Nacaome, Honduras – As part of UPF-Honduras’ focus on leadership and good governance, Ambassadors for Peace are carrying out educational programs for potential candidates in future elections. The Secretary General of UPF-Honduras was invited to offer an invocation and peace message at a March 11 meeting of the Democratic Unification Party, one of the five parties represented in the National Congress.
The invitation was extended by Ambassador for Peace Juan Angel Canales, who leads several farming communities and plans to run for Congress representing Nacaome in southwestern Honduras. The UPF delegation consisted of Mario Salinas and the Agudelo Posadas family, leaders of UPF in the southern region of Honduras.
The rally started with a parade of decorated and colorful bullock carts leading to the community basketball court. After being welcomed by the assembly, Mr. Salinas was invited to the podium to share a message of peace. The reading selected for this occasion was titled “King or Leader.”
It is a story about a king who planned to abdicate (resign from) his position to pass the rulership of the nation to one of his two sons. He gave each of them the mission to build an aqueduct to solve the problem of a great drought; one brother was to work in the south and the other in the north. One used only public funds from the government and the power of the army; he took two years to finish the aqueduct, and it brought water only to his father’s lands. The other brother did not use public money; on the contrary, he inspired the people to invest themselves in the project and taught them to help each other for the sake of the nation. He did not use any national resources, and the construction took only one year. The water from the aqueduct served all the communities it crossed as well as his father’s lands, and the people loved him. This was the son the king chose as the heir to his throne, saying, “He will be not only their king but also a true leader.”
Following this story, the assembly was asked what they wanted as the outcome of elections. The assembly responded in unison, “A true leader.”
Participants in the event included a Vice-President of the Congress, Mr. Marvin Ponce, and the Secretary of State of Land and Agriculture and President of the Democratic Unification Party, Lic. Cesar Ham.
This story is one of a collection of readings about leadership that have been given to businessmen, political leaders, educators, and religious people. The audiences have valued these readings, and it has opened the door to speak on other occasions, such as this rally.
One Ambassador for Peace commented that it is time to change the general way of doing politics: “We should not live anymore for false promises because they have meant bread for today, but hunger for tomorrow.”
Note: The next general elections for President and members of Congress are scheduled for November 2013. As in most modern democracies, Honduras has begun to hold internal elections for the parties to choose candidates for various offices; these elections will take place this November.