Day 23: Meetings

Today was filled with meetings. This morning, I met with the Director of Paz y Convivencia, a local social program that targets former gang members as one of its focal points. I shared with the Director the information I have gathered about the Delancey Street Foundation model. Next week, I am going to make a presentation to a number of NGOs and community members who are also interested in the topic of gangs and how to best rehabilitate former members.

This afternoon, I had a conversation with Angela Tarfur, Director of Give to Colombia. The organization has already sent more than $5M to Colombia, and has an incredible model for sustainable philanthropy. Angela has developed a community-focused methodology for building local buy-in for projects that ultimately become 100% self-sustaining within three years. Her corner stone project was the Juan Bosco Computer Center, which has now become the definitive model for Microsoft’s involvement in similar technology centers throughout Latin America. The center is an oasis in the middle of the slums and 100% community run and operated.

My final meeting was with Ami Noel and his fumigation company, FUMYSEM. He has been particularly diligent in heeding my calls for more and more detail about his company. Today we had some major breakthroughs. First of all, we discussed the fact that he is not selling fumigation services at all, but the real service he is offering is family health. By using non-toxic chemicals and removing unwanted pests, he is making the family home safer and healthier. The mental shift is finally allowing him to think in terms of what differentiates his firm from his competitors. The second breakthrough came from my insistence that he define his variable costs in terms of area. Until now, his pricing has been somewhat arbitrary without a proper understanding of his true costs. Ami Noel is more motivated than ever and that is making me even more excited about the process that we are undertaking.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 22: Starting the Week in Style

Every morning, I have an arrangement with a taxi driver to pick me and take me to work. The curious thing is that I believe he is the only Honduran who ever arrives early. I woke up this morning at the usual time, took a shower and just as I was pouring my cereal, the phone rang, to indicate that Leonel, the taxi driver, had arrived… 15 minutes early at that. I scarfed my food down and grabbed a bottle of homemade juice from the small refrigerator in my room and ran out the door.

When I arrived at work, I tried to open the bottle of juice, but it was under an extreme amount of pressure. As I slowly twisted the top, I thought to myself, “This is some strange type of juice.” Having finally opened the bottle, I gave a sniff and wasn’t sure if it was still good or not. I figured that my friends would have a better nose for the smell of local juices, so I asked Jovel and Javier to smell the golden liquid. Both agreed that it was fine, so with that I sat down to work with the strange concoction by my side. After quite a few sips of the pineapple liquid, Javier came by and said, “You know that it is alcoholic, right?” Here I was, Monday morning, drinking a homemade Honduran wine without having the slightest idea that it was alcoholic.

Later in the day, I met with both Espectro Ganzua (Graphic Design) and Centro America Consulting regarding the progress of their business plans. It is incredibly satisfying to see the teams struggling through the process of refining their ideas and putting their strategies together on paper. The step-by-step guide that I am developing to help the teams through the business plan process is proving to be quite useful as it gives them a point of reference as to where they are and how all the pieces fit together. I have also developed an Excel worksheet that helps the teams through the process of building the financial aspect of their business. This is the area where people seem to need the most help.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 21: Space & Time

Today, I spent the whole day with the congregation of a small local church. Slowly but surely, we zigzagged our way to Puerto Cortez, the closest beach (and largest port in Central America). Our first stop was a temporary meeting point at a local gas station, where one of the cars had broken down. We jumped back in the car, headed to one of the member’s houses to retrieve some tools and then returned to the impromptu meeting place. Next, we headed to retrieve a cousin and her young son. Our fourth stop was on the side of the highway, where the pastor and his family were waiting for the caravan. A red truck that was part of our group carried five people inside and another six in the back. Our fifth stop was once again on the side of the highway as soon as we saw the ocean; there seemed to be some confusion about the exact location of our destination. Finally, we found a nice beach, fully equipped with a pool and a cement slide. Curiously enough, the “slippery” side of the slide was made from ceramic tiles.

As I got out of the car, the hospitality immediately began. Everyone was incredibly warm and accepting of the tall gringo who had recently entered their midst. After lathering up with sunscreen to repel the deadly Central American rays, I took a plunge into the Caribbean. The sand was an uninspiring brown but turned into little flakes of gold as the waves churned it up near the shore. My new friends and I shared lunch together, played keep away and enjoyed the natural beauty of which God had graced their country.

