Why Soccer?

We asked you the other day, what you wanted to know and so many asked, "why soccer?"

And oh is there so much to say here! The most simple answer is because there was a need. There was a need for a healthy outlet for the men and boys in our community to come and play. There was a need to offer something that could connect us with those who played a major role among the families and culture of our community. There was a need to offer something that they loved, and could relate to, to build trust. There was a need to meet them where they were at. Soccer has been a key that opened the door to create a new strategy that is releasing a new culture among those we reach.

The initial door to soccer opened to us after we lost one of our village community members to kidney failure a couple years back, he was 22. It was a really difficult day, but that day, turned into weeks, and weeks to months and months to years, and those years have led us to the beautiful story we now share today.

Out of that difficult experience, we began to build relationships with many of the older boys in our community. We began building relationships with some of the hardest cases. Day by day more men and boys would show up to play.

MARKED culture was taught, games were won, and celebrations were had.

This month, another major door opened to us, as the head of the municipal’s league asked us to take over for him. That MARKED’s reputation had grown and that the league wanted help facilitating culture but also that everyone wanted to wear the MARKED jersey. They wanted to grow in skill and be apart of our celebrations.

This means, that as of today, our reach for just soccer alone among men, women and children makes up 7 mens teams, 6 women’s and 8 children’s teams in addition to our MARKED team. Our reach is well over 300 individuals. 300 hearts. 300 lives.

This opportunity to impact families, getting to the root systems and mending hearts has only begun. But we cannot wait to see where this leads.

Would you pray for us? We are going to need it :)

If you would like to give towards our soccer league (balls, trophies, equipment, jerseys etc) I will attach the link below.

What is Sustainability?

What is Sustainability?

You might think that “sustainability” is just a buzzword. You probably hear it used all the time in all kinds contexts. There’s sustainably-sourced clothing products and food, sustainable business growth, and sustainable treatment of the Earth.  You might call this word trendy and common and be tempted to throw it out. But we never will, because the truth is, sustainability is at the very heart of everything we do. 

As a community minded organization, here is an idea of what we DON’T want: to spend endless donated resources on a system we created that relies on us, creating a culture where the only time good things happen is when we show up with lunch. What happens if we can’t be there? What happens when we drive away at the end of the day?

In everything we do, our heart is to create sustainability. We want to empower people to stand up and take ownership of their villages and cities. We want to give people everything they need to continue the work we’ve started, creating jobs and opportunities for people who would have otherwise stayed lacking.

When we’re the heroes, only we win. When we make them the heroes of their own story, everyone wins.

With this kind of sustainable growth, villages are transformed and nations are changed. This is the heart of Marked. In everything we do, our heart is to champion the ones that are often ignored, and encourage them to go farther and dream bigger than their circumstances should have allowed.

For Marked as a whole, our focus has become to create sustainability in every single thing we put our hands to. We’ve been dreaming of bringing in resources above and beyond the generous donation of churches, businesses and individuals all over the world. We’ve started to use our gifts to create things that will propel the mission forward. We wrote a cookbook, dreaming of feeding families in Mexico with the proceeds. Our artisan shop where moms from our communities are creating custom leather goods. The Marked store and barber shop are other ways we are breaking cycles and empowering lives. We have begun community gardens, clean water programs and became a wholesaler to smaller family run businesses that had no way to purchase supplies from the city.

Instead of creating a system of dependency and lack, we’ve decided that we’ll become part of a sustainable solution. Long-term transformation and impact for countless little lives. Will you join us in this journey?

How YOU are Making a Difference

Have you been staying up to date with our #transformationtuesdays on instagram? In case you haven’t, we thought we would share a few of the transformations with you here!

These pictures don’t just represent the “before and afters” but rather, they represent hope, they represent transformation, they represent change.

These pictures tell a story of starvation to thriving, once addicted, now clean, depression to life, they tell a story of the new found value for education, the story of clothing given and hearing restored through the medical community. They tell a story of how soccer, homework club, Bible studies, classes for parents, a sandwich and love have paved the way. These photos expand on the heart of all that we do and why we do it. It’s just a peek into our every day life, and the simple yet complicated stories we live and share.

These pictures represent YOU, our partners. Without you, these photos wouldn’t exist. These stories wouldn’t have been written the same. Without YOU, yes YOU, even hundreds of miles away, YOU are transforming the lives of those in these pictures and beyond, and it moves us to tears. Thank you. Here is what YOU are doing, by partnering with us.

