14. SOCCER BALL GIVE-AWAY #3

We continued down the highway going east, passing a school yard on our left where children were all outside, classes either not yet having started for the day or it being recess. Bob said "Let's turn around and give them a ball" which was news to Cecile and our driver who hadn't yet witnessed a ball give-away.

School Yard

When we turned into the school yard and parked the car, the big boys came forward wondering what was happening. We all got out and Bob asked them if they liked playing soccer to which they all nodded, smiled or shouted YES!

Boys Pumping    Boys Playing

Bob pulled the pump out of the backpack and gave it to the tallest boy who looked at it with curiosity until the soccer ball emerged a second later, at which time he knew exactly what he had to do. That's our driver in the blue looking on.

It wasn't long before the ball was inflated and they were doing fancy footwork with it. In the panoramic photo at the top, showing the whole school yard, you can see the ball up in the air and them all running excitedly after it. Notice in the second photo the sorghum field on the right. That's one of Rwanda's most important crops, being the cereal from which they make porridge, and it's on their national coat of arms.

We pulled out of the driveway and back onto the road. By that time they were already organizing into a game. Later that evening, when returning home to Kigali after the day at Akagera National Park, the whole community was gathered in a field next to the school and there was a game of soccer going on, with spectators. Cecile saw the ball flying through the air. We honked the horn and waved, absolutely thrilled that they were enjoying the ball so much.

go next to 15. VISITING VILLAGE WOMAN or back to index at DESTINY DESTINATION RWANDA

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
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