Will You Support Healing Justice In Honduras?

December 17, 2018

By Jill (VanBeek) Stoltzfus, ASJ-US (formerly known as AJS) Executive Director

This month, while in Honduras, I visited the main public hospital that serves Honduras’ poor. Honestly, I am not a fan of hospitals in the best of times, but this one is especially hard to visit. The many suffering people lining the hallways are vivid reminders that corruption isn’t an abstract concept—it literally destroys lives.

During my visit, I entered a medicine storage room and heard from doctors that they often lacked the basic medicines that their patients need most. I thought about the 80% of Hondurans who depend on the government for medicines, and about the $94 million dollars of medication that were stolen.

I met two surgeons who told me they have trouble operating because their equipment is often outdated, broken, or stolen. I thought of the 10,000 patients currently on waiting lists for surgeries because of a shortage of available doctors in the operating room.

Working for justice exposes you to the raw wounds of our world. It is easy to become overwhelmed with the magnitude of the problems and to fall into the trap of thinking that corruption has no cure. But, as I walked through those hospital halls, I saw many things that have improved, and I was struck by the fact that slowly but surely justice is becoming a reality.

I firmly believe that, because I’ve already seen how God is using my ASJ colleagues to bring justice and significant improvements to the Honduran health system.

When blood pressure medication was discovered to contain mostly chalk, ASJ helped to create a new way of purchasing quality medication that is now overseen by the United Nations. I know that this is a huge step forward in rooting out corruption and ensuring that quality medication reaches patients.

When corrupt officials stole medicines, ASJ’s investigations held them accountable and several of them are now awaiting trial. I know this sets a precedent for holding those in power accountable.

And, I am most excited about the recent news that the President of Honduras asked ASJ to form part of a group leading the transformation of the national health system. This intervention alone has enormous potential to affect millions of lives!

While my visit to the hospital was hard, it also made clear to me how important it is that God is working through ASJ in Honduras and bringing justice that will bring health to the poor who so desperately need it.

We have a long way to go, but with your partnership, we are committed to the long- term journey of justice healing the Honduran health system.

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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