If you remember the classic “Field of Dreams” baseball movie with Kevin Costner, you know that there is an iconic line that runs throughout the entire movie, “If you build it, they will come.” Costner’s character spends the movie finding out the meaning of that phrase, by which the revelation (spoiler alert) at the end allows reconciliation & restoration through the game of baseball of what was a broken relationship. That very message of reconciliation & hope, through sports, is what we brought to Guatemala – and what many other organizations (such as Love Futbol) seek to provide to underprivileged nations as well.
Field of Dreams – Futbol version
Soccer / Fútbol / Football… Whatever you want to call it, this game is loved by the whole world.
I recently returned from Guatemala (Central America), where I spent 9 days – in partnership with my church.
It was great working with youth & adults, teaching them different ways to train & improve as a player/team & how to build relationship through Fútbol.
The most important thing in soccer is that people feel good to be a part of something.
Whether it be a competitive team or just a pick-up group.
I encouraged the people of this Guatemalan community where I stayed to organize days for both the adults & youth to just play.
A Brief History & Why Soccer Matters in Guatemala
Not too long ago, there was a terrible civil war in Guatemala that left the country without a large portion of it’s male leadership.
There are estimates that between 140,000 & 200,000 people ‘disappeared’ – most of these being male.
When I first visited Guatemala, I observed almost no males in my age group.
As I began to learn more about why this was so, I began to understand what had been, up to that point, very frustrating experiences for me.
For example, I had only a few soccer balls on my first trip over.
In spite of my repeated attempts at explaining how these were my only resources & that I would be leaving them with the people, the youth would disappear to never return with the balls.
The older men would try to take the balls from the younger men for their own games.
It was in complete disarray.
Helping Guatemalans find their field of dreams
Now that I understood more about the gaps in age groups, I began to try to ‘coach’ the older & the younger men simultaneously.
It is hard to never have a childhood and it is equally difficult to not have the examples you need for how to be a young man, a leader, a father, & more.
How can you do this without coming across as condescending or if you are not gifted as a teacher or in the language?
My answer? SOCCER!
So I began to hand out the shirts & jerseys that I had brought by age – spending time with the middle and older youth and working with them.
When our time came to an end, I gave them jerseys for the younger kids, jerseys too small for the older kids, and encouraged them to do for the younger kids what I had done for them.
We tried to encourage them to teach and encourage the younger players.
“If you build it, they will come.”
Through soccer, people can be communicated with even if you don’t know the verbal language.
Like the voice in the “Field of Dreams” that Costner’s character hears.
If you make the time & effort to establish a field, start a game, or whatever your ‘it’ may be, the relationships will come.
One memorable moment came on our first day in the mountains.
I had a memory of a scene in the movie “Field of Dreams” when the baseball players first emerge through the crops onto the field.
We were there on our small dirt field that had been painstakingly cleared for our visit.
The mountains are lush and the opening small and surrounded by crops planted by local farmers.
You cannot see houses from the soccer pitch for this reason.
When it was time to play, youth and adults began emerging onto the pitch out of the fields.
Just like the baseball players do in the movie.
How giving is more fun than receiving
One highlight of this trip for me was that we were able to give out 40+ Soccer shoes & tons of shirts, socks & balls to kids who really needed them.
This was a big part because families in Texas were able to donate to these people so that I could grow relationships.
The smile the kids had after they put on the shoes was priceless!
Not only will they use them for play but also to wear around town.
Then, even better, approximately 80 kids accepted Jesus in their heart.
My faith brings me hope & now I was able to witness others sharing in that hope.
While I’m not a guy to shove this down anyone’s throat, but I do feel that God & soccer are good to me so I’m just giving back to both because He wants all the glory.
I was able to plant my own seeds of support and care through actions.
To explain them in ways that these farmers would understand. Through the analogy of a seed being planted by me & by them in the lives of others with our actions.
Thankful for all who gave
A second highlight was witnessing what I thought was a great act become small in comparison to how deeply some give.
It was pleasing to see the number of kids who would receive the donations.
The kids lined up to wait to be fitted and there were enough for them, whether it were shoes or clothes.
Like my previous trip, I noticed that some kids did not have shoes, few had socks.
Many had feet that reflected the lack of long-term & quality covering.
However, there was a woman on our team who washed every child’s feet before they put on their ‘new’ socks & shoes. WOW:)
Your true calling – field of dreams
Near the end of the film, [Field of Dreams] an argument between Costner & his on-screen brother-in-law affects his daughter, who gets knocked down and begins choking.
One of the players on the field walks off of the field and instantly reverts from a young baseball player to the elderly doctor he had chosen to be after baseball.
He gives up his baseball dream to save a life and states that this was his true calling.
Purpose / calling in life
My true calling is now to help others…
To provide opportunity wherever I go in whatever ways.
On our second day in the mountains I shared part of my story.
How I grew up fatherless, an only child, biracial and moved frequently.
I spent a large part of my life in bars from ages 4-7.
Learning about God at age 7 planted seeds for what is still to come.
From this moment on I would always pray but was not really living the way the Lord would want.
Like many, I was a knucklehead in high school, college & up to my young 20’s.
Thankfully, in college, I found my wife-to-be & she stuck with me till I was smart enough to get married. :-)
Now I have a great relationship with the Lord who has blessed me with a wonderful wife & 2 healthy daughters.
Life is hard for all of us, but as long as we try our best and put Him first you’ll have a peace on you.
When I was 39 years old I started reading the Word… This was the best choice ever for me! Can’t explain the peace it brings and excitement to keep learning and walking with the Creator.
I feel blessed to be born in America with a great family who gave me much opportunity.
Opportunity for Guatemala futbol
The frustrating thing for many people in Guatemala is, the Guatemalan Fútbol Federation doesn’t help the poor kids.
Meaning they only give opportunity to rich kids in the city who have parents that know someone important.
If they cared about their country’s fútbol, they would recruit the kids in the mountains & build a stronger fútbol nation.
Maybe one day someone will have the opportunity to change this problem.
One thing people from around the globe have in common is just playing the game for the love of it.
Whether it be on grass, dirt, turf, court or sand.
Difference in poor and wealthy countries
It’s amazing to see the talent from players who have never been taught technical or tactical drills.
The difference in America compared to most places is this…
Some kids who are not natural soccer players in America still have a great chance to be good, because of proper training (i.e., an opportunity).
In Guatemala & any poor country the people who are not naturally good at soccer have no chance.
Especially the people who live far from the big cities.
No matter where someone is they will get a game going.
The hard part for me is the ones who are natural & have desire to be great but have no opportunity.
Hopefully our trip to the mountains of Guatemala helped plant some seeds in good soil. Nothing greater than knowing the truth and seeking Him forever.
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