To Become a Fool

By: Tyler Bradley

It is crazy to believe that a little over a month ago I was in Guatemala with some amazing people, spreading the Gospel and capturing life in a very raw sense. I have been out of the United States several times, but this was the first trip that had a layered agenda, to document a broken world in hopes to rebuild it, to help people along the way, to show and share love, and to bring back the need for help and share that with others. I thought that was going to be the extent of what happened on this journey, but little did I know, it would change my life in a significant manner.

 If someone would come up to me and say, “would you help us shoot a documentary out of the country for a couple of weeks?” Without a doubt I would say yes, however this wasn’t just some ordinary excursion of a documentary, rather this is a sequel if you will. Athentikos’s first documentary, “Reparando,” weighed heavily on my heart when I watched it. The film gave insight into various serious issues in Guatemala and the need for outside help because help within is sparse. The documentary showed me how shattered a civilization, yet at the same time how Guatemalans continue to trudge forward and overcome adversity. That said, that was even more of a push for me to go on this trip to document footage for Athentikos’s second documentary “Becoming Fools”.

I will admit I was scared to go to a country I had never been to, where there would be some culture shock and where I could personally experience some adversity.  I went down there blindly, only knowing one person, Bobby Marko. I knew I was going to serve a loving and gracious God, so with that instilled in me, everything was going to be just fine.

Upon my arrival in Guatemala I had a warm welcoming from the Athentikos crew, as well as a lot of Español! I knew I had made the right decision the second I met everyone. From there on, I knew I was there to minister, serve, and do my job as a camera operator so we could influence the rest of the world and bring this story to them. The one thing I wasn’t counting on was changing my own outlook.

Without stringing this on, I was broken of my own walls and priorities, God showed me a side of life I had never seen before and He wasn’t holding anything back. Visualize this, a child who is barely a teenager, or even younger, who is just now entering the 6th grade. To us, we would see them as youthful beings, probably playing a sport after school or doing some extracurricular activity. In the United States, we see the youth as a precious generation. Yet let’s take this same age and apply it to a child in Guatemala. They are probably living on the street, don’t have a family, hardly any education, are malnourished and addicted to any drug they can get their hands on.

For me, seeing children struggling to live, to look to the future and see no hope, not to know love or God just kills me inside. To experience their lives as we did was so shocking, eye-opening, and at the same time humbling. If I could pick a day that impacted me the most, it would be when we drove around looking for children selling goods on the streets. We encountered a group of people ranging from about 10 to about 40 years old. We got out and did some interviews with them, but what became glaringly clear is how these children and adults were coping with their street life, which was by huffing solvent. It is one thing for me to see a grown man or woman doing drugs, but when you visit a 10-year-old child huffing solvent to quench their hunger, it does something to you. And even more so, while we were interviewing these children, the local police drove by and honked at us to get out of the street, and you can see that they could care less about the children who are addicted to drugs, not but 5 feet from us. In a sense, as I am writing this, I am speechless because words cannot describe how hopeless these children and adults are, how this is their release, and that to them this is the best way to live.

If there were one thing that can influence/inspire others to lend a hand and support the street kids of Guatemala, I would say that the severe dependence on drugs is the most motivating factor.  Now don’t get me wrong, not all hope is lost, there are some children who, with guidance, find a way out of the addiction, but the lack of guidance and love is what is keeping the other kids on the street.

I think the documentary “Becoming Fools” will change people’s lives and break them in the same way this experience broke me. It will make you not only want to help these street kids, but it will make you re-evaluate your own life. We are so fortunate and have so many resources readily available to us that we live a sheltered life. I was living a sheltered, comfortable life myself, living day to day, finding happiness in monetary items, and not praising God the way I should. Yet to see a child smile or a glimpse of hope in their eye because you are there to help them, to show them a way out of the darkness and spread that word to others around the world… that is the meaning of life and that is where true happiness should be found, in knowing you are helping someone else in their life struggle and that because of you and the faith you have, these kids have hope and see a brighter future. I would say “I have been fooled,” that I was a prime example of someone who needed a wake-up call, and that a material world had tricked me. Yet to have become a fool and realize what life really is about is the most rewarding factor of it all.

 

A Moment of Applause Fills the Soul

Nothing fills the soul like applause. As the receiver and the giver.

