In addition to supporting the clinic side of our outreach by
securing donations of money and medicine, we have also worked this year to
secure donations of goods like sunglasses, hats, shirts, soccer equipment,
etc. This is such a poor country that
any and all donations are appreciated but just like I blogged about last year, a
love for soccer is one of those things that brings us all together. Sporting KC – Kansas City’s MLS soccer team -
donated many soccer balls and other goods for us to distribute. Today was our first opportunity to do
so. When we arrived at the local school
in San Jose Paoquil, a couple hundred children greeted us. They
were curious and eager and followed our every move as we took a trunk-full of
goods to their principal. In her
heart-felt words of thanks, the principal explained that our visit and all of
the wonderful donations meant the world to her and the students. They gathered around in excitement and when
we walked out the door, half of them joined Dr. Magie and my husband David in
kicking around their brand-new soccer ball and the other half anointed Cortney
and me with cascarones (confetti-filled eggs that they break on your
head). Our translator explained that
this is the “month of love” and that they share their love and friendship by
showering those they care about with these brightly-colored expressions of
emotion. I felt like I had won the
lottery, covered in confetti, surrounded by a hundred beautiful children who
were so thankful for all that we had brought.
Moments like this make me wish we had a hundred more trunks to fill with
happiness.
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