It was hot, as it tends to be in the Amazon, when we arrived in Abtao. But what made this different is that we had spent the last 44 hours on a boat, so the sticky heat made us yearn for a nice shower more than normal.
Abtao is one of five new communities along the Ucayali River in Loreto, Peru where we have started new projects this year.
After community meetings and speaking with the students, Octavio, Raquel, and I were tired and, as I mentioned, ready for a shower and some rest. The kids, however, were beginning a game of soccer and insisted we play. And you don’t turn down an invitation to a soccer game by a bunch of happy kids. No way.
We ran and ran and laughed and played and had a great time with the kids. Opportunities like that to quickly break down barriers of shyness aren’t easy to come by, and we all enjoyed it. The losing team had to buy soda for the winners, so after three games my team (of course we lost) treated the victors and we had time to sit and get to know the kids on a more personal level.
In all of our projects, we work hard to create a space where kids feel comfortable enough to take the risks needed for critical and creative thinking. We train our teachers intensively to assure that space exists. But sometimes, all you need is a beat up ball and some grass.