Sometime during the afternoon, I asked one of my friends what time the group was planning on returning home and he just shrugged and said he didn’t know. I’ve very much enjoyed escaping from time’s stranglehold on me here in Latin America. Seeing America’s obsession with time through the lens of fluidity makes the concept of letting a $5 machine, attached to one’s arm, rule our lives seem somewhat ridiculous. Certainly, time has its place, but maybe that’s the point… time has a place in our lives, but it shouldn’t rule our lives.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 20: Cancel the Site, Let Me See the People

The more I travel, the less I am interested in seeing tourist destinations. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy Rome’s Coliseum, Peru’s Machu Picchu, or Turkey’s Hagia Sofia. What I truly love is culture and unfortunately, you don’t get much of that surrounded by tourists in a water taxi in Venice’s main canal. You can even be living in a foreign country, with the compound walls separating you from everything foreign. As for me, I prefer living in the trenches. That is where culture resides. I feel so fortunate to be living with Doña Maria and Adoña and working with Jesus, Jovel, Javier, Jorge, Salvador, and Ami Noel. My memories of Honduras will not be of Copan and Ceiba, but rather these people who have enriched my daily life.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 19: Personal Motivations

Peace has returned to our humble office in the center of San Pedro Sula. The concierto of drills and hammers has ended to a grand applause. The office is now divided into four parts: Espectro Ganzua (Graphic Design), Fumysem (Fumigation), Centro América Consulting, and Generación X (Social organization focusing on the needs of former gang members). The reign of the old CJM, was very similar to communism in that all resources belonged to everyone. In contrast, the installation of dividers has ignited a flurry of activity within the individual min-offices as members begin to take ownership of their own companies. The environment in the office has changed drastically in just three weeks.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 18: Putting Up Barriers

The new direction that CJM is taking is refocusing the attention of all the members involved toward their own individual enterprises. As part of this shift, CJM has contracted two men to build dividers within the office so that each company has its own private work area. The chorus of street sounds that is the normal office score has now been replaced by a concierto of drills and hammers. Chemical smells dance around the room. Yet, these minor inconveniences are not for naught as the excitement within the air is palpable. While the barriers are only made of wood and dry wall, they symbolize much more. They represent the new focus of the organization, toward sustainable entrepreneurial ventures. Slowly, members are letting go of the non-profit mentality and grasping the concepts of sustainability.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 17: Blue

Today, Honduras is playing Mexico in soccer. Starting on Monday, blue flags and jerseys began to pop up all around the city as passionate citizens showed their support and clever entrepreneurs banked on that passion. On the way to work this morning, I was shocked to see so many people wearing the Honduran national team jersey. There is an electricity in the air that is not normally present in the city.

On the way back from lunch, Jesus and I stopped by Diunsa, a large department store, to visit the bank. The line must have been at least 20 people long. Americans would go crazy in such circumstances, but the Hondurans waited patiently for their turn. I decided to explore the store while Jesus waited for his turn in line. What struck me most was the large number of employees in the store. There were dozens of blue-uniformed women strategically stationed all over the complex. Some were diligently counting inventory while others were itching to help any customer in site, unlike the few minimum wage teenagers that you usually find in a similar store in the US. I have found this same phenomenon all around Latin America as shops can afford to have a lot of laborers due to the low salaries.

In the food court, there was a Dunkin’ Donuts, Mexican restaurant, and juice bar. Here, there were women in red uniforms, who were clearly contracted to clean the floors. They methodically picked up trash and swept the floor… not too fast and not too slow. There was no expression on their faces, as if they were working on autopilot. I am very lucky to have the opportunity to work at something that I love.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 16: Sustainability

This afternoon, I had two important meetings. The first involved helping Jovel to diagnose the issues of Generación X, the social organization that he and two other former gang members lead. The group was initially founded in 2003 to combat the government’s direct targeting of tattooed youth. Back then, police were imprisoning and in some cases murdering youth without trial, solely on the basis of having tattoos. Thankfully, this policy has all but vanished, but this has left Generación X without a clear purpose. Jesus lead the meeting in which we diagnosed the problems, causes, and effects. We then came up with some recommendations for how to improve Generación X. At the end of the meeting, I acknowledged Jovel as I was very impressed with he willingness to take constructive criticism with grace and humbleness.