Learning from Each other

Back before we knew what we were doing, back before we knew anyones names, back before we had a process in place. There was a lot of trial and error. But somehow there was so much grace! We learned together. They taught us and we taught them. It has been a beautiful exchange. 

marking hands so we knew who already went through to receive their meal.

When we first started it was a simple drive through the villages with orange rubber bins filled with sandwiches and oranges. It was a quick hello, a handing of a meal, and a run back to the vehicle so that we wouldn’t get trampled on. Over time, the visits lengthened, and the conversations began to happen.

Little by little trust began to grow. These towns had been bombard with “help” for many years and they learned to trust no one. The “white savior” mentality of those that came before us was evident. The simple thought that we were coming in to “take over” or that we “knew better” broke us. Hearing the stories of those that tried to “help” were years long filled with heartbreak, disapointment and devastation. We knew that in order to gain trust, we had to go slow. Simply showing up, loving them in the most simplest ways, meeting a need and asking questions. We didn‘t come in with an agenda other than to love and to listen.

As they taught us, we taught them. The concept that there was always enough and everyone is welcome was the starting point. That lines created safety and made space for everyone. That thankfulness is a virtue.

Today, we as a community are still growing together. Leaning in, listening and learning from each other. We each come to the table with something to offer. No matter the age, we lean in. There is always so much to learn. We adjust and amend when needed. We stand firm on our values and lead in love. Trust has been birthed and we have experienced the power of partnership.

This way of leading is how we have gained influence and have seen culture from the inside out be transformed. It has been a complicated and beautiful experience, doing life with those we fiercely love.
It hasn't always been the “popular” way and definitely not the easiest, but it is one we would do over and over again. These years of investment have been worth it all, because they are worth it all.

We're BACK!!

Tears of JOY as we finally get to be together again.

Though programs are not quite back to “our” normal yet, we are back in our communities. Permission has been granted and we have spent the last few weeks cleaning, re-planting, organizing, sanitizing, and getting our staff ready to go on moving forward with this new “norm” we are all adjusting to.

What we took for granted before (ahem * being together), we are soaking up every moment. Laughter is filling our walls yet again, and we are excited for what the future holds.

As we adjust, like always, we will take you along for the journey. We know that the best is yet to come!

MANY HAVE ASKED.

This is SO exciting. Many have been asking how they can bless our community centers in fun a way. And we finally have a solution!

Amazon Mexico is now a reliable source of sending toys, games, soccer gear and more to our kids and communities!

You heard us! You can now shop amazon.com/mx and it goes directly to our community center in Mexico. *Remember prices are in pesos (which is currently 22 pesos to 1 dollar, meaning $10.00 USD= $220 PSO)

We have created a “wish list” that you can now shop! In addition to scrolling through on your own time if there is something that you think would bless our communities and kids.

In addition to this, did you know that on your everyday Amazon shopping, you can give back while you shop? It’s so simple. Rather than going to amazon.com, type in SMILE.Amazon.com and select “MARKED by Heaven” as your charity of choice. Save it to your browser, that way you don’t have to do it again! By doing this simple thing, Amazon gives back every time you shop!

Happy Shopping! Thank you for constantly blessing our communities and kids!!

Other things to note:

Ship to:

Samuel Luna/ MARKED

Ramón Corona 219

Poniente Colonia Centro,

Poncitlán, Jalisco, MEXICO 45950

Sneak Peak at the Script of our New Video Coming Soon.

Creation - The basic origin of something living and breathing that starts at conception. 

Something so pure that when birthed has the potential to become so remarkably beautiful, inspiring, creative and powerful. 

But just think what happens when that same something or someone is birthed not into beauty and opportunity but rather into chaos. Chaos thats met with trauma laying the foundation for a life filled with fear, danger & relentless turmoil. 

Imagine being born into circumstance that wasn’t your choice but instead the choices made from generations of brokenness. Choices that develop roots that are cracked and splintered who exist only to try their best to survive inevitably repeating the same patterns of old. 

For many in our reach this is their story. Splintered roots. Desperate to survive. Products of dangerous patterns. Today the average child earning their rank among some of the worlds more dangerous criminal organizations is just 11 years young. By joining these groups they start the clock on the last years of their young lives with a life expectancy of only 3 years inside these organizations.

To further the devastating reality, Mexico continues to lead the world in child prostitution distributing over 60% of the worlds child pornography to the nations. With over 63% of those under the age of 15 claiming to have encountered sexual violence through organized crime at least once throughout their short lives. 

This is, at least in part, the reality of our world. But thankfully the story doesn’t have to end there. Our hope is not found in bad news or statistics. These children do not have to have their hope defined by the circumstance of their birth. For these children, Hope has a name. Hope has a face. Hope has a mission. 

