First things first, my first real trip to Mexico was four years ago ("real" meaning I came once with my grandparents when I was 5 for vacation...hardly remember much of it. And also, Mexico for vacation is exponentially different than Mexico for missions trips, which is also exponentially different than Mexico for living.) So, four years ago, I went to Mexico with all my home schooled friends (Eli, Wes, Colby, Brandon) and a group of about 30 or so. We went to this little orphanage north of Ensenada called Miracle Ranch, up in the mountains, and yeah, just really small. Like 30-40 kids I'd say. They get groups there during the summer, and before I was old enough, our church's high school youth would send a group down there during the summer. My oldest brother actually spent a couple months there after he graduated.
Anyways, so we were there for a week, and it was just such an amazing week. They were addicted to soccer, and they were the first real representation of what I've just known for years, and most people do: "Mexicans are just amazing soccer players from the day they're born." I just had that mindset, they're good, I'm not. They're Mexican, I'm American. I really looked up to them. And the kids just really impacted me. I loved them. I got to know this kid named Alberto really well, and he was the king soccer player of the orphanage. We were great friends, and when it came time for us to leave, I was so sad. I was going to miss this kid, and everyone else. And they were happy, despite their living conditions. I was hardly happy in my living conditions, and I had so much. It was ridiculous.
Anywho, so we left, and I went back pretty changed. Couldn't wait for the next summer, when we planned on going back again. Fast forward. The next summer, we get there, and I'm so excited to see Alberto again, I basically run in there, cruise around everyone looking all over for him. No where to be seen. Turns out, he got sent away, to an all-boys orphanage in Tijuana (I was told it had to do with him bringing back pornographic material from school and showing it to the young ones). I was sooooooo upset. But I got over it. All the other kids were still there, and I got to know them really well. A lot of them. They were all just so amazing. We played soccer together ALL THE TIME! These two kids, brothers, played with me every second they could. They were small, like 12 or 13, but they were so good. When I had to leave at the end of the week, obviously, it was heart-breaking. Thinking I'd see them again though, next summer, made it seem a little better. I still didn't want to leave. Those kids really have an impact on anyone who goes in there. But, as fate would have it, sometime after we left, the head guy at the orphanage got involved in some sort of embezzlement or something. He needed money to change the title of the mission, and he got it, but didn't use it on that. So he asked again and didn't use it on that again, and yeah. Big scandal of sorts. I don't really know what went down, that's all just stuff I've heard since it happened. So we didn't go back. Eli's mom, Carol (the leader of our mission groups), didn't want to be involved with that sort of thing, and we didn't feel it be right to go work at an orphanage who's leaders were getting into this kind of stuff. I don't know what it all turned out to be, but we didn't go back. And to this day, still haven't. Also, to get to where I am now, in Vicente Guerrero, you have to drive by Miracle Ranch. It's about half an hour of the highway I take to get here, but I still haven't been able to head out there. After that scandal, it's just kinda had a bad feel about it. But those kids...still loved them to death. They were stuck in my mind forever, as being the first Mexicans I'd met, loved, and missed. When I thought of stylish, mind-blowing Mexican soccer, I thought of them. They were anything and everything I knew of "Mexico." You can understand then how upset I was that I wouldn't be going back there again.
Two Decembers ago, I came here (where I am now, FFHM...three hours south), drove by Miracle Ranch, and fell in love with this place...not so much because of the kids this time, but that's changed now. They're most of the reason I'm staying now. Anywho, so I kinda accepted the fact I'd never see my Miracle Ranch buddies again, and that these kids here are my new Mexican friends, and well, living with them for so long, they've kinda become my Mexicans haha. Before, when I thought of anything Mexican, I immediately thought of them, the Miracle Ranchers. Now it's these people here. But not like it's a bad thing, I've just spent so much more time here. That's why.
Zoom forward to yesterday. The child services/orphanage department of the Mexican government put together this big soccer tournament for all the orphanages in the surrounding areas of Ensensada. We're over two hours away, so you can imagine that can include a lot of orphanages. Before going, I didn't even know what it was I was participating in. All I was told is that there was a soccer tournament on Friday, wanna come? Of course. All I needed to hear was "soccer" and I was in. I just thought it was some random tournament for anyone invited. Not so. We got there, and they told me it was just for orphanage kids and stuff. Orphanage tournament. And boy, there were TONS of kids there. A good 150-200. And, since I didn't know that this was just for orphanages, the fact that Miracle Ranch kids would be there never even so much as hinted at crossing my mind. Also, after being here in Vicente Guerrero so long...sadly, those kids had started to fade from my mind, being replaced by the kids here. I'd figured I'd never seen them again, so I guess I let them fade. But as we were standing in line at the beginning of the tournament, they announced all the teams that were present. I don't know what I heard, maybe my hearing is screwed up, maybe the sound waves were messed up at the position I was standing, or, maybe God made me hear it. I don't know, but somehow, I thought I heard the announcer say Miracle Ranch. And I started freaking out. The thought that they were here first crossed my mind. Orphanages. Soccer. Ensenada. It all made sense. They COULD be here. But I didn't want to just get my hopes up. I immediately went around to all my friends, Spanish speakers, to ask them what he just said. Did he say Miracle Ranch? What did he say a minute ago? Everyone I asked said no. No, he didn't say that. Then what did he say? I don't know. No one knew what he said. But now the thought that they might be here started boiling around in my mind. Could this be true? I started looking around at everyone. I didn't recognize anyone. Also, they'd be three years older, who know what they look like now. The day went on.
