Please indulge me on this holiday. I want to share some of the messages that I've received over the past months. This is what has kept me going. This is what convinced me that what I was doing was worthwhile.
I didn't even think to save all of the 'love letters' but I clearly remember one of the first ones. I tried to read it to El Jefe but choked up and cried when I got to the part that said "Thank you for loving my country."
I think that I replied to all of these messages, but if I missed one, please know that your messages and prayers kept me going when I wanted so badly to just quit blogging and put my computer away in a closet until it was all over. Right now my main inbox has 1049 messages of which 196 are unread; that's not even counting my three other email accounts. ;-/
Many Hondurans wrote to say that they were praying for me because they know the danger involved in being politically outspoken. I truly believe that those prayers kept me safe, and yes, I did receive several threats. I also received messages from people from Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Nicaragua who said that they wished that their government had had the 'huevos' that Honduras had.
Here are some of the messages:
Dear "La Gringa":
First of all, I want to thank you for being a voice of reason and giving those abroad insight into this ongoing social-political situation in Honduras. The international press has unfortunately fallen considerably short when it comes to giving a fair and balanced view regarding what actually happened in Honduras, and what's still happening today. Their seemingly endless fixation on the death of Michael Jackson didn't help matters much either, but I'm not surprised... ultimately most of them are in it just for the ratings and not some idea of journalistic integrity.
I first stumbled upon your blog a few months back via Twitter when Manuel Zelaya was rightfully removed from the Presidency (albeit not in the manner I would have handled it).
But, that's not the reason I chose to write this email.
What initially hooked me to to your blog was my attempt to try to stay up to date with what's happening. I grew up in Honduras (Tegucigalpa), but I left soon after graduating High School to seek better opportunities for myself and a higher education in the USA.
Recently I've found myself browsing through some of your older blog posts: recipes, crafts, Honduras lifestyle, sights and sounds, etc. -- I just gotta say I find them quite pleasant and delightful to read. As a teenager, I always found it interesting to hear a "foreigner's perspective" on what it's like to live in Honduras-- the good, the bad, and the ugly. You seem to be honest and forthcoming on all levels, and I greatly appreciate that.
It's a great little blog, and its a shame I only discovered it under these recent circumstances. I hope if/when things calm down in Honduras you'll return to this type of writing full-time, because you're great at it, ma'am.
Once again, I just wanted to extend my gratitude to you for fighting the good fight in Honduras and having such a nice blog that has given me a little nostalgic "slice of home".
Hope this email finds you well. :)
C
Thank you for your commitment to truth, integrity and liberty. Through your blog and the Wall Street Journal (via Mary Anastasia O'Grady), I feel very informed. It saddens, frustrates and angers me that the Obama administration has acted the way it has. Keep up the good fight.
J
Thank you so much for your efforts. You are helping to repair the enormous harm done to our country by biased media and far-left pundits.
D
Just wanted to let you know that your blog is great, and I thank you for such great writing and posts.
I was born in the US to Honduran parents, went to Harvard University, educated as a lawyer and generally living the American dream, but I still love the country of my blood. It is difficult to find any news about Honduras... so a heart-felt thank you for what you do.
J
LG. Good morning. I just want to tell you how amazed I am , seeing what a good job you have been doing during the Honduras crisis. You socio-political analysis and synthetizing of the events are superb. I am not trying to flatter you. You don't need flattery, and your work informing all of us that are out of Honduras is invaluable and appreciated. Thank you very much for your insights. LGH --La Gringa Hondurena is more likely a name for you.
E
First of all Gringa, I love ya...Thank you for all the support you have given Honduras and to the Honduran People in these times of National Crisis, in one way or the other you have been our Voice to the rest of the world and to the US community....
P
Hello my name is N. I live in your country in queens,n.y. I really like what you are doing for Honduras.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you and God bless.
N
VI SU BLOG, MUY BUEN BLOG, LA FELICITO LA VERDAD, HACE UN TIEMPO YO CONOCI ALQUIEN DE EEUU YO NO LE DECIA GRINGA LA LLAMABA GRENCHA POR NO SER COMUN.