My second meeting was with the new consulting group that is forming. Last week I presented each fledgling business with a simple template that included basic information about the business they want to found. This information serves as the base for the Business Plan that we are hoping to complete before I leave. In the meeting, I reviewed the business template that the group had completed and then discussed with the team the next steps that are necessary to complete a more detailed assessment of the business venture. I am building a step by step guide that is based on the book, “Hurdle: The Book on Business Planning.” The resource is incredibly helpful and is even offered as a free download.

Overall, I am quite pleased at the progress that we are making, although I must confess that I wish the pace would be a little faster. Little changes in behavior are occurring which serve as a testament, that the group is slowly changing its old ways of non-profit thinking and forming some business acumen. There is a running joke in the office about the sustainability of everything. The joke started from our initial discussions around sustainability, but has evolved to include everything, from keeping the air-conditioning on for too long (Not sustainable) to borrowing money from friends (Not sustainable). While the jokes are very much tongue in cheek, it makes me happy that the group is using such important concepts in daily life. I am also encouraged by the fact that many of the people in the office come to seek advice from me on a number of issues. This is a true testament to the trust and respect that the group has bestowed upon me.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 15: Reflection

Jesus is the engine behind much of the projects that involve the former gang members of San Pedro Sula. He acts as a mentor, seeks employment, and even loans money to many of these young men and women. One special gift that he has is to help the individuals he works with to step back from a situation and learn from it. Today, Jesus asked all of us who had participated in the weekend trip to reflect on all the businesses that we had seen and share some lessons learned. Sometimes I get so excited about doing something that I forget to step back and remember what I have learned. I am learning just as much as I am teaching.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 14: I Love Monkeys

I must confess… I love monkeys. Ever since I was little, the smart creatures have fascinated me. Today, I came within 3 feet of howler monkeys grazing in the trees on the banks of a river in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre.

Our day started before the clock struck six and we just barely made the train that takes tourists to the refuge’s visitor center. The open-air train is a remnant of Standard Fruit Company’s prominence in bananas. The train bumped and squeaked passed the houses of people in the middle of their daily lives. Freshly washed clothes danced in the morning breeze. Breakfast smoke glided out of chimneys. A child spit toothpaste water at us. After the 30-minute train ride and a brief negotiation, our group sped away in a boat to see scorpions, iguanas, toucans, bats, spiders, baby crocodiles, and of course howler monkeys. Our guide skillfully navigated our small eight-person boat into the various tributaries of the river. He seemed to have x-ray vision and spot fauna with uncanny expertise.

On our way back to the visitor center, I pointed out a group of monkeys just to our left. The guide backed the boat up and we slowly advanced close enough to watch the female monkeys enjoy their breakfast. They acted as if we didn’t even exist. The males on the other hand kept their distance and let out some monkey expletives to ensure that we kept our distance.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 13: Ceiba

For the first time in two weeks, Jesus arrived early. After picking me up, we headed to Ami Noel’s house to meet the rest of our weekend party. Our first stop was a sustainable agricultural farm in Narnjo Chino. After bouncing around on a dirt road for close to a half hour, we arrived at a beautiful farm that was surrounded by all types of trees and animal life. The owner of the farm, Don Oscar, took us on a tour, of all of his sustainable practices….



1. Turn kitchen scraps into natural methane, which can power a gas stove for 2hours at each of three daily meals. 2. Solar-heated water which involves sending cool water through black tubes on the roof that absorb the suns rays. 3. A specially designed, simply constructed wood-fired oven uses 80% less wood while cooking at the same rate. 4. Cow manure + worms = rich fertilizer. Soil only needs 3-4% fertilizer, so the rich fertilizer can go a long way. 5. Chickens naturally eat the bugs out of the cornfields. 6. Plant mahogany trees once kids and grandkids are born and in 30 years, they will have a nice inheritance. 7. Waste water from large fish tanks is used as a natural fertilizer for plants.



