The local people have to pay the groups to protect them from the violence. Refusing to pay is not wise. It results in death. The streets are filled with drug users, guns and shootings. Maria Ospina is a woman who knows this too well.
Maria's sons were both murdered. They were both less than thirty years old. Maria said, 'After my sons' death I had attacks of fear. I could not sleep. I became very depressed. It felt like a part of me was killed too. ' Johan Benitez is another person who knows the pain of living with conflict. By the age of eleven Johan was carrying a gun. He also took the drug cocaine. His three brothers belonged to opposing rebel military groups. They transported illegal weapons and drugs.
An opposing rebel group tortured one of Johan's brothers. His enemies burnt him with a hot iron. Then they killed him. They put his dead body in a box. And they sent the box back to his own rebel group. In these situations the family usually hunts for the killers. When they find the killers, they will hurt them severely. Or the family may kill them. But Johan did not do this. Something happened to change his way of thinking - and his life.
One of his friend's took him to Club Deportivo. The aid group Tearfund set up this group. At Club Deportivo young people train together in football. Johan said, 'Playing football is extremely important.
