Back to being grounded

Well, it's back! The curfew that was set to regulate night-time activities is back on. For several days (more than a week), this curfew kept people off the streets to avoid any protests and to keep people safe. Anyone caught outside during these hours was immediately taken to jail. It sucked because stores and restaurants closed super early to get their employees home on time, but it was good in a way because crime and accidents reduced, seeing how most crimes are committed at night during the hours which were closed off. This also meant that my cousin's graduation dinner would be postponed. His graduation ceremony and dinner were scheduled for July 4, but were suspended due to the situation. However, once things calmed down, his graduation ceremony became a possibility, and thankfully we were able to celebrate his achievement this past Saturday. The following day, Sunday, it was announced in the afternoon that the curfew (the "toque de queda," which by then was the most popular theme for jokes) was cancelled, meaning people could roam about at all hours of the night and morning. Seeing how now we'd be able to party all night, the dinner was able to be set for Thursday, June 16. But of course, something had to get in the way...again.

These past couple of days have been very calm in Tegucigalpa. Not only was it visible in the streets themselves, but the media had stopped concentrating on the city and more on the politics and things happening outside of Honduras. New stories of how corrupt Zelaya's plan was are popping up everything, with investigations on how millions of dollars were used for this referendum, and how that money was being spent to pay people to support him. This money that was being used to make this referendum popular was given to people, mostly lower class, as a bribe to help promote the referendum and support Mel in anything. It's for this reason that when Mel was taken away, hundreds continued to support him--they still want their money! And now, playing the victim, Mel is pleading to "his people" to support him and not to give up, meaning to continue marching down the streets, and if possible, for 24 hours non stop. On Tuesday, Mel sent a message encouraging his "resistance army" (as they are called) to march on forward, getting them hyped up for what he hopes will be his grand return as president. This has escalated to threats from these resistance "soldiers" to take over streets, blocking them and doing who-knows-what. For this reason, we received the disappointing news via radio that the curfew was back on for the night, starting at midnight. We had just gotten in the car after having gone to the mall, where I had just purchased a dress for the dinner not too long before. AGH!!! 

Hearing that the military would close streets and that the curfew was back on made me so angry inside. I don't understand how someone can claim to be for the people when all this person has brought has been chaos and even the death of a young man by the name of Isis Obed, who has become a martyr to "the resistance." His selfishness and interest in his own agenda has caused uncertainty and fear for the Hondurans. It's scary not knowing what could happen next. You think you know, but you have no idea. One minute things are finally getting back to normal, and the next your having to keep your children inside and out of school for fear of something dangerous crossing your path. Classes have been cancelled for Thursday and cautions have been spread across television and radio stations across the country, asking people to avoid any unnecessary travel. So for now, we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully this ends soon. It's not fair for those students who can't receive an education because their professors are on strike, or for those who have lost their jobs because their boss was somehow involved in the million dollar scandal of this referendum. Things need to change! 

Please keep Honduras in your prayers. Pray for those who are in political positions. Pray for the military who are doing their best to keep citizens safe and out of harm's way. I feel so bad for them; they always look tired and like they haven't eaten in a long time. They pay a hard price for our freedom. Please pray for Mel Zelaya too. He's been brainwashed into thinking that he's above freedom and that he deserves the right to continue as president after spending millions on something for himself. Let's keep lifting God's name up in the midst of this situation. Never give up...never surrender.