LA FELICITO YO VIVO EN COMAYAGUA Y CUANDO QUIERA VENIR POR AQUI ESTA INVITADA.
GRACIAS
F
Gringa, did you already ask for Honduran citizenship? if i ever get to work on the government i would hand you the keys of Tegucigalpa and grant and honorary high citizenship on this noble land.
G
Dear Gringuita,
I am writing to thank you for your very accurate and unbiased reporting on the Honduran crisis. Honduran’s like me, who live in the USA, really appreciate your clear and concise depiction of the daily events in the crisis.
I will pray for you and for your family on a daily basis. May God give you the strength and support that you need to keep going. Just know that in Philadelphia you have a grateful friend praying for you.
Muchisimas gracias,
C
Gringita, u dont imagine how much your blog has been of a great help for me.. I must take decision base on the information i read.. i truly appreciate all the effort u are doing for Honduras...right now i am defending honduras's interest abroad looking for international observers willing to go to Honduras, but one day it would be a great honor for me to meet u, as i am planning to visit Mr. Micheletti in his home and give him a great hug for his great courage.
R
God bless you!!!! Thank you for loving Honduras and posting the truth on this blog, I read it every day. again, God bless you, God bless your family and everything you do.
W
I am a new reader and have really enjoyed your blogs. I read Daniel's blogs and heard about you from his blogs. Since I am supporting the Honduran people and am so glad they ousted Zelaya before he could totally destroy the country. I hope he never gets back in power. I have missed you posting anything new. It is hard to get the facts so we depend on people like you to keep us informed.
You have a great day and may God bless all of you there in Honduras. I will pray that God will keep you mentally and physically healthy. I wish we the Venezuelan people would have had the resolve that the Hondurans have had to keep out Chavez when he was outsed. We are paying for that today with no liberty at all.
G
Hola Gringa,
Solo te escribo para mandarte un gran abrazo en estos momentos tan orgullosos para Honduras, gracias por tu fantastico website.
VIVA HONDURAS
P
I hope your husband is proud of your courage and determination in a place where it takes much more nerve to be vocal about your opinion than here in the US. Best of luck in the election. I'm not happy about my own government's approach to this whole matter but I'm certainly proud of the Honduran government as it stands up for genuine democracy and the rule of law against lots of people who want the opposite. I and many others will be watching carefully.
D
Hi Gringa, I am glad to hear you every day talk about Honduras. Habla Español? Me imagino que si. Yo soy de La Ceiba,Honduras. Dias atras recibi un mensaje suyo: Dia de Elecciones.."Despues de tres dias de Oscuridad y Luvias sobre Honduras, el sol esta brillando de Nuevo Sobre Nuestra Querida Patria, Es una Señal, Viva La Democracia! Viva Honduras! ". Gringa Gracias por su apoyo, Gracias por Ser una Hondureña Mas,,se que le tiene amor a Nuestra Patria..Cuestion de Principios Racionales,Cuestion de Amor al Principio de Libertad en toda su Amplitud.
Saludos, El triunfo fue de Honduras
God Bless Honduras and USA
If I don't know any better, I think La Gringa is no longer an expat. She is a HONDURAN, through and through.
I say that the Honduran Congress should just grant her full Honduran citizenship rights and she'll live happily ever after.
x
Gringa I just want to say “THANK YOU” so much for your blog! Words cannot describe the gratitude that I (and I’m sure others too) feel towards you for all the hours that you have spent gathering all these information. If you ever come to Vancouver, Canada or want to visit I would be honoured to be your host as a way of thanking you for your amazing work about my home country.
x
I always read your blogs and enjoyed them very much!! On this last day of this year, which has been so hard for all of Honduras, I want to, first of all, thank you so very much, for your love towards my Country, and all blogs have helped for the rest of the world to understand and view things as we lived them down here, and since I'm a Ceibeño 100%, I want to thank you for the love that you have for my dear city. On this last day of this Year I want to WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, THE BEST FOR 2010, MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU IN GOOD HEALTH AND SOUND AND SAFE.
R
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