After the tour, our crew headed on to Ceiba, a city of 800,000 that has developed around the Standard Fruit Company’s banana, pineapple, and palm operations. Our first stop was a hiking trail in the Pico Bonito National Park. We traversed a beautiful cable bridge before enjoying the last rays of the setting sun on the trail. In the evening, we made camp in some cabins that had been built as part of a sustainable tourism project. Church hymns drifted in the air around us. After dinner, we headed to Sea View, a coastal hangout where the locals like to see and be seen. We drove on the sand, parked our car and watched. Merengue, Salsa, Reggeton, and Rock music all competed for attention from open car doors. Small groups of friends congregated on a nearby wall, sharing mixers and a bottle. Couples seemed like the only ones actually interested in the swoosh of the crashing waves. Throughout the night, there was a constant line of cars and trucks driving in and out of the small sandy cove. After having seen and been seen enough, we headed back to our sustainable cabins and slept.


Joel Montgomery

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Day 12: Micro Entrepreneurship

Each day I ride to work, I am amazed by the staggering amount of entrepreneurship that surrounds me. Almost everyone seems to be an entrepreneur… the woman selling fruit, the man picking up plastic bottles, the child selling a newspaper. Of course, necessity forces most of these people into the role, unlike their American counterparts whose desire for freedom and financial independence are paramount.

Unfortunately, many of these micro entrepreneurs have little to no business training, resulting in numerous small businesses that are exactly alike. While I certainly believe that microfinance is one of the keys to ending world poverty, I believe that Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) development has more of an impact. I would much prefer to give money to a single entrepreneur who would employ 50 individuals with an innovative business model than give money to 50 micro entrepreneurs who have undifferentiated businesses. Not everyone is made out to be an entrepreneur and I question the prudence of emphasizing unabated entrepreneurship as the answer to poverty alleviation. Working with CJM, I have been confronted with their desire to produce micro entrepreneurs within the community of former gang members, but the reality is that they themselves are not yet ready to be entrepreneurs. Certainly a critical piece of the solution is to give all the potential entrepreneurs the necessary tools to enable them to go about their ventures. I hope that I will be able to do that with the three fledgling businesses that are arising from the grave of the old cooperative.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 11: Above It All

Today after work, Adoña, Alex, and I vowed to climb up to the Coca-Cola sign that is perched halfway up the western mountains above San Pedro Sula. As a security precaution, I have decided not to run around the city, so I was excited to get a little exercise at this spot that is a haven for Hondurans looking for a little athletic adventure. As we drove toward the base of the mountain, the jungle of cement and cars ended in a sea of green. Nature’s chorus of birds and breezes quickly replaced the artificial sounds of civilization. Higher and higher, our feet followed the serpentine path up the majestic mountain. Dollar signs loomed larger with every passing moment, but these incredible vistas were not solely to be enjoyed by the rich. Squatters, too, had made their mark and were happy to offer a cold water to passersby, at a premium of course.

Finally, after collecting more S’s than are in a Scrabble game, it was our turn to go…. C-O-C-A-C-O-L-A. 14 points, not bad at all. Hundreds of feet below, thousands of people carried on with millions of mundane chores that make life possible. Banks, churches, homes, and hotels all simultaneously burst into light as dusk was fast approaching. Way off in the distance, a single light pulsated with a message of danger or perhaps hope, but we were unable to decode its message. Turning our backs on the city, our feet made their way back on the trail, fireflies pointing the way home in the darkness.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 10: Meetings

Having worked in Latin America before, I am accustomed to having people arrive late to meetings, but working at CJM has been a whole new experience. On Sunday, we had scheduled an important meeting for today in which I was going to summarize their decisions and give a little structure to the new and improved cooperative. One of the most important people never showed up. He didn’t even call to let us know that he would not be joining us. We continued with the meeting, but no one wanted to get into too much detail until we had the other member present. During the meeting, I shared with the team a checklist to help identify the necessary objectives that needed to be accomplished for them to successfully transition into the new cooperative. I have been very conscious to offer direction without doing the work for them. In another month, I will not be with CJM, so it’s critical that they go through this process, understand the changes, and of course feel comfortable with them.

I’ve also noticed that many of the collaborators in CJM have multiple jobs, but I have no idea how they are able to keep them. While in the US, most workers are expected to be at work most of the time, many of the Hondurans are doing numerous other projects besides their “primary job.” It’s certainly common in Latin America for people to have jobs on the side to supplement one’s income, but this seems to be a whole other level.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 9: Typical Day?

