A concerned Honduran, familiar with the work of Recipe For Hope, referred to the closing of a large Honduran bank under investigation for alleged narco-trafficking in the United States and the ripple effect leading to the likely closing of several Honduran companies that he says employ more than thirty thousand people. He anticipates large scale unemployment and financial crisis. He thinks the best solution is education and a professional career.
Reply from Dr. Jerry Epps of Recipe for Hope:
“I did not know about the bank situation in Honduras. Thanks for informing me. I did quick Google search and found many links, but include two here that summarize what I read on the net. I will keep my comments brief.
When all functions well, a thriving modern economy that has many specializations, is wired digitally, has international connections, and full employment, etc. is a good thing. BUT, when there is widespread unemployment, lack of access to credit to start new ventures, etc., THEN it is good that people can be self-reliant and survive without “modern conveniences”.
What does self-reliance look like in actual practice? Called “urban homesteads” on the internet, the concept is that each family, in the city and in the country, operate their own little self-sufficient “economy”. It is a great way to survive. It is less “rich”—perhaps you can’t buy a plane ticket, but you have food to eat and clothes on your back. It is great for food and clothes survival! It means each family, or group of families, grows their own food, can and preserve harvested fruits and vegetables, has a cow or two to milk, a couple of pigs, rabbits, chickens, trade work back and forth—they develop sub-specialties like electrical, vet work on the animals, carpentry, tanning hides, sewing clothes, making cloth by spinning, etc. The “growing food” part of this is ONE of the four aspects of Recipe For Hope.
Ideally an economy would have both—that is, an individual would have a garden and a cow AND be computer technician for a large corporation in the city. But usually the guy making a good salary with the corporation sells the cow, stops growing a garden and buys his food from the store in town. Too bad, because when disaster strikes (like widespread unemployment) folks don’t know what to do. They have forgotten how to be self-reliant, and don’t know how to actually grow food, tan hides, make cloth, preserve their potatoes in a root cellar, etc.
I mention all this in response to your telling me of impending unemployment—the “homestead” approach is not instant, but it is one type of solution. You may, or not, want to promote the HOMESTEAD approach for self-reliance and financial independence. I include the video on what happened in Cuba for the examples it gives of what people did when cut off from “modern world” conveniences.
I encourage both: Self-reliant Homestead living as a personal lifestyle AND education and professional career for employment and engagement in the world. That gives one a foot in the 19th century and a foot in the 21st century! Then you are covered for all situations. Work with and feel the cycles of the earth AND have cyber connection with people all around the globe. Oh yes, and build your own house out of natural materials and one’s own (and the neighbors) labor—no loan from the bank to have to pay back.
Attached video: “Cuba during embargo”, is about what Cuba did during the embargo—very inventive. Much like the USA and other countries on small family farms in years gone by—like before World War II. In 1920 “everyone” in America (outside of the major cities) operated what we would now call “homesteads”. I was born in 1944. I milked cows, watched my dad and brothers farm with horses, worked in the family garden, watched my mother can fruits and vegetables each fall, used the cool water of the spring as a “refrigerator”, churned butter, watched mother bake bread, etc.
See link: Homegrown Revolution video from Owen’s blog recently.”