Standing on Picacho, Jesus Blesses Tegucigalpa

Que tal, amigos?

My last full day in Tegucigalpa, I decided to go some place I haven't been.... United Nations Park on Mount Picacho. This park sits high above the city and the view is something else. I started early because getting there is a trek. First I catch a bus to the central market ( nearly all the buses go there). Then I walk to a bus on the other side of the market, which in turn takes me to the steep curving road that winds up toward Picacho. At this point I sardine my way into a minibus "can" hurtling toward the peak. I was hanging on with all my might next to a wide open door! We passed some pretty fancy real estate on our way ( many of the embassies are up here, including the US embassy). The bus let me out at the top and continued on it's way to La Tigre . As I ambled the last mile along the road to the park gate. I saw maybe 30 high-school students with hoes clearing away invasive plants from the grounds.By the viewpoint stood a little cafe where I bought a coffee and sat down to gaze at the city far below. Further along I saw rock-climbers practicing their stuff on the vertical rock cliffs . Then I came to a replica of a Mayan temple which descended stepping down into large garden, where stood a 4-story high statue of Christ with arms outstretched in blessing. It made me think of the statue of Jesus that stands on Sugar-loaf mountain in Rio, which I've only seen in pictures. Grandiose? Yes, but I found a verse inscribed at the bottom that made it more personal: Luke 24:46-50, which ends with " while he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven." I thought of that last gift from his hands, his blessing, falling upon the people of this city.

In another corner of the garden I found a statue of Confuscius within a very formal Chinese garden where many of his words were hidden, almost like surprises here and there. Sometimes that is the way truth comes to us. I was fascinated as I walked through the gardens at the diversity of plants, most of which were new to me. I wonder how birds and insects appreciate and engage with this world ... we seem to have forgotten.

Later I returned to the city,and wandered through streets marked with graffitti , punctuated with splinters and shards of glass from last years demonstrations, a message that doesn't make it to the newspapers anymore but still echos off the concrete and asphalt. There I found a little souvenir shop and startled the owner by buying something.

After dinner, back at Juan and Isidra's, I accompanied them to their church where a member and friend was getting married. This was a little different since both the bride and groom were in their late sixties and had their adult children standing in the place of best men and bride's maids. Everyone, even the kids were dressed like they stepped out of a magazine. You'd never know we were in the scruffy barrio of Flor del Campo. I think that the picture that will stick in my mind was the little flower girl who went back and picked up all the rose petals she'd earlier scattered all down the aisle.

Tomorrow is Sunday. I'll be heading for Siguatepeque to join my friends from Bethany church after lunch. I feel so much more at home in this place, thanks to my friends Jenny, Juan, Isidra, and Guillermo. So different from the first time 10 years ago, when we were hesitant even to get out of the van. See you tomorrow.

Hasta Manana, Gilberto.