Sunday Soccer

Our boys love playing soccer. They usually play on either Saturday or Sunday at a school just down the road. It’s not only the boys from our home but also the neighborhood kids play as well.

The boys haven’t been able to play some games because they don’t have team jerseys. Someone was kind enough to donate 2 sets of jerseys so that our boys could play and I brought them over with me.

This Sunday was the first chance I’ve had to watch the boys play. Once we got everyone rounded up we walked about 15 minutes to SOS where the boys go to school.

It rained a lot last night. It poured. I laid in bed for at least an hour just listening to the rain because the sound was so loud on the tin roof that I couldn’t sleep. I mention this because as soon as we start walking to SOS the amount of rain became obvious. Just last night I had walked this same route and it was fairly smooth and level. Today is like a canyon just outside of our gate. As we walk this path I’m shocked at the difference one day and one rainstorm make. This isn’t the first time it’s rained since I’ve been here but it’s the first time our street has changed.

We arrive at SOS, it’s a huge dirt field with a metal goal at each end. One edge of the field joins it to the rest of the SOS property and the other 3 sides have fences and for stretches have barbed wire along the top edge. The goal at the far end has a big puddle of water in front of it… I wonder just how dirty the boys will get.

I lay out a towel and sit down with Helder. He is one of our younger boys. He is just getting over a cold, but I imagine he comes each week just to watch. As the boys change into their jerseys, they all entrust Helder with their shirts, necklaces, phones and whatever else they brought with them.

I watch from the towel for awhile. I hear happy screaming from the street… it’s our neighborhood boys, they make their way in and join Helder and I. A little later a few more of our kids show up and I feel better leaving Helder to go take pictures.

Most of the people on the field are playing bare foot. A handful with very simple tennis shoes and a couple people have on cleats (cringe). Bare foot and cleats… how can this be a good thing? Oh and some kids share their shoes, meaning they wear one and their friend wears the other… at least this is what I imagine but maybe one of their shoes broke so they just wear the one. A few kids also just have one sock on (no shoes)?

Notice the foot ware. That is Osvaldo in the green with the one sock on.

Soccer ball + barbed wire fence =
a flat soccer ball.

Another victim to the game. 

I don’t really know much about soccer. I can’t say I’ve ever watched a game. I’m surprised at how rough the game is… or maybe it’s just rough in Moz. I guess my homework when I go home is to watch some soccer.

Everybody appears fearless. Sure if someone is kicking right in front of them, they turn away… but they are so aggressive… and physical. I never thought of soccer as a contact sport, but I watch as kids check (hit) each other with shoulder and go running into each other and all sorts of crazy things.

Pedro kicking the ball, while Ernesto looks on.

I watch Osvaldo, he is the newest member of the house. He is crazy but so fun to watch. He runs around like a crazy person, but with purpose. In about 20 minutes he is on the ground 3 times and not because of stupid errors but because he is so aggressive (and he is defending the goal with the water). He is a lot of fun to watch.

I don’t really watch the game as a spectator but rather as a photographer, I want action shots but I feel like the action always happens at the other end of the field or it so close to me that I’m in fear of getting a ball to the head. So my camera is down and I’m making my way back into the long grass.

The best action shot I got... Nunu trying to score a goal. 

It’s also important that with a few exceptions everyone plays the entire game. Two 45 minute halves. They don’t just stand around either, I’m in awe about how fast some of these guys are even after an hour of playing with no breaks for water… they only sit when the ball needs to be pumped back up.

I’m tired from watching after an hour, so I go sit. I really don’t know how they play so hard for so long… at least it isn’t hot today.

When I sit, I see that there are a couple of kids up in the tree we are under. A few minutes later I watch this little boy climb the tree. It doesn’t have lots of good foot/hand hold but he shimmies his way up the tree. I’m taken back to the rope climb in high school… I didn’t have enough upper body strength to pull myself up so I just used my legs and that is exactly what this little guy did. I was impressed.

Nelson

But then he starts showing off and doing all these tricks… he hangs with one hand and he is swinging all around like a little gymnast. I think he is more comfortable up in this tree than he is on the ground. I take a few pictures but then I start getting worried so I stop giving him attention and he eventually comes down the tree.

Hanging with one hand like it's
nothing!

I start thinking about just how beautiful it is outside. I look at Heler and he has his arms inside of his short sleeve shirt and has goose bumps. I rearrange the towel, so he can cover up and rub his back trying to keep him warm. It's so crazy to me the difference in temperature threshold.

Helder trying to stay warm.

About 15 minutes later, I hear a branch snap. I turn and jump as I see a different kid falling from the tree. The only reason I’m not on my feet is because I have so much on my lap, my camera and other things fall to the ground and I run over. The kid was caught by the waist on the top of a bamboo fence. His upper body is on myside, and he is struggeling to get down but not fall to the other side. He is over my head and I don’t even know if I can pick him up but I reach up and pull him off the fence. I’m afraid of dropping him the entire time I’m getting him off the fence and because of the way he is hanging he would face plant into the ground if I drop him.

I get him down and I get him on his feet. His name is Pedi (Pet-ti) he speaks no English and no much Portuguese, so I pull up his shirt and he only has minor scratches. He also has a scratch right in between his eye browns running down onto his nose.

I think he is really shocked but other than that he is okay. From the branch he was on it was at least 15 feet to the ground. By the grace of God did he walk away from this. Had he fallen a little more to one side of the fence, he would have either landed on barbed wire or all the way to the ground. I’m also surprised that the fence didn’t puncture his skin. These bamboo fences are usually extremely jagged, like a row of spears standing on end. The section of the fence that Pedi landed on was the only section of the fence that was flat.

The middle of the picture is where Pedi fell on the fence.

What most fences look like in Moz.

Pedi hasn’t been around much since Sunday. I’m not sure if he got in trouble or if he is embarrassed or just what. But I’ve sent Pedro to check on him. Pedro says he is a little sore and just has small scratches.

I still can’t believe this kid is okay. I just keep shaking my head. Thanks to all of you who keep these little children in your prayers.

Prayer Requests:

- My stress level as I'm leaving early Saturday morning and have lots to do!

- I'm purchasing my bus ticket today, prayers that goes well.

- Next week Nunu and I are following up on the DIRE paperwork (this will allow Dream Project to support