Written by Mark Olivera

If there’s anything that our team in El Salvador loves to do, it’s providing the youth in the community with events where they can enjoy themselves. This week we had the opportunity to do two large events. On Friday we had a youth night full of food, games, and scripture. But on Saturday we were able to put on a one day soccer tournament. Even though we’ve had a busy week, everyone pulled together to make this happen. We found energy to pull this off because of our desire to give the youth this experience.

*Mark Olivera (in the red) is in El Salvador for a 6-week immersion trip.*

Through hours of meetings and preparation we were able to host the soccer tournament. There wasn’t a fancy prize that we were offering for the winner but instead we wanted to created a fun atmosphere where the youth could come and enjoy themselves. Not only that but we wanted to make sure that we could include God’s word with it. And in trying to do that we created a theme that the tournament revolved around, 1 Corinthians 12:14-20. Something that I appreciated was the way that Lorena was able to present this scripture to the youth and make it into an entertaining moment. There’s more to playing soccer than just winning. This was an opportunity that we could you to show them how important each person is in the body of God. In our body we all have different strengths and weaknesses that allow us to be more efficient in certain roles. The same thing is true when you are a part of a soccer team. We wanted the kids to remember that no matter what position they played, they were an important part of their team. Just like a body can’t function with just eyes, a soccer team wouldn’t be efficient if everyone was a striker. We wanted the coaches of each team to continuously stress this to their teams so that they wouldn’t get discouraged and could learn what it means to be part of a team.

I was able to take part in putting together this tourney and even got a chance to coach a team. I wasn’t alone in coaching my team and received help from Lorena. We coached this team together since it was my first time meeting most of the kids that were on my team. I loved getting to coach alongside her and see how she was able to interact with the kids due to the relationship that she has built with them over time. She is responsible for a lot of the youth programming that happens on campus here in El Salvador and her experience showed throughout this night. She was able to encourage the kids and it was evident that they respected her. I was able to come up with a game plan for the team and she was helpful in advising me because she knows the kids and their abilities.

As the tournament continued through the day, the skill set of our team continued to show. Throughout the whole day, we had Amilcar ref each game. He was willing and eager to do it. He knew that he had the most experience in reffing and that he was the best person for the job. Even though it was a lot of games to ref, Amilcar continued to do it with a smile on his face. He took on the role that was needed and that he could fulfill best while being engaged. It’s important for the ref to control the game because reckless play could lead to somebody getting hurt. So he stayed focus and attentive to try to prevent any injuries, all while also being engaged with the kids and interacting with them.

And I could say that about all of our team members in El Salvador. They have the youth’s best interest and want to make sure that they feel seen. This is a time where youth can receive love from somebody that cares about them. When it comes to soccer in El Salvador, there are many different options that the youth can choose. There are no shortages of opportunities to play soccer in El Salvador. But there is a reason why kids continue to come to soccer events led by our team. There is a reason why parents continue to allow their kids to come to events hosted by our team. It’s evident that the soccer games that we host are not like other soccer that is played in the area. There’s something different. The soccer events we have aren’t just about playing soccer. But there is an emphasis on the providing a space where the youth can feel safe and also grow. There is an emphasis on caring about the kids and helping guide them. Playing soccer can help a kid so much more than just by improving their skills at the game. They can learn things that they can carry throughout their life. And by making sure to create a theme with the tournament, it helps show the kids that something like soccer can help them in different ways. But it starts when the focus is on the kids and providing them with an experience that they will remember.