Today I met Salvador and Juan Jose, two members of Creative Associates International, who are the regional coordinators of the USAID-SICA funded project, Regional Youth Alliance (Alianza Joven Regional) . The project seeks to prevent youth from entering gangs and helps those who have left the gang life behind. CJM is receiving some support from this project.

After bringing Salvador and Juan Jose up to speed on my work with CJM, we attended an unveiling ceremony of a mural that was painted by former gang members as a critique of the vastly different lives of rich and poor in San Pedro Sula. The mural is located on the central avenue, for all to see. During the celebration, there were dancers and live music.

For lunch, we headed to a typical Honduran restaurant called Power Chicken. Ever since I arrived in San Pedro, everyone has raved about it and I must confess that all the hype is not in vain. I ate chicken, steak, arroz chino, platanos maduros and washed it all down with a tall glass of horchata.

During the evening, I attended a Rotary Club meeting at the Hotel Copantl. What impressed me most was to hear the chorus of booming bass voices belt out the National Anthem with pride and love for their country.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 8: Dinner with a Side of Politics

This evening, I had dinner with a fellow Thunderbird and his girlfriend in a local hangout, Pecos Bill. One of the things I love most about having graduated from Thunderbird is that I can be in any country in the world and almost always find a Thunderbird alum.

Much of our dinner conversation revolved around current events and national politics. According to my friends, Honduras has become a staging area for drug trafficking, as the Mexican government has clamped down on the trade through its borders. Within Honduras, there are a number of unpaved runways deep in the countryside where the Colombians land with their products. About a week ago, there was a land dispute between farmers and cattle ranchers in eastern Honduras that resulted in ten people being killed with AK-47s. While land disputes are common, the use of automatic weapons almost certainly points to the drug trade’s involvement. Apparently, some of the Mexican drug cartels have come to Honduras to set up operations that transport the illegal substances by both land and sea to the lucrative American market.

On the politics front, I have learned that Honduras’ president, Manuel Zelaya, has populist tendencies and is friends with Venezuela’s notorious socialist, Hugo Chavez. In Honduras, the president has only one four-year term with no provision for reelection. National elections will occur again in November 2009.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 7: Direction

On Sunday afternoon, the CJM team and I traveled to the outskirts of San Pedro Sula to Ami Noel’s cousin’s weekend home. After traveling for about 30 minutes on a paved road heading South, we turned off on a dirt road and headed deeper and deeper into the countryside. On the way, we stopped by a truck full of watermelons to buy some fresh snacks for the afternoon. As we got closer to the house, we passed by some quaint little dwellings of local farmers and then Ami Noel pointed out our destination at the top of the hill, an impressive country cottage that seemed as if it should belong in the Alps instead of the Honduran countryside. Apparently, Ami Noel’s cousin owns a small Maquila and has built the business from scratch.

We all jumped out of the truck as soon as we arrived in the driveway like kids that had just seen their first water park. We explored the land and marveled at the beautiful scenery. After riding horses and relaxing in the shade, we focused our attention on the question at hand, “What was the future of CJM?” During our Friday reality check, I had given the team five possible scenarios regarding the future of CJM: 1. Do nothing, 2. Modify the current model, 3. Focus on building a sustainable business first and then add the social element at a later date, 4. Focus solely on the social objective, or 5. Close CJM. During our retreat, we analyzed each possibility by listing the advantages and disadvantages. Jesus shared the original vision of the cooperative, which was to be an umbrella organization that would help sell the services of micro enterprises. In theory, these small businesses were to be funded by members of the group. In reality, CJM had failed to develop the internal expertise necessary to offer each of the technical services, and as a result was forced to subcontract to other suppliers, some with questionable ethics. I suggested that the group refocus its efforts on developing the expertise within the group first. Suddenly, a cloud began to lift over the team. They began to make alliances with one another and decide what types of businesses they would like to start. The excitement was palpable. No longer would they be forced to conform to an idea of selling services they did not understand, but rather, they could focus their efforts on creating their own small businesses that revolved around their own experience. As a result of the meeting, three small businesses are forming in the following areas: Graphic Arts, Fumigation, and Consulting. For me, the most exciting part was that the idea didn’t come from a single member of the team, but was a group effort. I must confess that I had no idea how the retreat would end, but now I am energized and excited about the future.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 6: On to the Soccer Fields We Go

