LOS bOYOS GANARON!!!
Thursday, June 8
By: Robert Kelly and Michael Theis
The day began bright with the sun, as always. A scrumptious breakfast of eggs, beans, and fruit awoke the sleepy boys. After a short conversation discussing the goals for the rest of the trip, the boys were informed by Coach Cabrera that our soccer jerseys were a possible requirement for the day. This created quite a hustle and bustle among the boys who were previously informed that the jerseys weren’t needed until the following day. The team departed to their work locations and arrived safe thanks to our bus driver Angel who maneuvers like a wizard among the crowded roads of Guatemala. Along this trip the boys’ normal activity of striking up conversation with random motorists was put on pause to prepare the jerseys. However, the boys had to take their mind off this excitement in order to buckle down and accomplish the day’s work which required three separate teams.
The most proficient Spanish speakers were needed at the school to teach English and tutor students. Robert and Dylan taught one first grade class while Louis and Noah tackled another. The chiquitos were wildly excited to participate in the lessons which included review of colors, numbers, and body parts. Shortly after wrapping the classes up, the bell sounded which cued a slew of excited screams from the kids who promptly flooded out of the classrooms. Recess ensued which entailed numerous games of “La Llevas” (tag) as well as passionate arguments from young girls insisting that the boys’ names were anything from Fernando to Juan… excluding their real names. After recess, Louis and Robert joined the ranks of Misael and Nick in tutoring, while Dylan and Noah wrapped new textbooks for the students. Each student that attended a tutoring session showed excitement to continue honing their skills of reading and writing, although they did count down the remaining words that they were required to write.
Jack, two Ethans (not Conlan), Dan, Rahul, and Dooley were driven to the nursery. There they played with the kids who hung off their arms and climbed on the playground. They later helped teach the young kids numbers, make Father’s Day cards, and perform animal noises. To finish, they sang songs with the kids and had to bid them goodbye in order to return the the school site where they later found out that they were much needed.
The final four boys headed to the construction site to clean up the damage done by the rainstorm the previous day. Michael, Ethan, Logan, and Jarrett took on the jobs of scraping mortar off the sidewalk, patching the walls, and removing the debris from the storm drain and sewage pipe. Many young kids in the neighborhood did their part to help in any way they could… even if that meant providing comic relief by way of dancing. Michael took the lead in this activity, performing so well that the kids couldn’t get enough (everyone else certainly could). The boys encountered many stray animals as they worked. When it came time to leave for lunch, the boys said their goodbyes and drove back to the school where they were immediately put into action.
*WHISTLE NOISE* and the game began. None of us had expected to play today, let alone at noon, right before lunch. Nonetheless, “Los Juniors” were all suited up and ready to play the traditional juego de fútbol against the boys long before most had returned from the other worksites. Those boys that were at the school convinced the anxious players to partake in a warmup game until the rest of the team arrived. On the bus, in the morning, the boys had prepared their jerseys (coordinated t-shirts) with various numbers, sponsors, and catch phrases that had been developed throughout the week with a Sharpie marker. The most commonly used phrase was “LOS bOYOS” which the boys had previously constructed as a name to symbolize their brotherhood which had strengthened on the trip. Thus, “LOS bOYOS” became the official team name for the SJJ service trip soccer team. The game was a quick one, much shorter than what we expected. “LOS bOYOS” were given quite the scare when early on “Los Juniors” strung together a Barca-esq series of passes to pick our defense apart and topped it off with the first goal of the game. However, “LOS bOYOS” quickly recovered with a long pass down the field for Robert to run onto and finish with ease. After a short celebration, the game was on again and the ball moved up and down the pitch, but did not cross either goal line for the remainder of the half. The teams switched sides and the game was quickly started again. Stellar plays in the back by the likes of Jarret on defense and Dooley in the net maintained a scoreless half for “Los Juniors”. With much help from Michael winning headers all over the field and Sr. Cabrera’s brilliant ball control, “LOS bOYOS” were able to pocket one more goal to put them ahead. It came when Sr. Cabrera gave a pass through the air to Ethan Korte streaking down the left side of the field who finished with a header, which bounced before sailing over the goal-keeper. This was the winning goal of the game as the boys defense shut down “Los Juniors” for the rest of the game. At the end of the game, the boys gave each of the kids their jerseys which were covered in ridiculous statements such as “Pollo Compero” and “LOS bOYOS”.
After the victory, all the boys went to have a lunch of champions which consisted of PB&J sandwiches, chips, and cookies. The boys wrapped lunch up then once again threw themselves into the service and the school was soon swarming with enthusiastic painters while the construction site was teeming with determined yet unskilled workers.
he day quickly came to an end, the work sites were packed up, and once again the bus was loaded with sleepy kids headed back to the retreat house. The nightly soccer game was followed by showers, dinner, an engaging reflection, and some intense games of Mafia. Then the boys hit the sack, ready to wake up and do it all again the next day.
