Let the Games Begin!

By Tyler White

Talk about anticipation. I’ve missed two of these tournaments, being left only to hear of the descriptions that usually end with something like, “You just have to see it—words can’t describe it.”  I left those conversations feeling frustrated, left out, even jealous. It was just hard. For three years, since Mike and I began meeting about FoDU, I have literally dreamed of seeing these talented young people on the soccer pitch. But after today, I can’t blame those that talked to me about it. They were right. And now I am on the other side, doing this to you…words really can’t describe what took place today at the Vision for Africa school and orphanage. But I will do my best to tell you.

If anyone has ever questioned what good soccer can do for orphans, please allow me to try and alleviate your doubts. First, please remember that the education piece of our work is invaluable. But also know that after today, I fully believe that the soccer piece is equally as valuable to these boys and girls. Yes, I said girls. The girls competed in their first organized soccer tournament today, something that brought so much joy to everyone present (see Mike’s blog).

The aim of our work here at FoDU is to provide hope, in its purest form, for these amazing and talented children. They have such an incredible amount of potential, both physically and intellectually, that this difficult world has buried in pain and loss. There is no doubt in my mind that with the help of our selfless Ugandan brothers David and Jonathan, their long-term hope will be greatly and effectively developed. That is our education piece.
But today, thanks to the hard work of Coaches Peter and Faridah, I witnessed, for the first time, hope developing in the short term. Suffice it to say, the complete and utter joy I saw today does not exist in the States. Game after game, laugh after laugh, the happiness that blossomed inside each and every kid there provided a joyous foundation from which to pursue their dreams. Hope seeded itself in the hearts of the children, but luckily for me, they just could not keep it inside. Again, it is worth repeating, this kind of elation simply cannot be found in America.

Four schools competed, including Blessed Hope, Africa Greater Life, New Kabale Busega, and the host Vision for Africa. While the children played their hearts out, the sportsmanship was astounding. Even those who lost, did so with dignity and a smile because they spent the last forty minutes reveling in what they consider bliss. Between the schools there was probably about twelve hundred children there (I have had my estimation approved). So imagine this sort of indescribable joy coming from that number of children and the many adults supervising them. As you can imagine, it was fairly overwhelming.

But in the midst of the sea of dancing and laughing children, I still found a face to carry home with me to join others in being my Uganda. His name is Hasan and I met him earlier this week at Blessed Hope. We had a very emotional goodbye because he opened up to me about his family and asked to be my brother. Because of his situation, I was worried I may never see this astounding ten-year-old again. But, I was given the gift of his presence today because of an incredible uncle that saw our goodbye and thought he should see me again. Hasan never really left my side today, and our goodbye was much happier this time, due to our jubilant surroundings. Uncle Benjamin, the man who saw our first goodbye, serves now to illustrate the thoughtfulness and unbelievable generosity of the Ugandan people. Who better deserves the bliss of a soccer pitch, and the consequent hope that thrives, than the innocent children of this country’s remarkable men and women? I really can think of no one.