Around 6:30 in the morning somewhere inside the treacherous Choco jungle, Juan David Rodriguez and other 60 soldiers were woken up by screams emanating from a megaphone “surrender, and we will respect your lives.” Fear ran through their bodies; they didn’t know what to do; run, cry, or scream.

Rodriguez, who has survived tragic moments in his life, did not always want to replay these memories. However, after joining Heroe Camina, he  began to feel comfortable and open up, telling others his story. For him, it has been an honor serving in the army, but sometimes he is concerned about the way they are misjudged or discriminated due to a vague stereotype. Also, this program has not only assisted him to learn English, but to connect with others and become a better individual.

His Story

A couple of years ago, Rodriguez faced a terrifying situation when he stared into death’s cold eyes. In Tado, Choco soldiers face daily struggles trying to fight this insurgent groups and sometimes the results of this war aren’t the one they were hoping for. Once the soldiers first heard the call and were controlled by fear, little did they know it was getting even worse.

“In the third call, they threw more than 60 85mm rounds. They left us torn up, completely wounded. They did a lot of things with us since we were in a very vulnerable land,” said Rodriguez. “There were more than 500 guerrilla fighters, and at that time we were only 60 men. It was total madness. At 6:30 in the morning I had already lost all my teeth.”

The conflict between the guerrilla and the Colombian government has been an ongoing one for decades. A lot of soldiers, including Rodriguez, have been injured and suffered trying to protect our country. With a considerable disadvantage, a major loss of lives took place for Rodriguez and his mates.

“With the first grenades many of us were left unconscious, (but it was) later it was when we began to react; there were already dead soldiers.” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez suffered a significant loss since he got to witness how his friends and partners were being assassinated. As he had to protect his own life and run away from the guerrilla, he also had people he loved dying in front of his eyes. It’s something he will never truly recover from.

“This story reminds me of my companions that no longer stand in this world, others that have no legs and others that are left crazy,” said Rodriguez.

The vague stereotype

Sometimes in Colombia, people don’t sufficiently value the work and risks the soldiers have to go through to guarantee peace and safety. They’re the ones in charge of providing tranquility for every region of the country. They are the ones who bring security in our country trying to provide a happier and prosperous nation in the future years to come.

As said by Rodriguez, “I tell this story since it happened a long time ago and in this story, there are soldiers who lost their lives. I do this to revive the names of these people.”

For these soldiers, their job becomes harder once they are not valued by others. Their primary job and focus is trying to provide security for people in their country. They are patriots, and they risk their lives for people they don’t even know. Based on a stereotype that a lot of soldiers are corrupted, and that they don’t do their job, as they should, they have become victims of assault and insults.

“I want you to value the work that we do for this country, to guarantee security for everyone; people who live in towns and cities. We arrive there, even places where the sun doesn’t come out,” stated Rodriguez. “They discriminate us; they mistreat us verbally because they already have a different ideology.”

Life changing experiences

Heroe Camina, the ongoing program at TCS has helped soldiers distract themselves and ignore all of their problems. While enjoying their visit to the school, they get the chance to learn English, which opens new doors for them.

“Working with the heroes have been an incredible experience, it makes me so happy to see their energy in every class, and it is so fulfilling seeing them proud when they get what the volunteers teach,” said Camila Duque, senior at TCS and one of the three leaders of Heroe Camina.

The soldiers just like Rodriguez have the chance to tell their stories, to feel proud of what they do.

They get the chance to interact with young teens that look up to them, who are thankful for the job they do. Through this program new bonds are created and stories will impact the volunteers’ lives.

“When they mention [their experiences], it is rewarding. It’s rewarding to see who you are helping… right now they are normal people they are not just injured soldiers,” said Eliana Lopez, an 11th-grade volunteer. “They don’t know me, yet they act so simple, they don’t bounce me back or repel me; me trying to be their friend or me trying to teach them.”

Beneath everything including the hard stories, there is a soldier who is willing to learn new things, willing to meet new people and open themselves up to any experiences.

As stated by Rodriguez, “We are here to learn each day and become better people. The soldier is not qualified as he should be. The soldier himself is the uniform, the armament; behind a uniform, there is a human being who suffers, who cries, who has needs, who have problems.