Everyday after we finish work around 5, we play soccer with the orphans on their mini field located on their land. It's always great fun and our skills have definitely developed with so much practice against these kids who should probably play on the Rwandan National Team someday. Because of our playing, on Sunday, Ankit, Lila, and I were recruited by our friend Safari to play in a local soccer match. We thought it would be similar to all of our little scrimmages we had played at the orphanage. Little did we know that we were in for a treat.
To get to this soccer field, we hiked about 30 minutes across a small portion of Rwanda's beautiful hills. By the time we arrived, we were already feeling a bit winded since we're not yet accustomed to African walking distances. But we soon forgot about the long hike there. Arriving to the field, we were greeted by a crowd of over 1,000 spectators from around the region. On the field, the opposing team was already going through their warm-up routine, dressed in the full outfits of the Brazilian national team. We asked Safari, our 18-year-old captain who is an orphan at L'Esperance, who the other team was and he informed us we were playing soldiers. As if to confirm, standing on the sideline was a fully-dressed soldier with an AK47 across his body. It was on the whole a rather intimidating scene that we had found ourselves a part of.
Throughout the game, it seemed as if the odds were stacked against us. We were short on players in the beginning, though Ankit, Lila, and I were able to step in to fill the spots. The referee seemed to clearly favor the opposing team, as did the crowd. And we had little water to share amongst ourselves in the heat. But as in any Hollywood movie when the plight becomes just about hopeless, after 90 minutes of intense, scrappy, and sweaty football, we pulled out a victory, 3-2. It was great to be greeted with cheers by the many children and orphans who had come to watch the match. It was a glorious day. Usually, one might take a victory lap, but we needed to take a victory walk, actually a victory hike, all the way back to the orphanage in the fading light of dusk. Without water. After 45 minutes, we returned and I may never appreciate water more than I did at that moment.
Cheers,
Andy
To get to this soccer field, we hiked about 30 minutes across a small portion of Rwanda's beautiful hills. By the time we arrived, we were already feeling a bit winded since we're not yet accustomed to African walking distances. But we soon forgot about the long hike there. Arriving to the field, we were greeted by a crowd of over 1,000 spectators from around the region. On the field, the opposing team was already going through their warm-up routine, dressed in the full outfits of the Brazilian national team. We asked Safari, our 18-year-old captain who is an orphan at L'Esperance, who the other team was and he informed us we were playing soldiers. As if to confirm, standing on the sideline was a fully-dressed soldier with an AK47 across his body. It was on the whole a rather intimidating scene that we had found ourselves a part of.
Throughout the game, it seemed as if the odds were stacked against us. We were short on players in the beginning, though Ankit, Lila, and I were able to step in to fill the spots. The referee seemed to clearly favor the opposing team, as did the crowd. And we had little water to share amongst ourselves in the heat. But as in any Hollywood movie when the plight becomes just about hopeless, after 90 minutes of intense, scrappy, and sweaty football, we pulled out a victory, 3-2. It was great to be greeted with cheers by the many children and orphans who had come to watch the match. It was a glorious day. Usually, one might take a victory lap, but we needed to take a victory walk, actually a victory hike, all the way back to the orphanage in the fading light of dusk. Without water. After 45 minutes, we returned and I may never appreciate water more than I did at that moment.
Cheers,
Andy
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