Champions

To all of our Prayer Warriors,

Today, we were in the presence of champions. What a beautiful day! It was FoDU tournament day for the 4 partner schools of Fields of Dreams Uganda: New Kabaale Busega, Vision for Africa, Africa Greater Life, and Blessed Hope. When I say the word “champions”, I do not just think about one team in one sport. I am talking about every child and participant at the tournament today. The children, the Fields of Dreams Uganda staff, and our team displayed qualities of being a champion today and we were so blessed to be a part of this special day!

The event started with a parade in Wakiso to the field, which was about a mile-long or so. I have been to several parades before, but none could compare to this one. Each school marched, some with a banner of their school leading their teams of footballers and netballers to the field.  When I say marched, some actually marched, some walked, and some (including me) danced. The excitement these kids had to play this game that they love so much was breathtaking. I couldn’t help but feel the spirit of the whole community come to life as we passed through to the beat of a brass band. They played songs such as “This is the day that the Lord has made” and “When the saints go marching in”. It truly was a parade of champions. As someone said at dinner tonight, it was almost like they transformed from being orphaned or vulnerable children struggling to be able to afford to go to school into teams of athletes who were striving for one goal: to be the champions in their respective sports. And that is what is so great about a sport or a game, it can comfort you and either make you forget about the struggles of life for a few hours or it can even transform you into a new person with bigger dreams and a new sense of purpose for your life while here on this earth. That is what I noticed about these kids, especially some of the older ones. They understand that this sport can be an avenue for not only their future, but for the future of their younger friends and family at their respective schools. Through the example of these athletes, both on and off the field, the children and babies at these schools can realize that their dreams can also come true if they train hard and work hard at their studies. And that is what Fields of Dreams is all about. The amount of friendship, sportsmanship, and pure love and joy I saw today was magical. These teams were so proud to represent their schools and their country today and it was awe-inspiring to take it all in with them!

Sadly, tomorrow will be the last day for some of us on this trip. As usual, the week has flown by way to fast and most of us feel as if we have only just begun. But one thing stuck out to me today as we start to prepare to leave this beautiful place: we are ALL champions in the eyes of our Universal God! Each participant today received a medal that said “I am a CHAMPION” because each of them is a champion. Our God created each and every one of us in His image. He created us to be joyous, to love one another, and to believe in He who is so good! The children that we saw today displayed each of those qualities while on the football pitch and also while watching and cheering and dancing for their schools and their friends at other schools. My hope is that they continue to realize that they are champions each and every day in whatever they dream to be. It is my goal that I can live up to be half as good of a champion as these children and young men and women have proved to be.

Though I am sad to leave this place, I look forward to coming home to share with friends, family, and other supporters about the wonderful champions I carry with me in my heart. Thank you all for your support, prayers and love. It is my prayer that this story doesn’t end with the plane ride back to America. This story is being etched in my brain and my heart forever and I can’t wait for my friends and family back in America to get to know my new friends and family here in Uganda. Because we are one BIG family under one BIG God.

I will see y’all soon prayer warriors. But until then, be blessed!

Brian Fleming