Rain or shine, hot or cold, every day in Zábalo the youth of the community come together in the late afternoon to enjoy some play time; fútbol, ecuavolley (Ecuadorian version of volleyball), rip-sticking around the multipurpose cement court, playing on the playground, and more. During our time in Zábalo we were invited to join in the activities and enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the Cofán youth and the several soccer games played “Americans vs Cofán”. It was neat to see 5- to 22-year-olds to even adults smiling, laughing, and having fun together. In many ways, it is symbolic of the laid back, happy-going lifestyle that seems to be lived by many in the small community of Zábalo.
For those of us who speak very limited Spanish and for the Cofán youth who are too young to have learned Spanish yet, it was a neat opportunity to connect through the fun and play that is natural to all humans from birth. From the high-pitched laughter of kids in a game of tag to the shouts of encouragement and advice on the soccer pitch to the splashing of water as we cooled off afterward in the Aguarico River, those from Goshen and Zábalo engaged in something that transcends any sort of language or culture barrier: play.
Oh, and on our last afternoon the Cofán won the soccer rubber match 5-4 in a game that stretched into dusk.
By Luke Rush
