Children at our centers in Honduras are given the opportunity to celebrate their culture and display their unique talents each year at a fair that 20 centers have come together to host.
For three years in a row, this innovative activity has been held in the historical city of Comayagua, which was once the capital of the country after Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1820.
At the central plaza, one can appreciate the cathedral, which was inaugurated Dec. 8, 1711, and the City Hall, surrounded by beautiful gardens. The plaza is where the residents gather to celebrate the local holidays and concerts of marimbas, among other activities.
It is precisely in this location where the 20 centers prepare with anticipation. The fair includes things such as folk dancing, crafts, textures, paintings, pottery and different kinds of foods. Many girls make necklaces, which always sell well at the fair. Entire families will be involved in creating the crafts to sell.
Honduras holds proudly a special kind of dance and music called punta, which is a circle dance: One couple dances in the middle of the circle and the other participants sing and clap their hands. The children are able to participate in this piece of Honduran culture, learning and rehearsing the traditional dances to perform at the fair.
Of course, another big part of the fair is food. The Honduran cuisine has a heavy emphasis on corn, peppers, tomatoes and beans. Coconuts are used more widely in this area than in neighboring countries, and numerous fish dishes reflect the country’s long Caribbean coast. Popular dishes include conch soup, flour tortillas with beans and roast beef, and a panoply of tropical fruits for dessert. Talented cooks prepare traditional dishes to be served at the fair.
On the day of the fair, the work starts early with the placing of marquees. The children help by putting up chairs and tables and helping the center staff set up all the products. The food stands and the skilled cooks get ready when the show is about to start.
Soon people from the community start to walk around the place. The crowd cheers the children as they show their folk dancing skills. Backstage, children rehearse their special presentations, and some of them pray with their leaders for the new souls who will open their heart to the good message of love of Jesus.
One priority of the celebration is to present the gospel through the living testimony of children who are registered in different centers. One by one, groups from every center head up to the stage for a special cultural and evangelistic presentation, including messianic dances, mimes, choreography, and songs to exalt the name of Christ.
The churches and centers look forward to this time each year when all gather for one purpose. Not only do the children get a chance to show their unique talents, but they also share how the Word of God has changed their lives, and how our ministry is working with the local church to bring transformation to this troubled society.
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Wow! The fair sounds like a lot of fun. I absolutely love the Honduran culture. I sponsor a child in San Pedro Sula. My mom sponsors 2 more in that area. I have also been on a mission trip to Honduras. I would love to go to the fair sometime.
This was a wonderful article!!! I now have something to ask my little Ludis about….
Great article. Does this always take place in December? I have friends in Comayagua who are Native to Honduras and will have to ask them if they have attended this. Would love to go and see it in person. The boy I sponsor is about 30 minutes away from Comayagua. I will have to ask him if his center attended the festivities?
This Compassion fair is always done between June-July and this has been carried out in the city of Comayagua and Siguatepeque which are only 25 kilometers apart.
Would love to know which projects are involved in this. We sponsor 4 children in Honduras at 3 different projects.
Chuck… I know you are over there now… did this take place while you were there? Our little girl is in one of the participating projects!
This activity is coordinated by the Partnership facilitator of the Central area so the projects involve in this event are the ones located in Comayagua, Siguatepeque, Intibuca, La Paz and also Yojoa Lake (HO219, HO244, HO245, HO246, HO248, HO307, HO207, HO215, HO217, HO243, HO256, HO224, HO242, HO288,
Honduras definitey knows how to celebrate culture! This isn’t related much to the article, but I have been trying to contact someone from Honduras’ field staff over a year now! I live in Copan Ruinas, Copan and sponsor a child in Mexico. I have been trying to get involved in non-profits overseas but can’t seem to get in contact with anyone! Can I get some contact information for one of the centers, maybe in or near Copan?
I live here in Tegucigalpa and I can speak to the beautiful way Honduras celebrates culture! When the children and community see their unique abilities in light of how God made them, the experience is that much greater!
Wow — this is really awesome! I would love to see it for myself!
This is a great article to read. I sponsor a child in Ecuador and it’s a great experience getting to correspond with him and learn about his culture. I enjoyed reading about the Honduras culture and the celebrations that take place at the fair. Thanks again for sharing and God bless!