By: Robert Kelly and Michael Theis
The day began bright with the sun, as always. A scrumptious breakfast of eggs, beans, and fruit awoke the sleepy boys. After a short conversation discussing the goals for the rest of the trip, the boys were informed by Coach Cabrera that our soccer jerseys were a possible requirement for the day. This created quite a hustle and bustle among the boys who were previously informed that the jerseys weren’t needed until the following day. The team departed to their work locations and arrived safe thanks to our bus driver Angel who maneuvers like a wizard among the crowded roads of Guatemala. Along this trip the boys’ normal activity of striking up conversation with random motorists was put on pause to prepare the jerseys. However, the boys had to take their mind off this excitement in order to buckle down and accomplish the day’s work which required three separate teams.
The most proficient Spanish speakers were needed at the school to teach English and tutor students. Robert and Dylan taught one first grade class while Louis and Noah tackled another. The chiquitos were wildly excited to participate in the lessons which included review of colors, numbers, and body parts. Shortly after wrapping the classes up, the bell sounded which cued a slew of excited screams from the kids who promptly flooded out of the classrooms. Recess ensued which entailed numerous games of “La Llevas” (tag) as well as passionate arguments from young girls insisting that the boys’ names were anything from Fernando to Juan… excluding their real names. After recess, Louis and Robert joined the ranks of Misael and Nick in tutoring, while Dylan and Noah wrapped new textbooks for the students. Each student that attended a tutoring session showed excitement to continue honing their skills of reading and writing, although they did count down the remaining words that they were required to write.
Jack, two Ethans (not Conlan), Dan, Rahul, and Dooley were driven to the nursery. There they played with the kids who hung off their arms and climbed on the playground. They later helped teach the young kids numbers, make Father’s Day cards, and perform animal noises. To finish, they sang songs with the kids and had to bid them goodbye in order to return the the school site where they later found out that they were much needed.
The final four boys headed to the construction site to clean up the damage done by the rainstorm the previous day. Michael, Ethan, Logan, and Jarrett took on the jobs of scraping mortar off the sidewalk, patching the walls, and removing the debris from the storm drain and sewage pipe. Many young kids in the neighborhood did their part to help in any way they could… even if that meant providing comic relief by way of dancing. Michael took the lead in this activity, performing so well that the kids couldn’t get enough (everyone else certainly could). The boys encountered many stray animals as they worked. When it came time to leave for lunch, the boys said their goodbyes and drove back to the school where they were immediately put into action.
*WHISTLE NOISE* and the game began. None of us had expected to play today, let alone at noon, right before lunch. Nonetheless, “Los Juniors” were all suited up and ready to play the traditional juego de fútbol against the boys long before most had returned from the other worksites. Those boys that were at the school convinced the anxious players to partake in a warmup game until the rest of the team arrived. On the bus, in the morning, the boys had prepared their jerseys (coordinated t-shirts) with various numbers, sponsors, and catch phrases that had been developed throughout the week with a Sharpie marker. The most commonly used phrase was “LOS bOYOS” which the boys had previously constructed as a name to symbolize their brotherhood which had strengthened on the trip. Thus, “LOS bOYOS” became the official team name for the SJJ service trip soccer team. The game was a quick one, much shorter than what we expected. “LOS bOYOS” were given quite the scare when early on “Los Juniors” strung together a Barca-esq series of passes to pick our defense apart and topped it off with the first goal of the game. However, “LOS bOYOS” quickly recovered with a long pass down the field for Robert to run onto and finish with ease. After a short celebration, the game was on again and the ball moved up and down the pitch, but did not cross either goal line for the remainder of the half. The teams switched sides and the game was quickly started again. Stellar plays in the back by the likes of Jarret on defense and Dooley in the net maintained a scoreless half for “Los Juniors”. With much help from Michael winning headers all over the field and Sr. Cabrera’s brilliant ball control, “LOS bOYOS” were able to pocket one more goal to put them ahead. It came when Sr. Cabrera gave a pass through the air to Ethan Korte streaking down the left side of the field who finished with a header, which bounced before sailing over the goal-keeper. This was the winning goal of the game as the boys defense shut down “Los Juniors” for the rest of the game. At the end of the game, the boys gave each of the kids their jerseys which were covered in ridiculous statements such as “Pollo Compero” and “LOS bOYOS”.
After the victory, all the boys went to have a lunch of champions which consisted of PB&J sandwiches, chips, and cookies. The boys wrapped lunch up then once again threw themselves into the service and the school was soon swarming with enthusiastic painters while the construction site was teeming with determined yet unskilled workers.
he day quickly came to an end, the work sites were packed up, and once again the bus was loaded with sleepy kids headed back to the retreat house. The nightly soccer game was followed by showers, dinner, an engaging reflection, and some intense games of Mafia. Then the boys hit the sack, ready to wake up and do it all again the next day.
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