Support Honduras Now

April 2, 2019

A special reflection from ASJ Co-Founders Kurt Ver Beek and Jo Ann Van Engen

Last Friday, President Trump instructed the State Department to cut off all aid to Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala in response to the caravans traveling to the United States.

We are devastated by this decision. In the last 5 years, ASJ (formerly known as AJS) has worked so hard to find ways to decrease violence and strengthen Honduran institutions. These efforts are creating a safer Honduras where people won’t feel the need to leave. ASJ staff has been instrumental in purging and restructuring the police, in calling for the arrest and extradition of drug traffickers, and in revamping the public health and education systems.

This work has been difficult and complicated but we have made so much progress. Cutting these US funds, which support the work we and many others do, jeopardizes all the hard-fought progress we have made.

This progress is the work of brave committed Hondurans who are risking their lives to build a better country, where Hondurans don’t feel the need to flee. The possibility that we may lose all the progress we have worked so hard to achieve, is infuriating and counterproductive and so very sad. We strongly believe it is wrong and short-sighted. In the words of Blanca Munguia, ASJ Director of the Social Sector:

When I heard the news, I felt so sad. My thoughts immediately went to our beneficiaries – the children, mothers, and families we work with and in whom we invest through our community programs. It would be a shame considering that these resources are used in programs that help people grow in their communities, and improve education and health.

-Blanca Munguía, ASJ-Honduras Director of the Social Sector

We know from years of experience that justice and systemic reform do not happen overnight, they take time and patience. However, we have already begun to harvest the fruit of this work: homicides are down by over 50% in five years, Honduran kids are getting over 200 days of class a year, a former first lady and many other “untouchables” are in jail on corruption charges.

But, we also know that this progress is fragile and must be nurtured, so we have made good, solid plans for how to continue pushing for reform.

We have so much work yet to do, but without funds, our work and progress in Honduras is in grave jeopardy.

Today we need you now more than ever. Will you join with us in solidarity and in faith that Honduras can continue to change? There a number of ways you can help: Send in a gift , write a note to our staff in Honduras, share a message of solidarity on Facebook, forward this message. Show our team in Honduras that we are with them in seeking justice in Honduras.

Thank you for your trust and your commitment.

Que Dios le bendiga,

Kurt Ver Beek and Jo Ann Van Engen

Next week, former Ambassador to Honduras James Nealon will be addressing this topic at the ASJ celebration of justice event. We still have several tables available – consider attending and inviting others in your community to join you to continue this conversation! RVSP today.

You can send a note of encouragement to our office (info@asj-us.org / PO Box 888631, Grand Rapids MI 49588).

A visual way you can show your support is to add this temporary frame (left) to your Facebook profile picture.

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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