Over the past (almost) 9 years, we at MARKED have seen with our own eyes those statistics begin to change for good among the communities in which we serve. From reduced crime rates to increased job opportunities for families allowing thousands of children to come out of the workforce and putting them back into school with over a 95% enrollment rate. 

We have watched as our MARKED soccer team has transformed themselves from gangsters who once represented torment and fear back into young men who now represent pride bringing joy and unity to their drug stricken town. 

Having served now over 1 million meals, we have watched as the faces of thousands light up coming through our doors to receive a meal and a hug and find safe refuge. 

When hope takes over dreams are recovered, cycles are broken and roots become mended. When hope takes action young men learn to say NO to crime and YES to family. Passing on the “easy way” and pursuing instead the way which sustains and transforms forever.

Hope is alive, because WE are alive.

From splintered roots to a MIGHTY OAK. Healthy and tall and unfazed by cycles that tried to define them and unmotivated by the things of old.

There is a new story being written.  

A story where hope prevails, love takes hold and children along with their families are made whole and set free for freedoms sake. 

This is MARKED. We are MARKED. By Love. For Love.  

We Hit Our Goal!

We hit our goal of 200 masks!!

Thank you!!!

This week our village staff will be sewing the face masks, and preparing care packages that will be ready to be given out to families in the coming days.

Our phase one government approved plan will be to visit families outside of their homes, deliver food + necessary goods, along with face masks to each family member. We will spend time praying with the families, checking on hearts, teaching them how to properly wash and sanitize hands (something we have been teaching the kids for years! Now its the parents turn!)

We are hoping phase one will go quick so that we can begin moving towards phase two!

Would you pray for our staff, and the communities. For protection, as well as this to be just another open door into hearts and homes.

If you would like to give towards more face masks and sanitation supplies. You can do so by clicking the link below, or texting any amount and the word MARKED to 45777 (example 50 MARKED to 45777).

We will keep you posted, with pictures coming soon!

Again, thanks for believing in us and our communities.

We Need Your Help!

Did you know that over 1/2 of our indigenous communities are high risk? That over 1/2 of our community members are already suffering from early stages as well as progressed stages of kidney failure? As early as kindergarten they are testing our communities since they know this is one of their leading “silent killers”. Since COVID hit, our communities have been on the watch list.

In order for us to continue what we are doing, and get back into these communities full time, the government has mandated that every individual wear a face mask. Sounds familiar right?

So this is where we need your help!

This week our goal is to raise enough money for phase one.

That’s 200 face masks to distribute to the first group of kids and their families.

It’s actually a really easy fix!

So today, we are asking, would you sponsor a mask for $3.00USD?

Help us reach our goal of 200 masks for our MARKED communities!

Simply text any amount and the word MARKED to 45777 (example: 3 MARKED to 45777)

That’s it!

$3 Dollars!

Less than a coffee!

Would you partner with us today in seeing this community protected and cared for.

Thank you for loving our communities well. We couldn’t do it without each one of you.

Love Conquers All.

A few months after opening our community kitchen, we finally felt like we had established a routine with a group of local mamas and women who committed to serve. Daily we were not only seeing the joy on their faces as they served but also saw the confidence in who they were as their life was serving a greater purpose. In addition to the women, the children were thriving. Eating meals, some their only meal for the week, but more than that, there was a new awakening happening among these communities. Their hearts were coming to life.

One morning when we arrived to our base, we were anticipating the arrival of the children and women, but instead we received a big surprise. After hours of waiting, not a single person came. No food was served, no games played, the laughter was missing from the building.

Where could they be?

It was then that we found out that a local father who was also the local priest was threatening those in attendance.

My initial thought was, who could oppose malnourished children being fed? Who would say that if you go you are doing harm to the community? Was he opposed to love and truth? I was angry. And was ready to fight. MARKED was here to stay and would not give up this easily.

I called our founders, and was not expecting their reactions. In my response out of anger and fear, not seeing the miracle at hand, Jaclyn smiled and simply said to me, “ this is exciting to hear.” “How is this a good thing? We have no one in our dining room!” I asked. “Because we have the opportunity to love without limits. There is no fear or control in love.” Immediately I felt peace, and saw an image of Jesus. Truth and love would set them free, it was another opportunity to show them the real Jesus. For the first time in days, my heart too was filled with peace. Love conquers all.

2 weeks later, our dining room was full again. They had all decided to come back, because they knew they felt something different. They said they couldn’t miss out on all that was taking place. That they too wanted to be apart. There was something special when they walked through those doors.

