chose amongst North Americans One named Kim And village To cooperative She white supreme kindness And comfortable New York To Honduras To visit friendship There associates please As those group formed Kim And never forget Today visit makes Welcome friends Blessed God people We ociates awaited With Joy hearts Kim friend The beautiful which heaven would blood lives The brave Lempira There associates pleased As group formed Kim And never forget Today makes Overwhelmed entire scene I found difficult carry simultaneous translation parents The cooperative members their families their friends present dressed their dresses pants shirts Nine children community U S average capita ncome The final chorus ended formal introductions began Whle parents receCved cordial handshakes elders community I given affectionate abrazos companions In other economically impoverished communities friends family wealth Togeth celebrated affluence Slowly parents I ushered inside factory Neither I exactly expect moment followed these gentle country trustfully Rindergarten children follow their teacher Once inside father I asked inaugurate dance Altbought tried gracious about neither I first thing about Honduran dancing Our experience painfully evident Fortunately enthusiasm swiftly public approval Not friends began elaborate process partner swapping Within father danced members San Juan Bosco cooperative sundry other women This given accompanied equally degree humidity If announcement luncheon knows related ailments father would still suffering Lempira Cndian important Honduran The national currency bears The table Soup followed overbrmmng platters various cbicken dishes salad tortillas sauces regional dessert filled table Mango fruit drink specialty house cooperative served generous portions It amusing watch mother authority Amy VanderbClt etiquette guidance peasant eating customs Several generous toasts honor We reciprocate When ended parents invited Teresa house But never really cards Teresa three adorable children Johnny years Erika Mirabel We brought especially My mother shaped Playdough rabbits Mirabel while father practiced baseball others For first I guilt having provided parents grandcbCldren Not guilty enough anything about guilty nonetheless Soon whisky served In I never ounce liquor community Ice mported other klometer whisky Tegucigalpa As afternoon Teresa suggested return factory cooperative members wanted present parents Sadly parents farewell Teresa children We arrived dishes vashed members waiting After singing written honor Teresa cooperative presented parents finely carved cheese board Father pleading forgiveness speaking local language asked translate words something When daugtber Kim going Bonduras proud Sad leaving proud because going somewhere believed could assistance I understand continued San Juan Bosco Further I sincerely thank thank shown Kim which shown mother myself today This first visit San Juan Bosco It Again I thank His voice choked translation While appreciated respect villagers accorded parents I aware Kim Conroy speci ratber youth dedicated years their village could Noone neither national KAC foreIgner neltber private sector commCtment San Ouan Bosco That alone special Shortly after father toast parents boarded Landrover Tegucigalp New York their final destination Teresa I spent visiting various cooperat members their homes WCth party families their repeatedly patched clothing When Teresa arrived chickens piglets would chased parlor bammocRs would cordially swung rafters In house talked length problems confronted cooperative members associates mothers New metal press plates needed mills factory expensCve substitute pectin machine candy cones currently mango paste But needed means cooperative members together tbelr presdent periodic absences Because family problems Teresa daily basis recent months Although other members cooperative generally along trust Teresa ensure distribution tasks factory Further Teresa brash peasant humor resembles social event Wtbout leadersb cooperative capacity One family problems repeatedly mentioned members children education The village school grades classrooms Many would their children further schooling outBide community however tuition board vocational school about US annually This beyond means cooperative members As walked adobe Teresa I would discuss problems raised their possible solutions These discussions continued candlelight after children morning prepared pounds tortillas necessary family daily sustenance The affection I other cooperative members strong Teresa always closest friend communi It difficult explain roots friendship Part mutual admiration She omfortable existence I Manhattan I multiple scholarships opportunities offered Tegucigalpa Mexico City In spite these opportunities dedicated ourselves establishment cooperative Cn hopes benefitting San Juan Bosco Ours always effort provided leadership technical assistance moral support Although I tried continue responsabilities partnership dstance correspondence habits difficult Ths caused visits bitter sweet experiences I arrive listen problems being confronted voice concern others discussed I numerous suggestions offer resolve technical difficulties But overwhelming majority problems complex Teresa difficult under circumstances since person principal source moral support rarely present My previous visit San Juan Bosco August month after National Sandino Liberation Front FSLN overthrew Somoza Ncaragua At members cooperative Supported SLN victory Since their community couple hours N caragua Honduras border refugee families market place there listened their tales terror They could SLN underground radio stats Until I their direct contact Un States found difficult fathom nsttution whCch I related indirectly I United S tates government could support dictator Somoza provide regime planes innocent people The Pentagon Papers reach San Juan Bosco This I nquired about Nicaragua El Sal vador The consensus FSLN deceived people We thought going government But instead communists And El Salvador Unfortunately insurgent forces there communist And communist Someone friends Cubans Russians And Cubans Russians distasteful They allow their people freedom The villagers impressions formed radio programs broadcast their right military government The morning I tuned commentator lauding U S million military equipment given Honduras Reagan special ambassador large General Vernon Walters The commentator General Walters really understood nations better those A I D U S government development agency Dawn May visit nearing We agreed factory Once assembled Teresa I proposed cooperative establish educational least Child family could receive several years vocational training outside community Our scheme included fnancng costs would covered family cooperative external sources which I presently looking The enthusiastically approved Teresa announced there internal working matters still pending however departure imminent would better treat details later afternoon These would issues I thrashing private conversations The Landrover Each friend forward final Teresa slipped For farewells painful AI Received Hanover