We sat around for awhile, watching soccer, waiting for our first game. We were sitting on the stands, watching the game right before ours, and this group of kids came over and waited with us. And I'm watching them, still on the lookout for a familiar face...and I spotted a kid that maybe could be someone I know. Looked familiar enough, even if I had taken into account the fact they'd be three years older. Then again, most Mexicans look alike as it is, trying to imagine how one would look after three years is a little difficult. But I had my eyes on him, watching him all over the place. The leader guy with their group came walking in front of us, and on his way back, I told one of the guys with us to ask him which orphanage he was from. He said Casa de Paz. House of Peace. And that made me sad, not peaceful. I was so set on that kid being from Miracle Ranch. Deep down, I was still kinda set on him being the kid I was looking for, from the orphanage I was looking for, anything. Maybe he got sent away like Alberto, and was now living at Casa de Paz. Maybe...I don't know, anything. I was just thinking up ways that explained how he could be from Miracle Ranch, how I knew him, how I had played soccer with him, how I'd loved him, and how I'd missed him. I watched him as he went back to his group of kids, and I saw this other kid who looked vaguely familiar. Could it be? Still no assurance. And then I saw this kid who finalized it for me. He hadn't changed a bit. Looked exactly the same. I knew it was him. His name was Brandon. And I knew that because at one of the meals three years ago at Miracle Ranch, he had got down on his knees and imitated my friend Colby proposing to one of the girls there. It was the funniest thing. We were talking about it for ages. And when I saw him there at the soccer game, I knew it was him the instant I saw him. I walked over to the group standing there, and asked the leader if he spoke English. He said yes, and I go, "Is this kid's name Brandon?"
.....
"Yes."
And I asked if they were from Miracle Ranch. He said yes. But they'd changed their name to Casa de Paz. It all made sense now. And I pointed out everyone who looked familiar to me, kept seeing more and more now that I knew they were there and he confirmed them all, then told me everyone else that was from there. It was...difficult. My heart was melting. I was shaking. He was just like...who are you, creepo, and why do you know my kids? Not quite, but I'm sure he was thinking it. So I told him my story and how I knew these kids. And he seemed thoroughly unimpressed. Didn't really have anything to say, or ask. Obviously this wasn't as big a deal to him as it was to me. Our conversation ended, and I went back and explained to my group. They were amazed. More so than their group leader guy at least. And guess what?? Who were we poised up against to play first? My Miracle Ranch buddies (we won). After that, one of the kids yelled my name, and came and talked to me for awhile. He spoke English really well, and went through a bunch of names and asked if I remembered them. Esmeralda? Yep. Omar? Yep. And....Alberto...(awwwww). YEP! And yeah, I told him I remembered him, and he said he remembered me as well. It was amazing. Totally unexpected.
I didn't go there with the slightest hint I'd see them. I went to play soccer with my FFHM buddies. But seeing Miracle Ranch there really, basically, made my year. Or, really, made my last three years.
As for the rest of the tournament, we ended up tying for first. But at the same time...placing second. In soccer, points are allotted like so: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss. Team with the most points at the end wins. We won 3 games, and tied one, giving us 10 points. Turns out, another team ended up with 10 points as well, making the tie for first place. So, when that happens, you go to goal differentials. You're tied on the points scale, so now you duke it out over goals scored. Whoever scored more goals vs. goals scored on them, takes the crown. The other team had a better goal differential - scored more goals/had less goals scored on them. So they took first place. We argued and argued with them to let us play a tiebreaker with them (essentially stopping at our 10-points-a-piece tie, and not go to goal differential. So, saying we're tied at 10 points, and playing a tiebreaking game to decide the winner, instead of the goals). But they wouldn't have any of it. They just wanted to take their crown and leave. Whatever...we were first in our hearts hahaha. Is that a saying? I don't think so. But I just made it one. Is that selfish? Yeah, probably.
Anywhoozles.
That is just about it...I have some pictures of the tournament though, courtesy of Deborah. Thanks a ton! And thanks for coming to watch, and dealing with weirdo fans/moms!
Schoolin' him in his backyard.
My little Oscar.
Juancita and Chew-Chew
I taught them our Summer Breeze game called Stand In A Circle And Try To Get The Ball In The Garbage Can While Juggling With Only Two Touches. I'm pretty proud of that name.
Our team awaiting a kickoff.
Discussing intense strategies of how we can demolish our enemies. After much debate, we decided it would be best to do that by scoring lots of goals. And we did.
My Miracle Ranch buddies and me. And Giovani (orange).
More Miracle Ranch buddies.
Teaching Jorge my game.
Congrats on making me cry. Full on tears. Streaming down my face... right now. Full on waterworks.
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