What they felt was Jesus. They experienced true love.

Today, when trials come, I am reminded once again that love conquers all. Love wins. Every single time.

-Carlos

Another Way to Stay Connected.

Have you checked out our instagram page lately? @HELLOMARKED

If you haven’t noticed yet, we have started different hashtags for different days!

For example: #SundayFunday #MotivationMonday #TransformationTuesday #WhyWednesday #ThankfulThursday #FlashbackFriday #StatisticSaturday

We hope this is just another tool to fill you in on all the things we have going on, while giving some of our backstory and giving you fun activities to do with your family!

Follow along, comment on what you’d like to see more of and share your adventures! We want to engage with you!

Current Projects.

We have had many of you reach out asking what specific projects we are working on and we thought it would be a good idea to send you our list! We regularly update our website with current projects. But let’s dive a little deeper into the why! To see the bullet point list, you can visit:

* Water Purifier: We go through 10-20 5 gallon jugs of purified water per feeding at each of our centers. Right now, the government supplies our non-purified water to our bases free of charge, however we are still spending a good portion of our monthly expenses on purified water. Having the purifier would not only create long term sustainability for our centers, but would reduce expenses and reallocate funding to other needed areas.

*Soccer field: We have an incredible space, the largest field among our communities, however it is dirt and gravel. Daily we are patching wounds and cleaning blood stains off of clothes due to the intensity of our players (ha!) and the condition of our field. To put grass, paint lines, hang nets for the goals, build bleachers and add a fence would help not only the community, but our players as well. It not only invites more people into the space but creates and teaches a healthy culture of celebration among our communities.

*Pool Table & Fooseball table: Our heart in this is to create a safe place for children and teens to come and simply play before and after school. Reducing the amount of time they are “on the streets” or at home in abusive situations.

*Punching Bags & Work out Equipment: Not only does this offer another safe alternative for the boys and young men in our communities (girls too). But it helps give them tools to put their anger somewhere else as they are being mentored through our MARKED soccer program.

*MARKED truck: Our vehicles (2) have lived really full lives, and we are needing a new vehicle to replace one of the existing ones! These vehicles are used multiple times daily, from transporting children/adults, to hauling supplies, trips into the city and so forth. These vehicles have been some of the most impactful tools we have had.

*Computers: Daily we have groups of children cycling through our community center for our before/after school homework club. Currently all the children are sharing one computer! To make the most impact, we are needing more computers for the children to use!

Summer Rhythms

How has your summer rhythm been different this year compared to years past?

For us, normally our summers are slower. Kids are running freely throughout the community. In and out of our centers and bases at a much more lax pace. A time of year where most children are working thus leaving our routines at the door, and introducing slower rhythms. Rhythms of sitting at the table together, eating a meal with everyone crammed around the same tables, games and conversations galore. Because we simply have the time to be together. No where to go, no school schedule to keep. It is a beautiful time of connection.

This year, however has looked so different. Weeks of not being aloud in the communities due to COVID, keeping our connection through phone calls, daily check in’s and regular supply drops had become our new rhythm. This month, the government gave us permission to re-enter. But to do so slowly. To be cautious of the high-risk communities, and to keep gatherings to a limited number of people. Social distancing still exists as we carefully reintegrate back into the communities that have captured our heart. Empowering families with basic needs and resource.

We are teaching new rhythms to a community of people. How to keep connection all the while not putting those we love at risk. It is a new season, but one that has been prayed over, discussed and strategized. Not only among our staff, but in partnership with the local government and officials. It has been a time of learning and teaching. A time of listening and speaking up. A time that may have felt at times lost, but has fully been reinvented and redeemed. This summer may not have been the typical slow rhythm we had been anticipating, but it has been a fruitful one filled with dreaming about what is to come.

Though we are excited for Fall to get here, we are loving every moment with the smaller groups of children who daily are right in front of us. A time of learning and listening to who they are as individuals and their dreams for the future.

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you a happy 4th of July!

I don’t know about you, but for us this is one of our favorite holidays. Celebrating with friends and family alike! After these months of quarantine we are excited to see family and celebrate together. There is nothing better than good food, friends and family sitting around the table celebrating together.

What are some of your holiday traditions? How is this years celebration different than years past for you?

We know this year may look and feel different, but we hope that regardless you are able to celebrate and make new memories together.

Happy 4th!

In Her Own Words: Meet Veronica

This Summer we have the privilege of having one of our girls who has been apart of the MARKED community for over 10 years intern for us! Meet Veronica. This is her story. But more than her story, this is also your story. Those who have sown seed into lives like hers. This is what it is all about.