So many emotions flood that one moment: the sense of accomplishment, the sorrow of the end, the struggle of the hard work and the desire for more. It is reflection of countless hours of rehearsal and sacrifice; and of the belief that you could be more. It’s a time to celebrate, to come together. In this moment, you realize you didn’t give up, that your voice was heard, that others accepted you.

Life without applause slowly crushes the soul. Who believes in me? Who will be my champion? Who will celebrate with me? Who will allow me to have a voice?

For one week in June, I spent my time in a dark rehearsal theater in Guatemala City, observing youth from the streets who were given the chance to take on a significant task. I couldn’t help but wonder if most of their lives felt like the dark, cold theater—without an audience, lacking light, filled with unfinished work, doubt, disbelief, frustration, and a silence that longed for applause.

Disbelief filled my thoughts, “There was no way this was coming together.” I was here as a champion for them, but I disbelieved. Could this event really come together? Could they REALLY accomplish this task? Did they have enough determination, enough skill… enough confidence?

For those who are new to our story: My husband and I are connected to Guatemala through the adoption of our two sons. We wanted to maintain a meaningful connection to the country, so we decided to use our skills in film and photography to share inspirational stories of hope. As a result, we produced a documentary film titled *Reparando*, which was completed in 2010.  We are currently working on a second documentary project called *Becoming Fools*. This film focuses on young men and women who left their homes, lost their families, or were abandoned as children and grew up on the streets of Guatemala. The streets of Guatemala City are home to more than 6,000 youth. Many of these children begin their lives on the streets as young as 8 years old. They often sleep in abandoned lots, beg or steal for money, and resort to drugs to escape their hunger, the cold, the rain, or even worse circumstances.

They are not alone; individuals and organizations are making a difference in the lives of marginalized children and young people. One man even dreamed of hosting a clown workshop.

The handful of youth participating in the clown workshop had the opportunity to perform in front of 400 people at a large theater in Guatemala City. The purpose of this event was to bring to awareness the situation of youth and children living on the streets of Guatemala City. This theatrical performance was the final event in a series of weeklong activities entitled Festival: Voz De Las Calles. Through laughter and learning, professional clowns have been investing time and love into this group, teaching them the beautiful art of clowning. This performance was a dream for many members of the community. It gave the youth a chance to perform with professional clowns, taught them to dream, believe, achieve and receive applause from their community.

Applause The Show

The story of the show reflects the real-life experiences of its characters, portrayed as clowns. Here’s a synopsis: A heartwarming journey unfolds as a clown embarks on an adventure filled with friendship. He discovers new companions in unexpected circumstances and teaches them the art of clowning. Together, they find joy in their newfound skills and decide to accompany him to “The King’s Party.” Along the way, they face various obstacles, but they remain determined to bring laughter and hope to the community around them.

The Purpose Of Our Documentary

As you may know, Scott spent two months in Guatemala this spring documenting the preparation for a clown event, the progress of the rehearsals, and interviewing experts about the issue of children who live and work on the streets. I was fortunate enough to join him for the last two weeks, which included the theatrical performance. It was a stressful week leading up to the show. Nothing is stable or consistent in the lives of children and youth at risk on the streets. Their thought processes, decision-making, and behavior reflect the instability they experience in their own lives. While it is heartbreaking to witness some of their immature actions, I am humbled by their courage to continue living, growing, and forming families amidst difficult circumstances. Although their clown performance was just a brief moment in their lives, the hope and prayers of the community are that they will reap the rewards of their hard work and find inspiration on various levels. I know it was inspiring for me.

And I am extremely proud to say that even in the midst of chaos and drama, the performance was beautiful. It was an honor to stand and give applause to the youth performers. Their talent and determination is amazing. And so we will be sharing their stories AND their performance in the documentary film, Becoming Fools, which we hope to complete by the end of 2012.

Here are some more of photos of the film production, which included a trip to Lake Atitlan and some underwater filming for me. This area has a special place in the story of the project; and is now one of my favorite places in Guatemala! And we got to have a little fun too. We also spent time with a sweet group of siblings who recently tragically lost their mother.

You have the opportunity to join the applause. We will share more about our documentary as it unfolds, however you can support the project now through a donation.