Por Erick González G.
María Estela Calderón y Edilson Giraldo podrían formar parte del elenco de la película española Campeones, estupenda comedia dramática de Javier Fesser ganadora del premio Goya al mejor filme del 2018, en la que un entrenador de baloncesto profesional debe dirigir un equipo cuyos integrantes en su totalidad padecen discapacidad cognitiva, cinta basada en la historia del Aderes, equipo del municipio de Burjassot, de la comunidad valenciana, que ganó 12 campeonatos de baloncesto en España, entre 1999 y 2014, para personas con discapacidad intelectual.
María Estela y Edilson son esposos, que desde hace 18 años pertenecen a la no deseable liga de víctimas del conflicto, eso sí en un país en el que se generan víctimas como si fuera deporte nacional. Fueron desplazados de la vereda Rancho Largo, próxima a Samaná (Caldas), por arbitrariedades de la guerrilla.
“Estaba embarazada de mi primera hija y nos tocó dejar todo lo que teníamos… Fue una situación muy dura”, recuerda María Estela.
Su destino era casi obvio, llegaron a Samaná, municipio que presenta en la actualidad 49.166 personas afectadas por el conflicto —el más lastimado por esta causa en el departamento—, según el Registro Único de Víctimas, de las cuales 46.843 sufrieron desplazamiento forzado.
Ese estado cercano a la indigencia, al que arrincona ese tipo de éxodo, lo evitaron porque encontraron trabajo administrando un hotel; sin embargo, esa tranquilidad económica se apretó cuando descubrieron que la niña nació con una discapacidad cognitiva.
A los cuatro años nació su segundo hijo, también con discapacidad intelectual. Esa noticia frustró un sueño paternal: tener un hijo galeno: “Yo quise ser médico y no tuve la oportunidad de estudiar, y quería que un hijo mío estudiara medicina o que tuviera cualquier otra carrera”, confiesa Edilson.
Para ello se iba a ‘matar’ trabajando para que sus hijos fueran lo que él no pudo ser y “bendito sea Dios esta es la vida que nos tocó”. De igual forma y con más amor él y su esposa se han ‘matado’ trabajando. “Ha sido muy dura la situación que nos ha tocado con los niños porque uno quiere que ellos no tengan problemas”.
Padecieron un segundo desplazamiento, pero esta vez los responsables fueron los paramilitares. “A mí me tocó irme como ocho días; volví con miedo y gracias a Dios nunca pasó nada, pero fue una situación muy difícil”, afirma Edison.
“Mi esposo siempre ha sido un emprendedor y siempre soñó con tener un negocio propio, pero era muy difícil porque no había recursos”, asegura María Estela.
Se les presentó lo más parecido a un negocio propio. “Un amigo me ofreció una casa que tenía. Con la dificultad del mundo comencé a amoblarla, compré las camas y lo que se necesitaba para un hotel, algo muy sencillo, pero ahí arrancamos gracias a mi Dios, siempre soñando en tener mi negocio”, dice Edilson, a lo que añade: “Esa ha sido la lucha porque debido a la situación de mis hijos, siempre buscamos la estabilidad económica para ellos”, dice Edilson
La búsqueda de esa estabilidad siempre los ubicó en la administración de hoteles ajenos hasta cuando, con el paso del calendario, recibieron la indemnización de parte de la Unidad para las Víctimas, con la cual no solo remodelaron su casa, también la adecuaron. “Gracias a Dios hoy podemos decir que tenemos nuestro propio negocio, nuestro propio hotel. No es muy grande: tiene la vivienda en el primer piso, y 12 habitaciones más”.
Ahora que la estabilidad se hospeda en su casa, María Estela y Edilson repasan sus experiencias, observan a sus hijos, por quienes siempre han dado gracias a Dios, por decorar y condecorar sus vidas, y casi al unísono agradecen la importancia de tener y trabajar un anhelo: “Se vale soñar… los sueños se hacen realidad”, dice cualquiera de ellos.
Por eso, la familia Giraldo Calderón, cuando se ven al espejo no solo ven una familia muy especial, un equipo campeón, ven un sueño cumplido.
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Notes, comments and feedback
Despite our best efforts to allow anyone to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of being made accessible, or lack an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we're continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating, and improving its features and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this to achieve the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advances. For assistance, please contact servicioalciudadano@unidadvictimas.gov.co