“Hello, my name is Veronica and I am 1 out of a quarter million children who were in a orphanage in Latin America. I was born in San Antonio, TX to an American father and a Mexican mother. I am the oldest of 4 kids. 

When I was 8 years old, my parents were taken to prison because of their involvement in illegal activities which caused me to be separated from my brothers and taken to a foster home for 6 months. 

 I didn’t get to see my parents during that time; which was difficult since I had never been separated from my parents or siblings before. I was just a kid and didn’t understand what was happening and thought I was never going to see them again.

 This was the last time I saw my dad.

When my mom got out of prison, my siblings and I moved to Mexico with her to live with my uncle in the northern part of Mexico. A few months after we moved there my uncle was killed causing us to relocate.

 As we were still processing my uncle’s tragic death, we received another wave of heartache when my youngest brother passed away in 2009.

 Early one Sunday morning, I heard a really loud noise. I woke up and saw my little brother, Alex, on the floor. 

He had been playing on the bunk beds with my sister and my cousin. They were jumping from one bed to another and my cousin pushed my brother off the bed, he fell and hit his head. 

We took him to a hospital downtown, and they told us that he had internal bleeding and needed brain surgery.

Due to lack of equipment they could not perform the surgery there, my mom had to take him to another hospital 6 hrs away in an ambulance.

 When I got there fifteen minutes later, I saw my mom in tears and I asked her, “How is Alex doing?” She said, “Alex is with God now.” 

 That was the worst moment I had ever experienced in my whole life! 

 I cried almost a river of tears because I knew that I was never going to see my little brother again. 

About 10 minutes later my mom had told me that she had decided to donate all of his organs.

We were at a children’s hospital and there was a kid that needed a heart in that hospital and my mom had decided to donate my brothers’ heart to that kid.

 I had never felt so much anger towards anyone. I wondered “Why would God take my brother's perfect heart and give it to another kid?”

 I was heartbroken and angry at God; I could not understand why this was happening to us.

Sadness did not stop there, as a couple months later, my mom was arrested in Mexico and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. It was very tough not only losing my dad, uncle, and brother but also my mom at this point. 

 My anger grew stronger towards God, I could not understand why he allowed so much suffering in my life. 

I was only 12 years old when I took the responsibility of taking care of my younger siblings and essentially being their mom for 5 years. 

 February 8th of 2010 was the day I got to the orphanage. 

I was visiting my mom in prison since I had not seen her in a year and towards the end of our visitation an american lady came to prison and took us to the orphanage.

This was the first time I met Jacyln and Micheal Miller. I was scared of what this place could be like. During the car ride I asked Jacyln many questions about the orphanage. I asked if they treated the kids well? If they fed us? And if it was safe?

She assured me that this was a safe place with loving people. When we got there Jaclyn got us dinner and introduced us to the other kids and staff.

Jaclyn was always my safe person from the “outside” who I could always trust since she was always around. 

The first year was very difficult since I had to process all of the tragedies that had happened within the past 3 years and had to figure out what was the new normal for my family. 

This year was also the first time I heard about Jesus, but to be honest I did not really care about this since I truly believed that He did not love me or my family given all the trauma we had gone through. 

We would go to church every sunday, have devotionals everyday, was christian homeschooled but I could care less about religion.

During that year my mom received a sentence of 40 years. 

This made my anger grow towards God, I hated Him. 

Until one day I was sitting at a table when one of the girls at the orphanage who had been through far more difficult things than me, came up to me and asked if she could read the bible to me.

I said “yes”, and she read Isaiah 41:9-10 “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said “you are my servant” I have chosen you and have not rejected you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

When I heard those words, I could feel God's love in a tangible way. I felt a warm hug and knew it was The Lord. After that I decided to learn more about Him and unlock all of the potential he had stored for me. 

This is the moment where I knew that The Lord had called me to Missions.

I started learning how the orphanage ran, the things MARKED would do for orphanages and communities and many other organizations like Samaritan's Purse, YWAM,etc. 

Before I started my Sophomore year in High school the orphanage had lost my birth certificate and apparently in Mexico, if you do not have a copy of your original birth certificate you cannot enroll in school. So, I did not go to school for a whole academic year. 

This was very difficult for me since I loved school, I loved meeting new people and learning new things and I had thought that my education was the only thing I had control of in my life. 

 However, I had seen that our community was hungry both physically and spiritually. So, I started a community soup kitchen for children, and I learned how to cook, by cooking meals for over 250 kids every day. 

I was in charge of most of the kids from the orphanage, working at the front desk and teaching a bible study to the kids of the orphanage and 270 from the community. I later trained others to teach a discipleship program through Samaritan’s Purse.

