One year after Hurricanes Eta and Iota devastated Honduras, ASJ Co-Founder Jo Ann Van Engen shares the stories of families that ASJ is walking alongside.

Early this week, my husband, Kurt and I drove to Rivera Hernandez, a sprawling neighborhood of almost 200,000 people in northern Honduras. Last year, many of the families ASJ worked with in the community had their lives turned upside down by devastating back-to-back hurricanes.

Over the past year, ASJ has tried to respond well to each of these families’ needs. Some, we helped buy new beds, refrigerators and stoves to replace those that had been washed away in the flood, others needed lost cell phones replaced so their children could access online school.  For the most damaged homes, ASJ hired construction workers to rebuild broken roofs, walls and floors. 

Kurt and I wanted to see how the families were doing, so Tuesday morning, we ducked through the doorway of a small home to talk with 61 year-old Isabel and her granddaughter, Karina. ASJ staff met Isabel five years ago, after her son was killed by gang members, leaving her responsible for her then two-year-old granddaughter. I sat down on the bed with a chatty and confident Karina. 

ASJ has forged a relationship with Isabel and her granddaughter Karina over the past five years.

Her grandmother looked over at her and smiled. 

“Karina is my comfort. I lost my mind for a while after my son was killed. I was in therapy with Aline (the ASJ counselor) for five years. And then last year the hurricane hit and I felt so overwhelmed again. It was an answer to prayer when ASJ showed up. They helped me get a new roof and furnishings. I don’t know what I would have done.” She put her arm around Karina as we got ready to leave and said softly, “My dream is for Karina to be able to stay in school and have a good life.”