Vacaciones de la primavera 2010

For those of you who know me, here I go again...

For those of you who do not yet know me (or who have forgotten enough about this loquito to require an update), allow me to explicar...

My name is Tyler Petrini, and I am currently teaching Spanish at Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland (for a reference point, think suburbs of Baltimore). I am in my second year of teaching and my second year living in the Mid-Atlantic after moving here in the summer of 2008 from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to making the decision to pack my bags and head east, I earned a degree in Spanish and Sociology within the context of the Secondary Education program) from Calvin College and spent nearly 6 months during the course of my college career studying the Spanish language in its natural environment—in areas of the world where it is the primary language spoken. To be more specific, during my junior year I spent a semester in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and I returned to Latin America during my senior year to spend a month in Merida, Mexico. I have since returned to Mexico to spend time with mis nuevos amigos y mi familia yucateca, but it is to my other Latin American hogar that I will be returning this spring.

That's right--this viajero imparable will be resuming his travels come April 2, 2010 (Viernes Santo) by flying to San Pedro Sula, Honduras and subsequently hopping on a autobús/camión to "Teguc," the capital of the country. Unlike his prior visit, though, Tyler "Tito" Petrini (now el Señor Tyler "Tito" Petrini) will not be spending his time learning about the Spanish language and Honduran culture in an academic setting; oh no, this time the classroom of the Pedagógica is replaced by the "classroom" of Nueva Suyapa.

For those of you who do not remember (I know some of my more anxious family members and friends remember all too well what I am about to revisit), I spent a few days in the impoverished community known as Nueva Suyapa when I studied in Honduras in 2006. It was there that I became acquainted with both extreme poverty/suffering and with the organization that works tirelessly to provide hope, support, and peace to the people who live in the community. This organization (the Association for a More Just Society), founded by several individuals who acted as my professors while in Honduras and managed by both North Americans and Hondurans, has since become an example to me of how peace and justice can be found amidst turmoil and strife and how demonstrating love and support can be a powerful tool for restoring security and dignity in a scarred community. Due to their impact and my initial connection to their work, I have since become involved in several of their initiatives through various venues: I participated in two "Just Run" events in Grand Rapids, Michigan; I have attended their annual conference multiple times; I have worked with others to promote AJS' work and secure funds for various projects in Nueva Suyapa; and I have become part of the "Justice Club"--a group of individuals who support AJS through consistent financial support. This year I decided to demonstrate my support through yet another method--journeying to Nueva Suyapa to observe and report on the work that AJS is doing so that others can witness the tremendous impact of their service.

My duties throughout the week (April 3-April 10) will involve meeting with AJS staff and traveling with them to the various sites where their work is carried out, speaking with the individuals they serve on a daily basis and documenting (through photography and written analysis) exactly how AJS is changing the social and spiritual landscape of an entire community. I will record my observations, reflections, and inquiries on this blog with the hope that those who truly support me and my interests/passions will discover why I am supporting this organization. I am not asking for financial support, and I am not simply a marketing tool for AJS. Rather, I am a bridge--un enlace--between those who truly care about social justice here in the States and those who are working towards social justice in Honduras. I am a lens through which you can observe at least one community that is being changed by the love of God through the love, concern, and kindness of His people. Feel free to make comments and ask questions as the trip commences and progresses, and please conduct your own research to determine how you can best serve your neighbor.

My one request is that you don't just check this blog to make sure that I am "safe and sound" while visiting Honduras; I will be in the care of generous and loving people and in the hands of an all-powerful God who calls His people to do justice. Instead, do justice to the work that I am doing by thinking and praying about what I am describing and ultimately finding ways to do justice in your own communities and in the global community as a whole.

Y ahora, ¡A hacer la justicia!