A Dream to Live Upon, by Sydney Herman

We're so proud of our daughter.  When you do work like we do, you always wonder how it will effect your children.  We never thought you kids would grow up hating what their parents do, but you can never know... you just pray a lot!


Sydney has recently written this narrarive for her 6th grade Humanities class.  This illustrated to us her passion for justice that she has developed living here in Compton.  We thank God for the wonderful, passionate leader God has given to us as a daughter.  


And we couldn't be more proud.


+++++++++++++++

Sydney Herman

2^nd draft 5^th period English

Mr. XXXXXX

A Dream to Live Upon

As I unlocked my office door, I heard voices. I turned and saw a young Mexican girl. She was cradling a baby in a bloody blanket. Again she spoke.

“You work with immigrants?”

“Yes” I said “Do your parents need me?” as soon as she started crying I know I’ve hit a tender area. I hold the baby as she sinks to the ground. I hold the baby wondering if this young girl is a mom, or a sister. I sit down next to her. Soon she’s calm.

“My parents are dead, now it’s just me and my sister alone.” She hesitates, not sure how to ask what she wants. “I was wondering if you could help me.”

“Let’s go to my office, and talk.” I hand the baby back and stand up. When we are in my office I give her food. Then she tells me her story.

“My name is Julieta. I’m 12 and orphaned.” She pauses “When I was 10 my family found out that my papa had cancer. My mama decided to move to the U.S. The January after my eleventh birthday we started the journey. We crossed the hot, humid, dessert first. Our transportation? A mule. Soon my mama got pregnant, week later my papa died. 6 months later, we’re in the U.S. A month after my birthday, my sister Maria was born.” She looked down at her sister. “Soon after my mama died. So now I’m left to take care of my sister. I’m poor, no papers, no home, I need help. My sister is a citizen, but that I can’t prove.” I nodded my head. I’ve nodded my head. I’ve had some cases like this but never this young and depressing.

“So what do you need?”

“At least a job.”

“I can do better! Don’t you want papers, rights?” Julieta blushed, “I thought everything would be too expensive.”

“Who would make you pay?”

“12 other lawyers.”

“You won’t get that here.” I heard the back door slam.

“Kathleen, you here?” It was my partner Esperanza coming in. 

 

“Office!” I yelled

“You really need to get on that per- Who’s this?”

She stood by my door staring at Julieta.

“My newest clients.”

“Ooh, Hi I’m Esperanza.”

“I’m Julieta.” Esperanza looked at me,

“What’s the case?” It was my turn to blush, just as I was about to answer,

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA” saved by the bell, or should I say baby? Julieta excused herself from the room. So I caught E up.

“Free huh? We could do that” she replied “I’ll take care of Mark’s case for you.”

“It’s more that that, they don’t have a place to stay, food to eat.”

“I would take them in but I can’t, not with my baby, and Grace would THROW A FIT!” 

 

“I think I could.”

“Would Seth be fine with it?”

“I’ll find out later.” Julieta came back in.

“How would you feel with spending the night at my home?”

“Ohm, You wouldn’t be intruding,” 

 

“Yes.” It was settled. I called my husband to let him know, he WAS fine with it. So he came and took them to our house and I worked.

2 MONTHS LATER

“It’s official, I just got the call!” Julieta smiled. “Okay “MOM!” I was officially the mom of two. The front door banged as Seth walks in. 

“It’s official!” I tell him “Their ours!” “Amazing!” he says “MMMMMMMMAAAAAWWWWW!

“There’s the siren!” my husband said as he go gets our baby.

5½ YEARS LATER

“MOM! I got it, its right here!!!!” I ran into the room.

“What?”

“My green card mom!” My not so little jewel was jumping up and down, tears streaming down her face. Tears start running down mine too. 

 

“Mommy why tears?” Maria says entering the room,

“Oh sweetheart” I say, “I’m excited.” Understandingly she runs over to give Julieta a hug.

Wow, I think who knew this is what would happen from a passion that started when I was 11. Who knew that almost having to quit a job you love, or worse lose it could become a dream, a dream that has turned into my reality.

