This just in...

  We've gotten a lot of big news from the Peace Corps in the last week.  One of the emails told us "to exercise good judgment when using social media to share this news with friends and family."  So, I figured I'd just copy and paste their press release that they posted on the Peace Corps website:

Peace Corps Reviews Operations in Honduras

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 21, 2011 -- The Peace Corps is conducting an ongoing review of the security environment in Honduras, and has cancelled its next volunteer training class while this review is being conducted.

All 158 currently serving volunteers are safe and accounted for and will participate in a conference in January before returning to the United States on administrative leave. Peace Corps will review the safety and security climate in Honduras before continuing with volunteer operations.

“The safety and security of all Peace Corps volunteers is the agency’s highest priority,” said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. “During this time, we are going to conduct a full review of the program. We thank the people of Honduras for their strong support of Peace Corps over the years.”

Peace Corps has operated in Honduras since 1963. More than 5,500 Americans have served in Honduras since the program was established, working with communities on projects focused on health and HIV/AIDS prevention, water sanitation and youth development.

Families with questions or concerns may contact the Peace Corps’ Counseling and Outreach unit, which maintains a 24-hour, 7 days a week duty system. The telephone number during standard office hours is (800) 424-8580, extension 1470; the after-hours number is (202) 692-1470.


So, there you have it.  And, really, that sums it up pretty well.  We don't have much more information than what it says right there.  A volunteer conference in early January and then heading home from there.  This is really sad news for all of us.  Especially us H-19ers because we've only been in our sites for 3 months.  There seems like a slim possibility that some of us would get to come back, but there's a good chance we won't. 


Just wanted to fill you all in.  Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and I'll see you in a few weeks.