A Farewell Reflection from Jill Stoltzfus

November 1, 2023

Jill Stoltzfus, former Executive Director of ASJ-US, with the tapestry blanket she purchased on her first trip to Honduras.

Dear Friends,

I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about my time with ASJ, and as I reflect, I find my eyes coming to rest on a blanket that I purchased on my very first trip to Honduras in 2003. That blanket still hangs over the back of my couch (that is when I’m not curled up under it), and I realize that it has become a symbol for me of the work that I, along with so many of you, have done together to help create a more just society in Honduras.

When I stand back and look at the blanket, I see a beautiful tapestry, a piece of art. The closer I look at it, the more I can see the intricate work that went into weaving each of the hundreds of threads together to make the whole.

It reminds me of my journey at ASJ and how God, the ultimate weaver, has woven the experiences, passions, skills, gifts, and moments of hundreds of people all together to create something profound. Each thread may seem simple in the same way moments pass without us recognizing their significance, but when you stand back, you say, “Wow! What a thing of beauty.”

I can see examples of these threads in my personal life and how they have been woven together to make me who I am today.

I see my church growing up and how every week I had to recite Micah 6:8 for my teachers: "What does the Lord require of you, to do justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God." This verse became the drumbeat of my heart - but it was a verse I didn’t fully understand until I was in Honduras seeing the work of ASJ. I see my family, people who showed me how to live out love, especially in other parts of the world. I see the thread of Calvin University where two professors, Kurt Ver Beek, and JoAnn Van Engen, exemplified for me how to approach life with both my mind and my heart when I did a semester abroad in Honduras. During that semester, they took me all over Honduras - Copán, Amapala, Olancho, maquilas (factories), banana plantations - and we studied Honduran history and various approaches to development work. This was pivotal as my love for Honduras began to grow, and my desire to be part of making life better for those living in vulnerable conditions took root.

I have also been reflecting on the development of ASJ over the past 15 years and how God has been faithfully weaving threads together for ASJ as well.

I see the thread of working for peace - ASJ co-founders Carlos Hernandez, Jo Ann Van Engen, and Kurt Ver Beek feeling called to do something to respond to the violence in their community, Nueva Suyapa. They initiated the peace and justice project, which reduced the homicide rate in their neighborhood by 75% from 2005-2010. This statistic alone could be the end of this story, but it wasn't because, at that time, Honduras had the highest homicide rate in the world, and everyone was looking for something that was working to address violence. Here was ASJ, a relatively small NGO at the time with a successful project, knowledge of how the system worked, experience with walking with victims, and now an opportunity to change national systems through a police purge and judicial reform - God is faithful.

Putting bumper stickers on cars to promote the Transformemos Honduras alliance in 2009

I remember the coup in 2009 and how it fractured society– churches, families, and friends divided. I saw ASJ change the narrative by focusing on what was most important for Honduras: education and health. Out of that was born Transformemos Honduras, our first alliance with the catholic church, evangelical church, and other NGOs. This was the first of many alliances to come - as ASJ knows our work is stronger when we do it together.

I saw ASJ's wisdom and resilience in 2019 when we lost half of our funding due to U.S. government aid cuts. We had to reduce staff and programs, and while this was painful, I also saw how ASJ began 2020 united in facing the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented in Honduras. Without missing a beat, ASJ immediately began working to ensure that the health care system could work for its people - work that won the World Justice Project award for creativity and success.

When I reflect on my 15 years with ASJ, I see a group of courageous Christians following God’s call "to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God" - Love, Justice, and Humility. I see a group of people who believe that justice is possible, and who inspire me with their wisdom, strength, creativity, and resilience. I see a clear vision of knowing that justice work is possible - it is difficult but not too difficult, it is complicated but not too complicated.

The view from our office building in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, showcasing the beauty of Honduras

God has weaved each of our stories together to create a close-knit international community committed to doing justice in Honduras. It’s a thing of beauty. While my time as director of ASJ is ending, my story, love, and passion for Honduras will continue to be one of the threads woven together with yours as we work to create a more just society. I know that God will continue to weave our stories together, and I am excited to see the ways this beautiful tapestry of justice in Honduras will continue to transform and grow.

My heart remains with this important mission of justice that continues to be the drumbeat of my heart. I hope you join me in looking back at the whole tapestry and say, "Wow, what an amazing thing that we are collectively a part of together. We are creating a more just society.”

Abrazos,

Jill Stoltzfus

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ASJ Supporting Students’ Learning in Honduras

By Elizabeth Hickel • April 29, 2025

Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE