All About Helene, Honduras

Location

More photos by Bennie Brawley HERE

Helene, Honduras is a part of The Bay Islands. The "island" is a 1.5 mile by 4 mile stretch of land that is located at the tail end of the larger island of Roatan. The home of Helene can be found 16 degrees south of the equator.

Population and History

Photo by Bennie Brawley

The aboriginal inhabitants of the Bay Islands were the Paya Indians. The black islanders are descendants of African slaves brought over by the Spanish & English in the 17th & 18th centuries. The white Islanders came from England in the 18th century via Cayman and St. Kitts, and a few claim to be descendants from the pirates. When Columbus visited the Islands in 1502,  they were a pirate base during the 17th century, and in 1850 the British colonized the islands. In 1861, limited sovereignty was ceded to Honduras.

Community 

See more by Bennie Brawley by clicking HERE

There are seven distinct communities on the island of Helene. Nordt (North) Side, Seco, Mangrove Bight, The Pond, The Point, Bentley Bay and The Bight (not to be confused for Mangrove Bight). Each community is comprised of individual families. The dialect is the same from community to community but, as an America would find noticeable differences between New Jersey and Texas accents, small differences can be heard from each of the relative communities.


Transportation and Commerce 

There are no cars or trucks for transportation. From one point of Helene to another, everyone walks because everything is within walking distance. There are no grocery stores, electricity, or shopping centers. Goods can be purchased from shanty shops here and there but any specialty or bulk shopping must be done "down island" (On Roatan) which is a 45 minute boat ride.


Work

At any given point in the year, the population and residents may change due to lack of available jobs on Helene. There is a strong sense of entrepreneurship among a few of the families who have small shops or restaurants. One could have local foods or specialties (not all are legal) like iguana, turtle, or tropical fish with a call for reservation because they need to plan for the day to maximize profits. The majority however, must leave the island to work on cruise ships, fishing boats, or on neighboring island farms.


Education

School is unique in that Elementary School is called 'Kinder", Middle School is "Batch" [botch], high school is considered "College", and Community College or vocational training is considered "University". The children will attend government mandated Spanish speaking school until the 6th grade. The mission provides a Christian English speaking school but is purely optional and not a government requirement.


Culture 

There are many cultural differences on Helene compared to the States. Children do not hold as high a position as the children from the United States. There is a great deal of tribal mentality and it can be seen in the type of play between children and the familial loyalty. Men and women rarely associate in social settings and eye contact is a form of intimacy so it is not uncommon to stare away from someone while having a conversation unless there has been an established friendship.  Although, not looking at each other while speaking, no matter what gender you are, seems to be the cultural norm.


Different Is Good

The more we learn about our new community the more we see a different perspective of God's heart. Confined to our cultural point of view in America, it's easy to struggle with that which is different. We tend to decide early that different is wrong, but God knows every culture. The great commission was inclusive.  Different is not wrong to Jesus; it's familiar and worthy of His love, compassion, and His sacrifice.

If you find yourself being called to visit the people of Helene on a short term mission trip (STM) or even a long term ministry, you are in for a treat. Our community is so welcoming and kind. I can't wait to introduce you to our friends.