Father Fausto Milla, together with other members of the Honduran Ecumenical Institute of Community Service (INESHCO), gave a two-day course on Natural Medicine with ADES Santa Marta.

Twenty people from diverse communities in Cabañas, along with members of the ADES team had the opportunity to learn from the Father´s lessons, as well as share their own knowledge and experiences with the other participants in a process of collective learning.

During the first course, the Father put a special emphasis on the need to appreciate life. He pointed out that a healthy life is the greatest wealth that exists, wealth more valuable than “all of the gold in the world.” He added that the capitalist system that rules the world is the “enemy of the state.”

He defined health as consisting of “people nourished and healthy with their own resources.” In order to reach this objective, INESHCO researches the food and healing culture of indigenous peoples, which many experts regard as high quality.

He also discussed the importance of sharing knowledge as the only way to resist the various attacks on life. Gaining control of our own health is part of this resistance, and for this reason it is important to know about the plants that surround us.

The workshop discussed the properties of many plants, such as the Pasiflora and its relaxing properties; Guayaba leaf for cases of cholestoral and diarrea; and Crespillo, as a remedy for circulation. Additionally, the properties of the Amaranto (a plant extensively used in Mayan culture) and Chaia were discussed extensively, two leaves the Father invited participants to eat.

The participants will meet again with the Father in the future, with the intention of strengthening their expertise and disseminating the information in their communities, so that everyone can live a more self-reliant and healthy life.