Growth

The last week has been pretty busy (which is why I haven't posted another blog post this week), and I've continued to grow/learn something new every day! I've managed to  now drive without stalling, plus the U13As (who I've been coaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays) have finally gotten used to me being around and no longer goof around during practice. They are currently leading the Super League, (the highest division) with a 9-1-0 (Win-Loss-Tie) record, and when (hopefully) they win the league, they'll be the first team from Fish Hoek AFC to do so. Ubuntu Football Academy has partnered with the Fish Hoek Association Football Club (a club founded in 1930) so the Academy boys play on the Fish Hoek teams but are still attached to the Academy. The Fish Hoek teams train on Tuesday and Thursday, but our boys also train on Monday and Wednesday too, with games on Saturday. Hopefully that makes sense. On Saturdays, I help Coach Albert coach the Fish Hoek U15B team (and they've won both their games so far!).  

The Week in Review:
Anyways, last Sunday I went to Treswill's church, then I went and scouted the Cape District LFA game against South Peninsula and saw a few outstanding players...but their birth years weren't quite what we were looking for. It was a great experience meeting the coaches and explaining what Ubuntu was all about, and we still will probably invite the ones I picked for a trial next month. Then I went hiking, and went down to the VA Waterfront in Cape Town for a bit with two ORU students who live here. It's always cool to meet up with classmates again on the other side of the world! On Monday, we had a holiday here (Youth Day - in remembrance of youth who were killed in the 1976 Soweto Riots) so the boys didn't go to school nor did we have practice. On Tuesday, we coached at Fish Hoek AFC. On Wednesday, Casey's car's window got smashed so I went down to Fish Hoek to get it fixed and then helped him out with his practice. There's been a break-in nearly every night last week into the little shed where we store our gear, so we finally got a big gate to go on it, and whoever had been breaking in probably wasn't too pleased with that...so they broke into the car instead. So please keep praying for continued protection and safety for me and the long-term missionaries here! That evening, I cooked up a nice dinner of soy-lemon chicken with rice and broccoli for Treswill and Cindy. Yesterday, I coached the practice in Fish Hoek and, afterwards, I trained with the Fish Hoek third team.

Update on Life in a Township:
Ocean View is such an interesting township in Cape Town. It's got about 20,000-30,000+ residents in an area smaller than Oral Roberts University's campus, and yet, every night, there are literally hundreds and hundreds on children ranging from only a few years old to in their early teens just walking around in the streets. Cindy said that it's due to the lack of having parents that are around...most of them aren't home, or they aren't doing the right thing when they are at home. So please be praying for this community! However, it's awesome to see the change in the lives of the kids here that Ubuntu has had on them! And with the Academy helping develop them mentally (providing their education with Silvermine Academy), physically (through soccer), and spiritually (by  being Godly role models and showing them Christ's love), the boys, just like me, keep growing every day and I'm so glad I can help be a part of this work here.

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