We've all heard the arguments of which sport is undoubtedly the favorite among sports fans. In the United States, American Football, Baseball, and Basketball dominate the leading popularity of sports among sports fans. Football(Soccer) is not even a blip among popularity in the United States (unless you're a UCSB Gaucho!). Here in Ecuador, there is no such thing as another sport other than soccer. Don't get me wrong, they play baseball, basketball, and volleyball on occasion for fun, but football in Ecuador is more than just a game; it is a religion and a way of life.
It did not dawn on me just how important soccer is to the Latin community until I witnessed two very extraordinary events. When Liga, a professional soccer team from Quito, Ecuador, hands down the best in the country and a top contender in all of central and South America, played for the South American championships back in September, the game was played on a Sunday morning and every church I knew of, had moved service times to accomodate the spectacle watchers. This included the Catholic Church. No joke. It blew my mind that God was put on hold until after a game. The second event was when I went with my family to watch Liga play an away game at a near by restaurant to cheer on our team. It was raining and rather cold that night. Outside the restaurant and outside a nearby television electronics store, I witness people gathered in the freezing rain to watch the game because they can't afford to enter the restaurant or don't have a t.v. at home. I don't care who you are, that's dedication. I don't know too many people in the U.S. who would do that.
The atmosphere of soccer games in Latin America is absolutely intense. I thought Locos at Gaucho games were intense but UCSB doesn't even scratch the surface of the atmosphere of games here in Latin America. I realize that the Locos at UCSB is just that; college level fun. Let me tell you now though of the intense atmosphere at a soccer game in Ecuador (or in any other part of the world for that matter where soccer is life).
We're no different from the Ecuadorians in cat calling when players are not playing their best. However, an entire stadium, even fans will do that whistle when your cat calling a woman when a player is being thought of as playing, well, like a girl. It is tradition you stand through all times during play in respect for your team. I wondered where that tradition came from at UCSB. When your team scores, it is not uncommon to start a fire in the bleachers while singing at the top of your lungs your teams anthem. I kid you not, fires in the bleachers, and the police can't get to the sections because of the crazy fans. The fires are quickly put out but I can't even imagine doing something like that. In the two games I've been to thus far, I've seen fires started and then put out. Fans, those who have one, will bring in large drums to bang away at during the game to keep the stadium loud, and set the beat to the songs being sung for their team. Professional soccer players are treated like gods and walk on water in their hometowns. The atmosphere is absolutely one of a kind and different.
Quito is home to five professional teams alone, and Ecuador, for a country the size of the state of Colorado, has a total of twenty-four professional teams. In Quito is home to one of the best professional soccer teams in all of Central and South America. They are Liga. They are by far the most popular team in Quito and all of Ecuador for that matter, and have won the South American Championships numerous times and even have a few International championships under their belts. Most recently, they have just won another South American championship making them the best team in S.A. this year. Liga is who my family cheers for, and by default, who I cheer for. Games are a must see, and you don't miss them. If we're not at the stadium, we're at a nearby restaurant that plays the game cheering on with other fans who aren't at the game at the time. The Liga stadium actually is not too far from the Cathedral and where I live and so home games at night can be heard from where I live, and I even have a great view of when they set off fireworks. Soccer truly is a way of life here and a unique and incredible experience. I've been to my share of professional games in the U.S. and watched on television, but nothing I feel compares to the wild excitement of the most popular sport in the world.
Mayonnaise is used here to the equivalence of our use of Ketchup in the U.S. Ecuadorians use it for everything! It is the preffered condiment for dipping fries, it is heavily layed on thick with sandwiches, and put on as a salsa for all foods you eat. This is difficult for me as I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise. My extensive use of mayonnaise is simply for sandwiches, spread thin, and at times on hamburgers, spread thin. The thought of simply eating mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for my fries or as a salsa to cover my rice and potatoes is absolutely disturbing to me. I politely not use mayonnaise the way Ecuadorians use it, and when I order a sandwich, I ask for mayonnaise spread thin which always gives me strange looks. It is definately different but it is a favorite among the Ecuadorians.
As I have mentioned before, Catholicism is the dominant faith here in Ecaudor even though a lot don't practice it. This is especially among the young adults. In fact, I look around, and I don't see much difference from young adults here, and young adults in the United States. Relationships are just as common with public displays of affection as we would see in the the United States. I have even lost count of how many women I have met with children at such a young age (most confessing having had the child out of wedlock and were forced to marry as soon as they were found out to being pregnant). I'm getting a little off track with this, and I did not mention this to bash on the ideals of the people here, for they are not much different from what we see in some people in the United States, but to show what I have found to be what is more 'common' in the United States and not seeing that strict Catholic stereotype I've always heard about.
Where I do want to go however with the Catholic influence is within the Episcopal Church itself. Recently, around the beginning of October, the Cathedral and many other parishes around the city have begun classes for first communion and confirmation. Now many of you who know you're way around the Catholic faith, all faithful must first attend First Communion classes before being allowed to receive the Sacrament of the Great Eucharist. As you know, we as Episcopalians, the shunned cousins of the Catholic Church, do not believe this is necessary and we will never turn anyone away from the Lord's table who wishes to receive. This is not the case with the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador. As I have mentioned before, there is a very strong Catholic influence among the people and is to be expected as it is their history. It was by the Spaniards that conquered the native people of Ecuador and brought with them the Catholic faith. This influence has spilled over into other denominations of Christianity. It is most seen in the Episcopal Church in Ecuador through the first communion classes.
It would be unheard of for a child to be receiving Communion within the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador under the age of nine. The adults with their strong Catholic influence upbringing would take offense to this. It is around that time of nine years old that a child may begin the classes of first communion and take the steps to receiving communion. Here in Ecuador, the Episcopal Church's first communion classes are far shorter than the Catholic's and so each year, the Episcopal Church receives numerous Catholic children into the classes of first communion so they may begin receiving communion within the Catholic Church much sooner.(The Catholic church accepts the Episcopal certificate of first communion classes. The length of time for classes with the Episcopal Church is more or less a year long where as the Catholic Church's classes are around two years long.)
Chris and myself have voiced our absolute distaste in this situation. We feel that it is misleading of our church to be allowing these classes to continue when we do not abide by that rule nor is it a requirement of our church. We feel that it is not appropriate for a church to be misleading about who it is and it's clear structure of receiving the sacrament as outlined in the Catechism of our faith. It is our job as members of our church to portray who we are and be true to the full elements and structure of the church and not bend here or there to satisfy the lingering influence of history that has become of the people of Ecuador. I feel it is the responsibility of the members of the church to uphold the structures of our faith and not be misleading about it. If you are to be a contributing member, you need to fully commit to the ways and foundations of the church and not conform to misleading ways. Some traditions are not to be tampered with in my opinion, especially if those traditions are clearly misleading the ideal faith and intended mission of the church. Many of us Episcopalians have seen our church evolve and conform for the better...it is what a growing church needs to do to survive in an ever changing world. We have seen recently that even the Catholic Church has made astounding changes, but has never been misleading. I feel we need to return to the firm stance of being who we are and not changing the traditions that are not meant to be changed.
If there is to be an upside to this however, it is that Chris and I are taking the opportunity to share with the classes what the Episcopal Church is and teach them about us. We hope to see this as an opportunity to share the point of view of the Episcopal Church and hopefully bring new members to the Episcopal Church and build up the Episcopal Church in Ecuador.
Until next time, God's peace and blessings be with you all!
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