Discipling these kids was a huge blessing for me because I got to experience first-hand what sharing the Gospel was about.

I would have around 270 kids show up every Tuesday evening wanting to learn about God, and how that applied to their lives.

 Later on during that same year, I met a family at the orphanage that was there for a mission trip from Washington State. They took my siblings and I out of the orphanage and welcomed us into their home. 

This process took about 3.5, as it was not easy, but it was a huge blessing. I have been living in Washington State since 2014 with a family that cares for me and my siblings. 

They have done everything they can to offer us a better life for us so that we will not end up like our parents.

I am now a Senior at Washington State University studying International Business and Entrepreneurship. 

I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Paris, which was a huge blessing. I could have not been any happier. I traveled to 12 different countries, learned about different cultures and most importantly had amazing food everywhere! 

I am the President of the Entrepreneurship club at Washington State University. We meet and try to come up with innovative ideas. I currently lead a Young Life College small group at Washington State University. 

In the future I plan to start a non-profit. I am passionate about working with non-profit organizations to make the world a better place by empowering people across the globe, especially in developing countries. 

The summer of 2018 I had the opportunity to work in Haiti helping another orphanage become sustainable by creating new business ventures where I started a coffee shop in Jacmel, Haiti.

It's now been 10 years since the first time I met Jaclyn and Micheal Miller and yet this summer I have the opportunity to intern for MARKED in Redding, California.

I am creating & developing a holistic business plan for a MARKED store, that benefits both the community, and MARKED as well as provides jobs and mentorship for the MARKED soccer team. 

During this internship I am learning and working about non-profit leadership development, strategy, anthropology, sustainability and international business with MARKED. 

God has been amazing to me and my family, I can now tell you that he does not hate me. He loves me very much, because I am his daughter. 

My siblings and I have a great relationship with my mom who is still in prison In Mexico. We try to go visit her when we can. She’s now accepted Christ in her heart.

She leads bible study in prison and is always wanting to share the Word with my siblings and me. 

 After I decided to Follow Jesus and accept him as my Lord and Savior, I saw the verse Esther 4:14 over my life where it says,

‘Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created”

STORIES.

We used to stop by the side of the village dirt roads, open the back of the van and young children would line up for the sandwiches and oranges we had to offer. Over that first year, we watched as many of those children quickly went from young children to youth before our eyes. 

Andre says he will never forget that moment, as his life was quickly changing and he was slowly becoming the man of the family. 

He remembers the first time we pulled up in the van, his younger brothers and sister ran out the door to line up, his mom asked him to go and get a sandwich but he refused. He didn’t want anything from anyone then. His mom went and got both him and his dying father a sandwich. Unsuccessfully she tried to tear off little bites and feed it to Andre’s father, a few days later, his father would pass. 

Andre says his next memory of us was a little less than a year after his father died. We had a team from out of town helping us serve food at our base across the street from his house. Andre was angry and doubted any and every person doing anything nice for him, he said they were not safe and didn’t believe they would every stay around. 

So that afternoon he decided to come down to our base and give one of our friends a mouthful of what he thought about them. Our team members overheard and took him to the side to try and have a conversation. He gave our team member a lesson on what was her business and what he thought of her as well. You could say we didn’t get off to a great start.  

His mom began volunteering with us and Andre found any excuse to continue to come around and cause trouble; throwing rocks at the little ones, making fun of whatever we were doing, bothering the kitchen volunteers, basically whatever he could do to bring some kind of attention to himself. It was his cry for help. 

Over time, more and more conversations were had. He had dropped out of school and too was going down a path that broke his mama’s heart. 

One afternoon he finally let his guard down, and said, “How can I be sure that you will follow through with what you say and will be around long enough to make a difference?” “How do I know that you actually care?” Our response was simple, you will just have to trust us. 

6 years later, he is still around. We have gone through highs and lows with Andre but today he trusts. He is turning into an incredible leader and has hopes and dreams for his future and not just for himself but for his family and community. He is one of our key soccer players, is finally back to studying, and is working on a career in coffee. He has been MARKED in a way that his mom says she never thought possible. She says his life has been transformed.

*Name and photos have been changed for safety.

Learning their Voice.

We recently asked our community members to share with us their experience with MARKED. Here is what one of the men in our community had to say. To our partners. Thank you for making what we do possible, each and every day. You are changing the lives of many. You are giving indigenous people their voice back.

