Mission to Honduras

Since January 2006 St. Julian’s parish has joined with the church of St. Bartholomew (Atlanta) to support the annual Honduras Health Mission sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and the Diocese of Atlanta.  St Bart’s has participated since January, 2004, when they joined a team from the diocese of North Carolina in the mountains of Choluteca province.  This mission has grown since the first group from Church of the Nativity (Raleigh, N.C.) responded to the destruction caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The mission currently provides annual medical clinics in two remote villages, and additionally trains local health promoters.

Why Honduras?

Honduras, historically the poorest country in Central America, suffered terrible damage from Hurricane Mitch. The hurricane’s destruction was not due to wind. When the storm slowed to a crawl over the mountains unimaginable amounts of rain fell, wiping out 80% of the country’s infrastructure including all major roads and bridges. 7,000-9,000 people are believed to have died in the storm.  33,000 homes were totally destroyed and 50,000 others damaged severely.
 
The province of Choluteca, in the poorest, southern region of the country, received more than 36 inches of rain in 4 days, an amount equal to more than 2/3 of the total annual rainfall in a normal year.  Entire towns and villages were obliterated.  The agricultural production which was the mainstay of the country was destroyed.  Neighborhoods in the capital city of Tegucigalpa washed down the steep hillsides, killing unknown numbers of people. Many of the missing there and throughout the country were never accounted for.