Palm Sunday

While driving the last couple of days, we have come upon at least two big trucks heading into San Pedro Sula filled with palm branches. Obviously, there will be a market for these branches today. So, a whole infrastructure has developed to meet the annual market. It is always fascinating what little markets develop in the strangest places and for the strangest reasons.

Wherever there is a stoppage in traffic for some sort of construction a market place develops instantly for fruits, snacks and drinks. The creativity and effort put into marketing these tiny margin commodities is amazing. I wonder if there isn’t, in fact, something that is almost addictive about selling things in an atmosphere of movement, constant change, noise and slight danger. The idea of planting seeds, watering and tending seedlings while waiting for harvest is so incredibly boring in comparison.

A couple of religious thoughts from this week. On Wednesday, we dropped off my daughter at the Anglican Bishop’s residence so that she could stay with his daughter for a couple of nights. The bishop met us with a huge, vicious Rottweiler type guard dog that was part of the security arrangements surrounding his huge, multi-storied, complete-with-pool dwelling. For a diocese that seeks funding from outside Honduras to maintain its operations, this castle seemed rather incongruent.

A second conversation took place with a young priest who is busy translating the prayer book from the 1600’s into modern Spanish for use in Spain, Honduras and other Latin American countries. Evidently, there has been no organized translation of a book of service for Spanish speakers so this is very needed. However, the theology that drives this particular version is one which concentrates on the unworthy character of people and the huge need for grace that they consequently have. Nothing wrong with that, in a sense (we’ll go there some other time) but, what this theology does create is a market for grace. And, once you have a need, you then create suppliers. These suppliers of grace gain a huge power over the lives and minds of their customers. The Bishop has created a wonderful lifestyle from selling grace to ignorant consumers. Large church institutions are built upon the financial returns made from the sale of grace.

What would happen if grace became free? What would happen to the lifestyles of these temple sellers if their tables were overturned permanently and people could come and go without recourse to their pockets? Many new religious movements have begun with the idea of free and (horrifying to the sellers) infinite grace.

To change the topic – enough theology. It gives you a small idea of the dynamics of soccer fans here when the Red Cross workers who carry the stretcher out on to the field are clad in hard hats. We will know things are really serious when the referees wear hard hats as well.

Honduras was ecstatic this week because of a 3-1 victory over Mexico. This puts them back in the hunt for a spot in the 2010 World Cup. We watched the game on a large screen at a friend`s restaurant. Our hopes to attend the game were dashed by the failure of another friend to obtain tickets. However, one or two glimpses of the stands four hours ahead of the game and the fact that it was more than +35° that day made our seats and cold drinks in hand seem like the much wiser option.

After the game, we began the drive home. We did not realize that victories are celebrated by driving about and clogging up intersections with cheering fans and waving flags. Forty minutes later we found a back route out of town and were on our way. Lots of traffic even then because of many people heading home from the game. I was rather careful as the alcohol level of many of the drivers had to be somewhat elevated.

Friday night we passed an accident victim lying on the road. Print and TV media feature numerous shots of dead bodies each day and, obviously, the media had not yet arrived so no covering had been utilized. We didn`t stick around to wait for the media. Sobering though.

A week of hot weather and, if the forecast is correct, a hotter week ahead. Once temperatures rise above body temperature it really is testing. Fortunately, we have a fan at night so there is air movement and gradual cooling. Evenings are pleasant and people utilize the time to walk and visit. It is nice to see people out and about.

Have a good Easter week. For most people here in Honduras, the whole week is off. For the rest, Wednesday to Sunday is a holiday. Any body of water, including rivers, is crowded with people seeking to cool off and to enjoy the holiday. Not surprisingly, even river banks have vendors setting up for the coming throngs.

Bryan