“Seeing injustice in marginalized places such as the communities in which we live and work makes us see that most of the time poverty and lack of opportunity is why the system prefers that the voices of our people stay silent. MARKED has not only broken cycles of poverty throughout, but has given so many opportunities with the programs they offer for our community to have an education and a voice. In addition, they have given voices back to so many people that for years have remained anonymous and silent for fear of being seen or heard. Today, many of our people are now being seen, have been given identity and have found their voice. From the simplest to the most necessary of cases, we now are able to go to the doctor and express our disagreement with the treatment, where before we were not aloud due to the community in which we live. MARKED has not only given opportunities but has given boys like Ronaldo the ability and confidence to take his father to the IMSS (healthcare and social security) and express his voice by asking that his rights be respected and his attention be like that of any other Mexican in this country. MARKED is helping us learn that we are important.”

**Note: This photo was taken from a community celebration day. NOT a protest.

Jose.

Jose is a rock. He is hard with jagged edges. He’s made of basic elements but heavy enough to be thrown into the water and reach the deep. Jose grew up in a house filled with violence, drugs, abuse, and tragedy. He’s hidden under the covers from bullets. He has been a shield of protection for his mom against a drunk and outraged father. He has cried himself to sleep only when no one could see him because he carries guilt and deep sorrow for his younger brothers death. Drugs were an easy choice to numb a whole childhood of pain. 

After years of drug use, it became an identity until it became a personality. Jose  would walk through the empty or crowded streets and still be alone. Day after day and night after night, he stayed high, low and everywhere in between. Even the days in between where a fix could not be found, he couldn’t see himself. He describes it like looking in a fragmented mirror. When we looked at Jose, we could see those missing pieces. We could see he was a leader and deep thinker from day one.  Week after week he would show up at practice, most of the time high and his body rebelling against the physical strain.  He would cough up blood, sweat tears, and his extra lack of coordination always left him injured, bruised, and bleeding. Month after month he would consistently come and go. Disappear for a few weeks and return as if nothing had happened.  When we would go look for him, we would either find him lost to the world on a rock that sits on the side of the main road or we would leave a message with “friends” we knew were covering for him. 

One afternoon after practice we told him when he was ready for help, we would be there for him. He told us later that he pondered those words for days. He asked how, why, for how long, what would help look like? One weekend the whole soccer team came to our teams house to stay, and Jose came along as if it was no big deal, but it was his cry for help. Jose sat outside, in the corner, on the stairs, hood over his head, sometimes rocking back and forth and sometimes talking to himself. The whole team remembers that night. Though there was so much uncertainty, it was that night everything changed. Jose ended up staying at our team members home for weeks. 

And those weeks were filled with lots of previously unchanneled energy, nervous and impatient comments, really long naps, a crazy meticulousness for cleanliness, slammed doors, will versus will, eating as if he’d never eat again. But somewhere between the clash of wills, we began to notice new patterns: Jose would wake up before everyone else in the house and read chapter after chapter of his Bible out loud, in the evenings he would read to our teams youngest daughter, a bedtime story, he would make the chore list for the tribe of boys staying at the house every weekend, wrestling and laughter in the grass as the sun set, politeness with a knock on the door to ask to have a conversation, family meals that he would patiently wait until we bowed our heads in thanks before taking the first bite and then putting his fork down after every subsequent bite. 

It may sound silly, but all those little things were big hurdles for Jose. It meant that strength was Godly in both restraint and love, it meant family was safe, that there would always be enough food, that messes were the result of a weekend well spent and that together there was nothing we could not conquer. 

He was afraid to go home, and we would be lying if we didn’t say it made us nervous. But it was time. Since his first time home there have been slip ups, joints smoked, but there has also been a change of friends, there have been “NO’S” screamed in a whisper, and little by little deep changes in identity. 

We make time every week to talk about his week. His relationship with his Dad, work, school, girlfriends, his drug using friends, slip ups, soccer, anger, girls, the future, the Marines, and there is never judgment, just conversation. And we end every conversation reminding him how much we love him and wrap our arms around him in a huge bear hug. The tribe is also there. The soccer team; who have watched him on his worst day and his best.  They are there to sit it out with him when he says no, and wait for him until he takes the last drag of a cigarette. He knows he has a family who is fighting for him. For full transformation and freedom. He has not given up. 

Name has been changed to protect & honor identity.

