Three months have flown by since we arrived in Honduras. It feels as though we joined the community just yesterday.
I vividly recall the warm welcome upon our arrival, the greeting at the door of our room, the freshly painted walls, and the smiles on the faces of the assistants and residents.
I remember how excited we were at the beginning, embracing this wonderful change in our lives as we once again immersed ourselves in such a dynamic community.
All these impressions and so many new experiences have deeply influenced us, and now, as our tourist visa expires, we will undoubtedly leave here enriched.
In my next post, I will discuss everything we’ve learned in these three months in Honduras. For now, I will share how our journey will continue.
Firstly, it has been almost a year since we left home.
Given that we have traveled this way before—returning home after a year of traveling through Europe, then Asia, and later South America—we’ve somewhat grown accustomed to being far from home.
The dynamics of traveling, especially living and working in various missions and communities, help us focus on daily problems and challenges, leaving little time to think about the things we miss.
But moments of homesickness do come!
Suddenly, images of beautiful Slovenian nature, forests, hills, and mountains appear before my eyes. I see the faces of family and friends and hear their voices, feeling their presence despite the distance.
Zoom calls certainly help, and through video, we can connect and feel close, but we all know it’s not the same.
After nearly a year of traveling, these feelings intensify, and we believe the time will soon come when we fly back across the ocean to Slovenia.
A profound and true saying by the philosopher Seneca comes to mind:
“Homesickness is an illness only going home can cure.” —Seneca
However, at least one more experience awaits us. We will transition from one Arc to another, this time in Mexico, which, like Honduras, is part of Central America.
Yes, we wish to continue our work with individuals with intellectual disabilities. We feel and believe that this is also God’s will for us.
We have contacted Azucena, who is the coordinator for Arc communities in Central America. I’m not sure if I mentioned her in previous posts.
Arc International has coordinators who visit all communities and homes they cover in their regions at least three times a year, acting as a link between the central Arc in France and communities around the world.
Azucena, originally from Ecuador but living in Canada for many years, is responsible for the Arc communities in Central America. We have never met her in person, but we have always been in touch, and she is well acquainted with our work here in the Honduran Arc home.
We first contacted her before flying to Honduras. Manca Kastelic (whom I’ve written about here) helped us establish contact with Denia, who is responsible for the Arc home in Tegucigalpa.
Azucena also covers two communities operating in Mexico. Before the holidays, she wrote to Mexico City, and we had to wait for a response.
The response came only after the Easter holidays. Two volunteers are needed, and they are ready to open their doors to us.
Everything is arranged, plane tickets are purchased, and on April 22nd, we first fly to San Salvador, then on to Mexico City, the capital of the country.
Of course, you who follow our journey will travel with us. From Mexico, we will continue to communicate with you weekly, opening the doors to a different life, habits, and culture through our articles. We hope that this also enriches you.
