The week prior to Guatemala it hit me that I had really yet to prepare for this trip. I had put off shots, pills or any of the like, and was beginning to worry if that was a wise idea. I figured I had the Hepatitis A & B series, and an up-to-date Tetanus. That’s all I need right?
Passport: check.
Suitcase: check.
Soccer cleats: heck yes.
Sanity: ...debatable.
The night before was here and I didn’t know if I was ready or not. But ready or not, here I come.
It was a break that I was looking forward to. It was providing distance from DC that I needed. I was ready to get my hands dirty.
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Guatemala is reeling and trying to pull itself together after a 30-year civil war that ended in 1996. The country lost a generation in those 30 years, if not more. Families were broken. Children became fatherless, and or parent-less. Fifty percent of Guatemala City, the nation’s capitol, is under the age of 18.
With families destroyed there were new families created through gangs providing all that the youngsters were missing: protection, a sense of belonging, people who were looking out for you, and essentially a cause to stand for. Gangs, violence, turf wars, and drugs have shaped Guatemala City making it one of the most dangerous cities to enter in. There are various zones in Guatemala and are run by different gangs. The gangs instill fear and gain control through this fear and implementing violence. There is little choice but to join the gang for the new generations.
But there is one unifying tie that knits each Guatemalan together outside of their humanity is futbol, or as we know it, soccer. Guatemala is consumed with soccer. They love soccer. They eat soccer. They breathe soccer. It seems as though every young person is actively engaged in the sport. No field? No problem, its played in the streets. No shoes? Don't worry about it, bare feet will do. It is a passion that is woven into the fabric of each Guatemalan.
That’s where Champions in Action comes in.
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