Sometimes They Just Need an Advocate

Written by Sam: Community Program Coordinator

One afternoon in February, while in my office, a young girl who we have never seen before knocked on my door requesting to have a meeting. When I invited her in, she introduced herself as Rumina and that she was 14 years old. Within a few seconds of introducing herself, she burst into tears. It took a few minutes for her to catch her breath, but when she did she began to tell me why she was here. “ I heard you help people go to school.” She explained that a few days earlier she and her mother had to leave their home due to domestic violence surrounding her education. Her mother advocating for her to go to school, but her father not seeing the need and insisted she go to work to help provide for the family. Rumina was desperate for someone to intervene. With tears in her eyes again she said, “please, can you help me go to school? I want to continue studying so that I can become a nurse.” But I need someone to help me register.

After sitting with her for what felt like hours, hearing her story, I told her to go home, collect her papers and that if she was serious to meet me tomorrow and I would help her enroll in school.

The next day, she arrived back at our offices at the exact same time, with all of her papers. We began filling out all the applications and went and submitted the same day. A few days later we received word that she had been accepted for fall enrollment!

Over the past few years we have seen an increase in desire to go to school among the kids in our communities. They are begining to understand that education is often the tool that breaks the cycles of poverty that they have grown up in. The idea that there is more to life than running drugs, selling fish or begging on the street has begun to spark interest among those we work with.

Though the cultural norm is still for children to work, we are seeing more that there is just a lack of understanding and the task of enrolling your child into school feels daunting for many who have never gone to school themselves. We have learned that sometimes they just simply need an advocate. Someone that grabs them by the hand and shows them where to go. We love that we get the opportunity to be that for them, to share with parents the importance of supporting their children’s dreams all the while teaching them how important education is and giving the parents the opportunity to go to school as well. It’s a delicate dance, but one we believe in advocating for, and one that is bringing change to the families and the generational lines in our communities.

A Hurting Family and a Soccer Team Who Took Notice.

Written by Carlos: Our director of Soccer Operations and Entrepreneurship

Mayra has four kids. Mayra had four kids. Mayra is an alcoholic. But this story isn’t just about her.

Santi is the oldest of four siblings. Everyone says they know who Santis’ dad is, except Santi. We met Santi a few years back at our community kitchen where he would bring his younger sister who was 1 years old at the time to eat. He was one of the kids we knew who always came hungry. The ones we knew were only getting the food we provided to eat each week.

One day however, Santi came by the community kitchen after practice and brought a bucket of small homemade donuts. Our MARKED soccer boys bought every last one. His mom made him try and sell the donuts again the next day, and the next, and the next. When the soccer boys could no longer buy him out, Santi was sent to a town nearly 40 minutes away to sell donuts and beg for loose change, most times with his younger sister in tow. Santi was 7 then.

There were many times the soccer team remembers walking past Mayra who would be propped up against the wall, passed out drunk. Santi was afraid to leave her so there he would stay, holding his wailing, soiled, hungry sister. One day Mayra went to this same town, filled with Americans and Canadians to beg for money and didn’t come home. Weeks later she would return, hair dyed blonde, pulled up in a new car with her new gringo boyfriend; grey hair, shorts, socks, crocs, and a floppy hat, you get the picture. This was the last time they saw Mayra.

It was then Santi and his siblings moved in with their grandma.

Today, they are happy, fed, healthier, and able to be kids, maybe for the first time ever. Santi is excited about being able to start school for the first time next school year. Santi is now 9. It is not easy on the widowed grandmother who now has 4 little kids to care for, since her husband passed of alcoholism a few years back. But thats when our MARKED soccer team started to notice. It was then they reached out to me with their idea.

Ronaldo, one of our players, has watched the situation unfold and knew he needed to help. He asked if we could get donations together and deliver it to her. Together they bought oil, flour, rice, beans, veggies, fruit and Ronaldo arranged it in little wooden boxes. He delivered the boxes to Santi’s grandma and she gleamed with joy, not just from the gift but because who the gift was from… her community. It was different than a handout, it was a hug, provisions for a meal to soon be shared, a “see you tomorrow.”

Disclaimer: As a culture they are taught to not smile in pictures. But she was HAPPY! We also will not be posting a photo of the children/ Santi for safety and privacy purposes.

Santi returned the boxes a few minutes later with a huge smile on his face and wrapped his arms around Ronaldos waist, eyes closed. It was one of the most genuine hugs I’ve ever witnessed. A hug for a hero. A hug for a role model of a different way of life than he had witnessed before from his community. Someone from his same street championing change.

We know many stories have layers, and this one certainly does. Today, Santi is still apart of not only our community kitchen but also plays soccer with our littles. We pray for Mayra, for her safety and redemption to this families story. And we celebrate our boys who took notice and acted on what they saw. Every day they surprise us with their growth and the transformation that is taking place in their own hearts. Hungry for more, and being forerunners for change. This is what it is all about.