Interview: Teofilo López
Tells of his love of life

When we greeted Teofilo López, an 80-year-old man with bronze skin, at a celebration for retired teachers, he mistook us for former students. But after clarifying who we were, we saw that his smile was unchanged and he gladly agreed to speak with us.

Teofilo López has been retired from teaching middle school for 10 years. He taught technical classes for 25 years at the Technical Institute of Honduras. He now passes his time with small household chores.

Although Don Teofilo, as his neighbors call him, is married and has 10 children, he lives alone most of the time, spending some days with his children.

"My wife went to the United States, where our three daughters are. My sons are also going-we'll see if they take me," he says, lifting his hands in an expression of doubt.

He receives a monthly pension of 4000 lempiras (about $235) from the Institute of Teachers' Retirement (INPREMA) to cover his basic needs.

"It's hard," Don Teofilo says, referring to his monthly costs. "Doctor visits are expensive, medicine in expensive. Sometimes my children help me and that helps a little," he says seriously, looking worried.

When he is not with one of his children, he buys his meals from a neighborhood eatery near his house. His clothes look clean but wrinkled, as though he had no one to attend to him that day.

"I live in peace," he says, beginning to smile again, "because I am a Christian and I go to church."

His love of teaching takes him to the Esmina Prayer Center in the south of the city. With much enthusiasm he describes his work with the youth of his church.

When asked for a favorite memory from his many years as a mentor to students, he remembers when a group of students created a small library especially for him with books they knew would interest him.

He offered his hand upon saying goodbye and we shook hands with him in admiration and respect. Then we watched this small man walk away from us, slowly but steadily.