During Saturday afternoon, Jesus and I headed to the outskirts of San Pedro Sula for a soccer match. The match was held next to a center called “Feed the Children,” where a lot of street kids are receiving help. When we arrived, the younger kids were already playing on the oddly shaped field, dotted with water-filled potholes. Most of the locals were playing without shoes, while the visiting team had orange uniforms and nice soccer cleats. We sat under the shade with a nice breeze to cool our faces. Suddenly, out of nowhere, appeared a 10-year old kid with bright eyes that said “Hello, how are jou” (In Honduras, “y” is pronounced as a “j,” so many people learning English have trouble with pronunciation). Little Misiel and I conversed for a bit and I later learned that he had been a street kid as well and had no idea who his mother was. I can only imagine that this child has gone through more than his fair share of tragedy and yet he is so young.

After the young kids finished their game, I got to play with the older group. I am certainly no expert, but I played reasonably well against these players who have been football fans since they were three or four. Our team won 4-1.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 5: Digging Deeper into the Problem

After a nice breakfast of baby cereal and bananas, I headed to work. Two of my colleagues are interested in starting their own Graphic Design firm and wanted to meet with me to discuss how they should go about preparing for the venture. We had a nice talk about how to properly analyze the financial viability of the future business along with the necessary steps in order to define the structure and processes.

Around 10:00am, I received a phone call from a friend’s grandmother who is involved in a foundation that is sponsored by the Catholic Church to help ex-gang members. During this past week, I’ve noticed that there are at least six organizations that are targeting the same group of former gang members. From rough estimates that I have heard, there are a total of 300-500 gang members in San Pedro Sula. Most of these organizations are targeting the same 60 individuals, with only 25 receiving the majority of help. These organizations put the same tattooed faces in pictures and updates in order to get more funding to serve around 25 people. In many cases, the target group is not even consulted about their thoughts. Some organizations even pay the former gang members to attend worthless talks so they can “prove” their effectiveness. The focus seems to be on attendance instead of actual improvement. For me, this whole experience has served to highlight the fact that real change must involve passion and business. The separate organizations should meet to discuss a common plan to help this group of young people, but power plays will surely keep this from happening.

This afternoon, I led a meeting with most of the CJM team to discuss my observations and analysis of their organization during the past week. Although it was not a huge surprise, I shared with them the reality that they need to make some major changes in order to survive the future and more importantly to serve their target group. I gave them a three-page report that included a list of steps toward sustainability. I ended the meeting reiterating the fact that I was not going to go through the steps by myself, since the purpose was to involve them in the process so they can learn and carry on the plans in the future.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 4: Back to My Beginnings

Today, I moved into my permanent housing, which is in the home of a mother and daughter who live near the center of the city. After negotiating the price earlier in the day, I brought all of my belongings to the windowless cement room with high ceilings and green walls. The stifling heat makes a high-powered fan a necessity. The two women that are hosting me are incredibly hospitable. This evening, the mother, Maria, has popped into my room around 10 times bringing with her little things to make the room more a home. “Here’s some shampoo,” “Here’s some medicine for headaches,” “Here’s some juice,” “Here’s a table,” Here are some bananas.” As part of the negotiated price, breakfast and dinner are included. When Maria asked me what I liked for breakfast, I told her that I usually just ate some cereal and juice. 10 minutes later, she entered the room with some baby cereal. Hmmmmmm… not exactly what I was expecting, but hey, I’ll try it.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 3: Protests & Football

My day changed from ordinary to extraordinary at noon today when I began to hear a lot of noise outside the second story window of our office. The building, which is owned by the municipality, houses a number of non-profits, government programs, and businesses. As I peeked my head out the window I noticed a mass of people carrying bright banners and chanting at the entrance to the building. One banner showed a shark breaching the water with a small seal in its mouth. Underneath the shark was the name of a well-known brand of flour, “Maseca,” while the seal’s caption was, “Tortilleria Sabrosa,” a local company that made tortillas that must have been put out of business. The rest of the banner was quite explicit in its condemnation of CAFTA-DR, the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The police were standing by at a distance but did not directly engage the peaceful protesters. As we left for lunch, the building was under lockdown, with armed guards manning the entrances. Upon returning from lunch, all that remained from the swarm of people were a few signs haphazardly thrown on the ground.

