Bishop Allen responds to media coverage of crime in Honduras

Posted Dec 6, 2012

[Episcopal Diocese of Honduras] Each year the Diocese of Honduras is blessed with visitors from around the world. They come to Honduras to work side-by-side, in partnership with us, to do God’s mission in the world.  Therefore, I want to address some of the negative publicity in the last ten months specifically about the crime rate in Honduras.

The present day media all over the world loves to focus on the horrible, terrible incidents in any country.  Honduras, like many other countries has a problem with crime. As bishop I have to travel a great deal. People ask me if it is safe to go to the movies when they go to the US. I have been in other countries people ask if it is safe to travel to the US, because it is a dangerous country.

If you visit the US State Department web page you will a see statements like this:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html

Tens of thousands of U.S. citizens safely visit Honduras each year for study, tourism, business, and volunteer work. However, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country.  U.S. citizens do not appear to be targeted based on their nationality. Resort areas and tourist destinations generally have lower levels of crime and violence than other areas of the country. Moreover, tourists traveling with group tours only rarely report criminal incidents.

I have worked with short-term mission teams and other organizations coming to Honduras for the past 17 years as a priest in the capital city of Tegucigalpa and also in the past eleven years as the bishop of this diocese.  In those past 28 years we have never had an incident regarding the safety of any team coming to visit The Diocese of Honduras.

There are safety issues that any teams faces wherever they travel, whether in the US or abroad. Please know that your safety is our #1 PRIORITY in The Diocese of Honduras.  We will prayerfully suggest transportation, housing, food establishments and safest areas in which your teams will work! Good team training and adherence to team guidelines, along with abiding by the advice of the people you visit will produce a good and safe trip.

It is important to realize that no matter where you are, everyday our lives are at risk. As Christians, we cannot live in fear!! Yes, we should exert good judgment about where we live, and the places, we visit, and the things we do.

If you have any further question please contact me at any time, and you may also contact our new diocesan Project Manager, Mr. Rick Harlow who will oversee the coordination of the work teams.

Come and see, what God is doing in the Diocese of Honduras. Come be our guests, we see you as family.  Come back and share in our lives, we want to share in yours.

Finally, Do not live in fear but be obedient to what God asks of you.

In Jesus,

The Rt. Revd. Lloyd Emmanuel Allen, D. D
III Diocesan Bishop Of Honduras
011-504-556-6155
www.DioceseOfHonduras.org

Mr. Richard S. Harlow
410-562-6122 rsharlo2@comcast.net


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