First, let me apologize for my extended absence in the blogging world. What with the holidays, extended power outages and the recent arrival of the Australian foundations team, I have found myself extremely busy! In the next couple of days I hope to get my blog up to date!
Yesterday we co-hosted a large football match between two teams, made up almost entirely of street children. Forty or fifty street children engaging in any type of competitive game may sound intimidating, with pictures of brawls and shanks being pulled having crossed my mind. And yet the whole affair was incredibly organized; all on the up and up, so to speak!
Our kids have been participating in physical training every morning and football practice and scrimmages every evening. With all that buildup, needless to say they were more than excited! A few hours before the match, our home transformed into a hub of activity, with street children eating a much-needed meal of potatoes and fresh peas, injured ankles being wrapped and all the kids chattering incessantly about who would score the most goals, who would be the goalie and what their chances were of winning. The atmosphere in the room could be only described as electric. As a surprise, Rosie (the founder of Foundations) had purchased jerseys for the whole team. It is amazing how matching red shirts can transform a ragtag group of kids into a cohesive and visually commanding football team!
Our team won a tough game, one to nil. Afterwards, both teams sat in one big huddle and listened as the coach of each team gave a sermon on discipline, good behavior and continued hope. The whole game went off without a hitch and it seems as though we will have many more in the future. Thus are the beginnings of a street kid football league.
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