Later in the evening, Jesus and Ami Noel took me to the Maratón, which in Spanish means marathon. What I soon found out was that we were not going to a marathon at all, but the soccer stadium to watch the local team, Maratón, play against Ceiba’s team, Vida. As we approached the stadium, there was garbage strewn on the walkway and grass growing in the bowl that once was a fountain. Approaching the gate, I felt more like I was attending a high school football game instead of a local soccer match of a city of 800,000. The tickets were small pieces of blue paper that cost 50 lempiras each, or about $2.50. Just before we reached the steps of the stadium, a number of food vendors were hawking everything from steak and beer to tortilla chips and snow cones. With every step we took toward the innards of the stadium, the beat of a drum got louder and louder. At the top, we got our first glimpse of the green grass and few thousand spectators who had gathered for the event. Taking our seats, we watched the local team struggle against its red-jerseyed countrymen, who gained an early lead because of a penalty kick.

Throughout the game there was a flurry of sales men and women who would come by offering a variety of tasty treats. Some of the sales people were as young as five or six. Off to the left of where we were seated was a mosh pit of sorts where the craziest of local aficionados resided. They would climb up the large fence that separated the fans from the field and hoot, holler, and rant at the top. At one point in the match, they ignited three green flares (green is the team color) and held them at the top of the fence to help cheer their team on to a goal. Finally in the last few moments of the game, Maratón scored, followed by an eruption of celebration from all the fans. Our common plight resulted in immediate friendship as hugs and high fives were exchanged by all.

Joel Montgomery

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Day 2: There is Much to Learn from Hondurans

This morning, Jesus picked me up and brought me to his house to eat breakfast. He has been incredibly accommodating and hospitable since my arrival. Southern hospitality doesn’t compare to the genuineness of Latin America. Most Southerners would hate to have a relative stranger come to their house for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but Jesus and his family have treated me as one of them. What an honor and a blessing.

At work, I am continuing my study of CJM by conducting interviews, reading the business plan, and observing what happens in the office. The environment does not feel like a work environment, which in some instances could indeed be an advantage, but in this particular case, I feel it is too informal. I listened in on one of Jovel’s sales calls and was shocked to hear him ask the client if she could send him a copy of the quote that CJM had given her. I told him that they needed to develop a process for keeping track of all their customers. I also told him that in my opinion, he should not receive commission for selling projects that were below the actual cost of the service. While, he is quite passionate and has the makings for being a good salesman, Jovel needs to work a bit on his professionalism. That being said, he has been incredibly open to constructive feedback and admits when he is wrong. It has been exciting to see his light bulb turn on several times during the last couple of days.

At lunch, the group took me to eat Arroz Chino, a local specialty. Over our meal, we discussed the huge presence of the maquiladoras, or foreign-owned factories that dot the North. While the salaries are better than what people make in rural areas, it is still quite exploitative. According to my friends, workers work four days each week in shifts of 12 hours. Unlike what has occurred in China and other countries traditionally known for cheap labor, Hondurans have not left factories in order to pursue education. As a result, there is incredible demand for factory jobs, which has kept the cost of labor quite low. If only China’s 15% increase in salaries could happen here. The average Honduran worker only makes around $300 per month.

I must admit that my first inclination toward CJM was that it was not a good idea. Now that I have gained a bit more information, I am convinced that the idea of offering multiple technical services is a good one, especially given the social focus of CJM. As they say, the devil is in the details and poor implementation is what is killing the bottom line.

On a personal note, I am really enjoying living in Latin America once more. I feel much more relaxed simply by being in an environment of patient people. This evening, the electricity went out in Colonia Buena Vista, but instead of pitching a fit, most people came out of their homes into the street. I met two of my neighbors who were also passing the time outside their home. Life in the US is so much more confined. By in large, people stick to themselves and stay within their house in their yard. Here in San Pedro Sula, on the other hand, people are constantly interacting with one another, whether it is to buy some last minute items from the local pulperia or speaking to the armed youth who is guarding the entrance to the neighborhood. There is much to learn from this supposed developing country.

Joel Montgomery

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