Kelley, Colleen, and I took a long walk after school through town. We saw the parish, but Kelley's friends the priests are both away. We saw a beautiful, little church where I am hoping to go Mass next week. We walked into town, and searched the market for yarn for Colleen's school project. She finally found rope, as yarn was not there. We then hurried back for the big Football match between the students and the faculty. There was no reason to hurry as the big match scheduled for 4:00 pm did not start until after 5:30 T.I.A. (This Is Africa). The match was being taken a little more seriously then I thought as the faculty start handing out uniforms. There were several jokes that I would be the keeper, but I kept saying probably not. Since wash day had not happened, I showed up for the game in a Nerinx polo, shorts with a belt, and my D Wade converse basketball shoes.
We walked through town, this time joined by several students that Kelley had taught last year, by the time we got to the pitch, we were being followed by about 30 people. And I got the unfortunate news that I was the starting keeper. This year, I made a couple of saves, got the ball a couple of times, and once fell over on a somewhat routine ball back to me...(the D Wades let me done---or I probably should have had spikes)....There was soon going to be a breakaway, but Colleen's teacher Geoffrey tackled the student from behind. PENALTY SHOT! I was ready as the young kids behind me, started to laugh at my focus for the shot...Oh I forgot by this time the game had grown to about 1100 of different people with many small children.
The shot was off. I quickly tried to be the hero, by flinging my left arm at the incoming ball, but only got 1/2 a forearm on the ball. I made contact, but not enough to stop the ball. The half ended with a few more chances, but at half time the score was 1-1. I felt vindicated from my last pathetic performance as a keeper 3 years ago. And I got the good news, there would be a substitute for me in the second half.
During one of the big chances, I was getting ready for the save as the yellow clad students made an attack on my goal. As I steadied myself and checked my position in the goal, I noticed a chicken was strutting around by the left goal post. So I thought sure the chicken would mess me up, I quickly chased the chicken out of my goal, as the attack came towards me.
Many of the children laughed at the large white man chasing a chicken as the game progressed. We left the game 2 minutes early as we had to get back for dinner, but we travelled down a path, with 2 little girls, clad in torn blue jumpers, laughing and hugging 12 feet ahead of us.
Another student told us, she thought the white teachers had come from Heaven to help this town. I wish I had pictures as we walked with a group of 400 back to town, all of them a little curious about the 3 white teachers.
At 9:30....I am rushing as almost no time left on battery.....
We were going to watch the World Cup inside as they broadcast it outside with a projector.... The screen was not there, so we moved the 27 inch TV outside, the teachers sat on chairs (maybe 20) as 300 students crowded into every space inside and around us. Okay, I am typing this late at night, after Kelley and I got back from seeing Father Leonsyo. I am underneath my mosquito net with a flashlight in my mouth. But I needed to add that at half time, the teachers start flipping channel for so many this month is the first they have seen of satellite tv. At half-time of the World Cup, we watched in order: the closing credits of Monsters, Inc., 3 and a half minutes of Wuthering Heights (some British version ???), then Pit Bulls and Parolees for a good 8 minutes....Just kind of funny as everyone was enthralled with something they had not seen before.
Not a bad full day in the little town of Anaka.
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