I ran to his grave, in fact I run past graves almost everyday. The Ranch has a trail to the cemetery, up a steep hill and about 2 miles into the woods. This morning was different though because it had a fresh grave from the day before. The earth was in a rectangle mound with fresh white lily’s placed on top. The slope of the cemetery leads the body to view the pine trees that surround the site. Horses are sometimes lingering around the cemetery. I think they are taking the souls up to heaven.
Sam (name change) was the 17 year old boy that was buried. He was shot by a gang member in the capital, leaving 11 siblings to mourn his death, the 5 youngest living at the Ranch. He was the eighth person in his family to be killed by this gang as a tragic vendetta haunts the family. The parents of these children were also slain along with their uncles.
Sam was on his way to the Ranch for visitor’s day, an event we have 3 times a year. He went in to the city the day before for a visit. He boarded a bus with his girlfriend to buy some take-out food to bring to the Ranch, he was then shot, with his girlfriend witnessing everything.
I went with our social worker to investigate this case back in April. When we arrived at the poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, we walked down about 100 steps to a brick house with a metal laminate roof. The house actually has just one room with bed sheets spreading across it to make a divider. Four beds were behind the divider for almost 15 people living in the house. Plastic bags stored all their belongings. There was one wood hutch in the room for kitchen items but no stove, no sink and no refrigerator.
The children were all living with an older sister who had a family of her own and was having difficulty as it was making ends meet. The house had neither running water nor a shower. There was a large plastic bucket outside for water storage and a metal barrel used for a stove.
A latrine, that was barely standing, existed with three pieces of wood around it. The children were ready to come to the Ranch. They had their small belongings packed into a backpack and each one seemed eager to start a new adventure.
Sometimes I can’t even fathom the pain and suffering that these children go through. For their safety, our director is working on taking them to another home, outside the country because the gang stated that they won’t stop killing until the entire family is dead.
In comparison, we don’t have it so bad. Yes, we are STILL WAITING for papers to be signed and for some other legalities, but at least we don’t have a threat on our lives.
I still hope and pray that we will be returning to Phoenix in August but right now I am just taking one day at a time. If the final sentence is signed by the end of this month, we might have a good chance at making the August date.
Miss and love you,
Monica
