Capprome
Changing the lives of others
Katie Jackson
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: News
They thought it would be safe to go back. Unfortunately, it would not be safe again for a long time. The Rockhurst University service trip group that traveled to Honduras in March of 2009 cried their hearts out upon hearing the recent news that the military coup would prevent them from going back in January as they had planned.
This past spring break, nine students and two professors went on a service trip to an orphanage named Copprome in El Progreso, Honduras. They spent the week there fixing up the orphanage as well as playing and spending time with the children.
"My favorite experience in Honduras was meeting the people," said Kate Bacon, one student on the trip. "That may sound broad, but it was the people there that made the biggest impact on me and made me want to go back."
Each student was lucky enough to have the unique experience of working in a third world country. The students grew so attached to the children there was even talk of adopting all of them.
When they returned to school at the end of their service trip the consensus was mutual: they had to go back.
The wheels began moving right away. The team planned fundraisers to earn money for their next trip back to Honduras. Selling hand-made burritos, salsa, and guacamole worked best last time, so they intended to do that again.
It was not until recently that their hopes were dashed. Because of the military coup, Rocio Duncan, Ph.D., and the group decided that it would be unsafe to travel back to Honduras any time soon.
"Everyone is worried that when we do get to go back, the children that we fell in love with won't be there anymore. There's no guarantee that we will see them again," said Duncan.
The length of time that each child stays at Copprome depends on his or her family and living situation.
The students know that they want to go back to Honduras, but at this point they are not sure when that will be able to happen. Bacon is hoping to be able to go back at the beginning of next summer. The group is still going to have their fundraiser and send the money to Copprome.
"Copprome needs all the money and help it can get," said Elizabeth Reid, another student on the trip. "Sometimes if they don't have enough money, depending on each child's situation, some have to be sent back home to their unhealthy living situations…as long as the situation is livable."
The students are doing everything they can to help Copprome from afar, but their hearts will not be quite as content until they go back again. Hopefully in the near future, when the hostile political situation in Honduras subsides, the nine Rockhurst students will be able to return to Copprome and make a difference in the lives of the children there once again.
This past spring break, nine students and two professors went on a service trip to an orphanage named Copprome in El Progreso, Honduras. They spent the week there fixing up the orphanage as well as playing and spending time with the children.
"My favorite experience in Honduras was meeting the people," said Kate Bacon, one student on the trip. "That may sound broad, but it was the people there that made the biggest impact on me and made me want to go back."
Each student was lucky enough to have the unique experience of working in a third world country. The students grew so attached to the children there was even talk of adopting all of them.
When they returned to school at the end of their service trip the consensus was mutual: they had to go back.
The wheels began moving right away. The team planned fundraisers to earn money for their next trip back to Honduras. Selling hand-made burritos, salsa, and guacamole worked best last time, so they intended to do that again.
It was not until recently that their hopes were dashed. Because of the military coup, Rocio Duncan, Ph.D., and the group decided that it would be unsafe to travel back to Honduras any time soon.
"Everyone is worried that when we do get to go back, the children that we fell in love with won't be there anymore. There's no guarantee that we will see them again," said Duncan.
The length of time that each child stays at Copprome depends on his or her family and living situation.
The students know that they want to go back to Honduras, but at this point they are not sure when that will be able to happen. Bacon is hoping to be able to go back at the beginning of next summer. The group is still going to have their fundraiser and send the money to Copprome.
"Copprome needs all the money and help it can get," said Elizabeth Reid, another student on the trip. "Sometimes if they don't have enough money, depending on each child's situation, some have to be sent back home to their unhealthy living situations…as long as the situation is livable."
The students are doing everything they can to help Copprome from afar, but their hearts will not be quite as content until they go back again. Hopefully in the near future, when the hostile political situation in Honduras subsides, the nine Rockhurst students will be able to return to Copprome and make a difference in the lives of the children there once again.
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