Mundial Mania

Marooned in Mexico’s Mecca for European backpackers for the first game of the Mundial (World Cup), there was no shortage of cafes and bars in San Cristobal, Chiapas ready to host the 9:00am crowd to watch Mexico kick off the 2010 World Cup against host country South Africa. Breakfast conversation was impossible with the television volume on high and all attention of the standing room only café focused on the game. The energy and excitement of the crowd was intense. With every shot on goal and diving save, a roar rippled through the small café.

It is hard to imagine that in a country consumed by soccer that I would have a meeting at 10am on the initial morning of the sport’s world showcase, with Mexico in the opening game. Inconceivable though it may be, there are Mexicans that are not futból (soccer) fanatics, and one of them is Ernesto Martin, director of INESIN, one of MCC’s partner organizations that works to create space for interreligious dialogues.

With the score at zeros and one more half to play, I made my way to my meeting, the first of two. I realized that Ernesto, the chatty and cheerful director of INESIN, was doing a favor to Nataneal, the other organization’s administrator, by discussing with me all of the needed MCC business first. Nataneal did not make it to work today until noon, as probably much of Mexico’s work force, after Mexico’s 1-1 tie with South Africa.