One afternoon Marta* arrived at a Gideon Center—a legal aid and psychological counseling clinic supported by ASJ (formerly known as AJS)— distraught because she hadn’t seen her three-year-old son, Emilio, in months. After an argument Emilio’s father, Alonso had taken the boy away to live him and his ailing mother. Whenever Marta tried to visit her son, Alonso refused to let her in the house and even threatened to kill her if she took him to court.
A Mother And Son, Reunited
October 28, 2015
Marta, who has few financial resources and no family in the area, tearfully explained her situation to a neighbor. The neighbor had benefitted from both the legal and counseling services provided at the Gideon Center in their neighborhood and encouraged Marta to seek help there. Marta, who didn’t even dream of affording a private lawyer, had one at her service just days later: she’d gone to the Gideon Center, paid a symbolic fee equal to about one U.S. dollar, and been welcomed into the staff lawyer’s office.
According to Jenny, the lawyer, the “easiest way” to resolve the situation would have been to press charges in court, demanding that police remove Emilio from his grandmother’s home. But Jenny and her colleagues at the Gideon Center do not take the easy way out; they make every effort to mediate agreements that are positive for everyone involved. After hearing Marta’s story, Jenny asked Alonso to come talk with her about the case.
A week later Alonso showed up for his appointment, and Jenny explained that his infirm mother was not the right person to care for little Emilio. They also talked about how traumatic it would be for Emilio and his grandmother to go through a forcible removal. The point hit home. Alonso agreed to take Emilio to the Gideon Center the following week for further mediation. And at that, Alonso and Marta agreed that Emilio would live with Marta, and Alonso would pay 1,500 Lempiras (about $80) in monthly child support.
Now both parents understand their rights and responsibilities—which, as Jenny says, is one of the Gideon Center’s main goals: “We seek to raise awareness among the beneficiaries that they need to respect the law and that there are laws that protect them.”
While the custody conflict has been sorted out, its emotional toll on little Emilio is still felt. The toddler “has been manipulated and has been through many family conflicts,” says Jenny. Counselors from the Gideon Center are helping Emilio and Marta work through that, too, so that together they can understand how to manage Emilio’s behavior and heal his emotional wounds.
Hondurans cast their ballots during the November 30, 2025, general election, which saw historic voter turnout and a peaceful process supported by more than 12,000 national and international election observers working to safeguard transparency.
ASJ-Canada and ASJ-US Congratulate the Honduran People, Call for Full and Transparent Results As sister organizations committed to justice, peace and hope in Honduras, ASJ-Canada and ASJ-US extend our deepest congratulations to the people of Honduras on the peaceful conduct of their national elections on November 30, 2025. With the initial tally showing an extraordinarily close vote, we call on election authorities to do what is necessary to ensure a transparent count of the remaining ballots in order to guarantee public trust in the final outcome. We commend the Honduran voters for their dedication to democratic participation and their commitment to shaping the future of their country through civic engagement. We also recognize the efforts of electoral authorities, civil society organizations, the international community and the thousands of volunteer observers who worked to ensure a transparent, orderly, and secure process. We are especially proud of our sister organization, ASJ-Honduras, for their unwavering commitment to democracy demonstrated through their electoral observation efforts, their analysis activities, and their consistent call for a fair and orderly process. Now that such a process has been achieved, the work turns to counting the votes with accuracy and transparency. The results remain close, increasing the possibility of a contested result. We support the work of the election officials at the National Electoral Council to give Hondurans confidence in the final results by conducting their count with rigor and transparency. We remain hopeful that the spirit of peaceful participation in the democratic process embraced by the electorate will carry forward into the post-election period to come. We look forward to continued collaboration with ASJ-Honduras as we all work together toward a just and hopeful future for all Hondurans. Matthew Van Geest President, Board of Directors ASJ-Canada Russ Jacobs President, Board of Directors ASJ-US
A call to action for Honduras
The Association for a More Justice Society-US Supports the Network to Defend Democracy; Calls for Free and Fair Elections in Honduras November 25, 2025
Honduras’s Institutional Crisis Deepens Ahead of the 2025 Elections
Dear friend, I couldn’t stop looking at the picture. Of course, there had been plenty of inspiring photos from this summer’s Prayer Walk for Peace and Democracy. The sea of blue and white rising and falling as hundreds of thousands walked the Honduran hills through Tegucigalpa, flowing like a never-ending stream. Catholic nuns praying their rosaries alongside Pentecostals dancing in the streets. But the picture that still knocks me flat is the closeup. The one of the two men standing side by side (picture enclosed). They are exhausted, and the shorter collapses into the taller. The tears mostly hold joy and relief, but they are mingled with something darker. After all, there had been threats—promises of harm done to themselves and their loved ones if they led their followers through the streets of Honduras in prayer. Despite the fear and intimidation, Pastor Gerardo Irías and Monsignor José Vicente Nácher forged ahead. They knew Honduras needed unity and, above all, prayer before the looming November 2025 presidential elections. As an ASJ supporter, you know that these kinds of threats aren’t out of the ordinary, and your support has helped slow and reverse violence in Honduras. Today, I am writing to share a way you can continue standing with brave Hondurans like Pastor Gerardo and Monsignor José in hope. The Evangelical pastor and the Catholic archbishop put the word out as widely as they could to their churches, hoping to mobilize 20,000 to walk and pray. Instead, an estimated 230,000 walked in the capital of Tegucigalpa alone. It was a historic moment. And without your past support for ASJ, it may have never happened. After all, two years prior, Pastor Gerardo and Monsignor José didn’t even know each other’s names. They first met in 2023 at ASJ’s offices. They were two of many civil society leaders convened by ASJ to discuss safeguarding democracy– especially before the election in 2025. It was at that meeting that they shook each other’s hand and learned each other’s name. It was at that meeting–and many subsequent meetings–where old religious prejudices began to be replaced by trust and mutual affection. So, when the moment came this summer to act, Pastor Gerardo and Monsignor José knew what they had to do. And they knew that they had to do it together.
Calvin alums turn faith into action through nonprofit
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thank You for Moving Forward With Us this Summer!
When Policies Shift, Families Pay the Price * by Jo Ann Van Engen