The One That (Almost) Got Away

Johnny was with us for almost a year. He somewhat haphazardly joined our under 15 soccer team in 2008. He was an amazing player, the kind that would score one or two goals a game without trying very hard.

Unfortunately, that was his downfall. Most of our players work very hard, focus on their skill level and strive to improve. Most become very good as a result of the effort they put in. However, every once in a while we see a player with natural ability, coordination and great athletic skill. Johnny fell into that category. One would assume that Johnny had a typical story of the athlete that everyone loved and was kind of passed through school and sports because everyone wanted him to play for their team. Believe it or not, this happens even before high school.

Johnny played almost the full fall season and then began not to show up for practices. Despite the coaches calling, reaching out, visiting the home, Johnny was soon hard to find.

I remember going to Johnny's house, talking to his mom trying to convince them that it was important for Johnny to learn commitment and come to practice and games. I explained that we weren’t just about soccer, that we also focused on grades, responsibility and leadership development. His mom couldn't have been more enthusiastic she agreed with all that I said and told Johnny he had to participate with us every practice and game. I offered to personally be involved in helping with tutoring and assisting them in anything I could do.

Things got better, for about a week.  Then I didn't see Johnny for several months. One day as I was walking through our local Target, I saw him walking alone through the store. As we started talking, it was obvious he was very high.  I've seen this before. When our kids start messing with drugs, you learn that things have changed.   Now everything becomes much more difficult for them and for anyone helping them to get back on the right track. 

One of the most significant lessons we have learned is that you cannot want change more for people than they do for themselves. 

Fast forward a year and a half the coordinator of the Compton Initiative work days knocked on a door of a Compton house to gauge interest in having their house painted.  A high school boy answered.  In the conversation, she asked why he wasn’t in school. He said that his mom hadn't completed the paperwork yet. Obviously concerned she began to ask more questions.  A few hours later she called me to see if I knew a “Johnny” that used to play for Compton United.  God was not done chasing Johnny.  This initiated a meeting between Alma the coordinator, Johnny, his parents and I, where we all let Johnny have it! We (Alma especially) scolded the parents and explained to them the importance of Johnny being in school. Johnny was supposed to go back to school and come practice with our under 16 team again. He wouldn't be able to play in games yet but he could work his way back in.

In the next couple of days Alma registered him at the local high school. Johnny and his dad were at practice. The teams practice schedule does overlap with the after school programs Johnny is required to attend but it looks like he will be at practice when he can.  Through this God showed me once again that He does not give up on us. A boy in Compton that practically everyone gave up on, including his parents do not fall through God's cracks. 

Please pray for Johnny, Compton United, the Compton Initiative, and all of us that we can be faithful and God's representatives to the youth and families in our city of Compton. 

Changed Lives at Camp

I'm still not sure of all the reasons God changed our South Africa trip this summer. We raised the money for all our expenses in the country, but could not raise enough for the ever increasing airline fares.

However, one of the reasons was for some of our players to go to a Christian soccer camp at UCLA. This we received several partial scholarships for five players to attend the week-long Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp.

As a result Jose, Joshua, Sergio, Jorge and Andrew were able to go. They slept in the dorms, ate in the food court with the other college students and received high level soccer training. Each night they had a worship service which gradually presented the Gospel. On the second to the last night, 3 of the boys went up to receive Jesus into their lives! Andrew, who was already a Christian, went forward with the others to help them feel more comfortable!

We have seen real change in these players lives! They have become very enthusiastic about the new found faith and regularly attend the Bible study that Ramiro, who is their head coach, leads every week. (Yes, this is the same Ramiro that we have talked about for the last 15 years! He coaches our under 16 year old team. It is amazing to see spiritual multiplication happen!).

Please pray for these guys, that they would continue to grow in their faith and truly know the Lord in deeper and deeper ways.

Our long-term plan is to still attempt to take a leadership development trip to the World Cup every four years.  On the other years we are hoping to take as many teams as possible to an annual Athletes In Action tournament in Ohio, at AIA headquarters.  This would also be a part of our leadership development program and allow for AIA to use their corporate facilities to minister to urban soccer teams from all around the country.