This past week has been shadowed by tragedy and loss for some of the young people who have participated in the SKD mentoring programme in Guatemala City.
On Monday evening, 17-year-old José was near his home in La Terminal, Guatemala City, when a man approached and shot him multiple times. As he fell to the ground, his sister Karla rushed to his side, cradling him as he took his final breaths.
José and Karla have been involved in the Street Kids Direct mentoring programme since they were eight and nine. The mentoring centre is only a stone's throw from where José's life was tragically cut short.
Despite a decline in the homicide rate in Guatemala, the country remains a dangerous place for young people, especially in areas like La Terminal and Santa Faz in Guatemala City, where the charity actively works.
In the wake of José's tragic death, SKDGuatemala workers stepped in to support Karla and her grandfather, both understandably heartbroken by the loss.
It took several days for José’s grandfather to navigate the legal processes required to retrieve his body from the city morgue and arrange for its preparation by the funeral company.
The funeral was scheduled for Friday morning, with the wake beginning on Thursday morning and continuing until the family escorted José's body to the cemetery.
On Thursday evening, Duncan and other members of the SKDGuatemala team visited the grieving family and other well-wishers to offer solace amidst the horrific circumstances.
Duncan recalls speaking with Alex, one of the older youths who had completed the mentoring programme and was thriving in adulthood. Alex was visibly affected by the tragic news, struggling to come to terms with the fact that a boy he had grown up with now lay in a wooden casket. The events of Monday night weighed heavily as he processed the loss of someone so familiar.
A few hours later, tragedy struck again at the funeral reception. Two gunmen entered the gathering and opened fire, killing one of the young people sitting beside the casket. The assailants then shot the boy's mother, Karla's boyfriend, and Alex, who had been expressing his sorrow to Duncan earlier.
In a chilling display of impunity, the gunmen casually exited the reception, mounted a motorbike parked beside a police patrol vehicle—its two officers sitting untouched inside—and vanished into the night.
Now, plans are underway for another funeral for the young victim. The boy’s mother, though in need of extensive surgery, was reported to be in stable condition by Sunday evening. Alex and Karla's boyfriend, Brayan, remain in critical condition at the general hospital, clinging to life amidst the chaos.
On Friday morning, the police were initially reluctant to provide an escort for the funeral. However, following complaints and mounting pressure, they dispatched 12 armed officers to ensure the grieving family's and other mourners' safety. Duncan led the funeral service, commending José's body to rest and offering prayers for the family's healing and protection.
The SKDGuatemala team is committed to supporting the family during this difficult time and remains deeply concerned for Bryan and Alex as they fight for their lives in the general hospital. Our thoughts and efforts are focused on their recovery and the ongoing safety of those affected by this tragedy.