I hadn't thought to spend this July 4 in the States. This makes four United States Independence Days I've celebrated from within the country, quite a record after six or seven years of celebrating them in Spanish from Latin America. I was planning on being away in Honduras for this one, too, but due to the current political instability, I'm still here in the States, not yet sure when I will go to Honduras, only sure that it won't be tomorrow.
As I listened to the fireworks exploding just outside my roof last night, I couldn't help but think of the people in Honduras right now, listening to the grenades of protests as their country is torn apart by a greed for power and morbid pride on both sides that will not admit wrongdoing and has created (thus far) an inability to reach a compromise. How much we have to be thankful for in the United States. A government that, in spite of quarrels over Clinton's impeachment, Bush's close shave in 2000, etc, still manages to resolve its differences legally and without the intervention of the military. For a first President who self-imposed two term limits, and allowed the government to turn over legally.
I'm also still in awe at the combination of freedom and security the citizens of the United States have. Yesterday I sat outside and couldn't help but overhear an intense spiritual conversation between two men the next table over, in public! Ever since traveling in the Eastern hemisphere, where things are not nearly that free, I am amazed by that freedom.
There are things to be improved in our country: our greed, materialism, and consumerism that we export, our off-kilter sexual mores we broadcast through our television shows, movies, and music, and our basic assumption that underlies all our policies that any life that is not an American life is just not worth as much or as precious, but I was reminded as I heard the fireworks exploding in joy not fear of just how much we citizens of the United States have to be thankful for.
I'm still hoping to go to Honduras, but had no peace about traveling by myself on the day that the former President is trying to return to the country. Right now I'm going to try to go on July 11 or 12, after seeing what comes of this situation. Please be in prayer for those who are going tomorrow, and pray that the way would be kept open for God's work to be done in Honduras.
