So I admit it. I am unashamedly a Capitalist. In my opinion there is no other economic system that actually works. Communism sure doesn't and neither does Socialism. Look back in history or at today's Europe and you'll see what these failed and failing efforts have produced and are producing. Greece has taken to "forced austerity measures" to avoid bankruptcy, or worse, and several of the other EU countries are teetering on the same brink of fiscal disaster. China has somehow managed to remain politically Communist, but economically speaking are dyed in the wool Capitalist...a very strange combination.
Although Capitalism has it's pitfalls, namely greed, the basic premise of Capitalism is that if you work hard you will be rewarded for your work and that if you want to and have the courage to take advantage of opportunities you can increase those rewards even further. All of the comforts we enjoy are a result of Capitalism. Electricity, refrigeration, TV, radio, cars, airplanes...you name it, they are available to us because someone saw the opportunity to make money from them. They may have started as an invention, but someone saw the monetary reward of that invention and began manufacturing and distribution.
All other economic systems have the end result of reducing a person's drive to provide for himself and his family, thereby reducing the net value that one provides to society and causing them to become dependant on the government. Without a doubt, Capitalism has it's dark side, but there is a reason that so many want to come to the US in an effort to better there economic circumstances.
When we moved here to Honduras we came without the financial support of churches or individuals. We were able to do that because I had had several good years in business. However, we came with the understanding that if we are going to stay longer than a year or two, then I would need to provide for my family in some way, preferably through business.
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| One of the pages from the legal docs of Inversiones Wolfe Honduras |
I have always been an entrepreneur. I probably always will be. So I came here with the idea of starting a business. I did not know what that would look like or if it were even possible. I came here believing that Honduras is a good place to do business, and I remain convinced of that. There is a growing middle class. There is a growing desire for the things we take for granted in the US, namely the things that make life easier. And contrary to popular opinion, there is money here and I am not refering to the super wealthy top 5%. Unfortunately, there are also problems like government corruption and high import and sales taxes. Foreigners are also charged a very high income tax on any earnings produced here in Honduras. However, as an offset to all that, labor rates are very low, and for import and export, Honduras is very centrally located to many markets.
We are currently in the process of starting two separate businesses. The first one, Inversiones Wolfe Honduras, SV de CV is officially registered as of yesterday and will be in operation soon. The second one is much more complex and is taking far more time and effort on my part. I have been working on the second one now for several months and I believe we are almost there.
Besides the businesses, our life is filling up very fast with some very good things. I am excited about the opportunities in both missions and business that are presenting themselves. I'm glad I had a few months to relax, but it feels good to be back in motion.
