World Cup for the Homeless

My brother Bob loves football. Because of him, I was able to watch a World Cup match in a sports bar last July. It was a memorable experience with rabid Japanese fans cheering on the only Asian team left at that time. When the World Cup ended and Bob left, so did my affair with football.

But recently, an article caught my eye about this World Cup for the Homeless. According to the rules, the players must be homeless, marginally homeless, or a recovering addict in treatment. I heard about our contingent of “homeless” kids, a few months while reading an article about their win in an international competition. What struck me at that time was the fact that these kids don’t really know how to converse in English but they were able to make lots of friends because of their friendly smiles. And I am thankful to the individuals who supported this worthy cause for a unique team.

The 8 "homeless" boys came home last month after having a respectable showing in the one of kind World Cup. Technically, they were not homeless but they reportedly lived on the streets most of the time. and when most athletes do their weight training in the gym, they carried sand and cement instead. Because during their training, they worked as construction workers so that they still can send money home.  

Though, the cup they were playing for is not as prestigious as the original World Cup..... Though there was no big parade to welcome them when they came home last month. Somehow, I knew their lives were transformed after this experience. Though, a lot of well-meaning people helped and sponsored them throughout their training. What's critical now, is what they will do after without aid from other people. Will this chapter inspire them to achieve more and inspire others? Or is the call of the previous life tug stronger?

Like football, this game of life is relentless struggle to make that precious goal but challenges will deter us from achieving that. Sometimes at the end, it will just be a draw. Sometimes, the whole world is watching but oftentimes it's just a handful few. It all depends what we make of it.

These kids proved that we have the power to rise above our circumstances. May it be in football or in life.