Update inRichmond

Soccer Tournament

Hello everyone. Sunday we hosted the Hope in Richmond soccer tournament. Leah and I held a soccer tournament to introduce our new GRS coaches to the community of Richmond. We had 60 local Richmond youth between the ages of 10-16 compete in a 6 team soccer tournament.

The weather forecast in Richmond called for hail but we were lucky and only had to deal with a strong cold wind. The day started with strapping our goals to the top of Saddam’s bakkie. After an hour of set up, the kids started flooding into the soccer stadium. Each team had 10 players and were coached by one of our new GRS coaches. The teams were guaranteed 4 soccer games and participated in two GRS activities: Find the Ball and HIV Attacks.

I was in charge of the soccer games and had the pleasure of seeing all the young local talent in Richmond. I will say some of the kids had mad moves. Very typical of the African style of play, sweet foot skill but can’t seem to connect a pass. Our tournament champions, the Jakkals, were coached by Ola and finished the tournament undefeated. Team pictured bellow.

Championship Team coached by Ola

We had the opportunity to have one of our funders, Jonathan, from Hope in Richmond join us for the event. Jonathon loved the idea of the tournament and hopes to incorporate HIV testing in the future. I have only 7 weeks left in Richmond and the idea is to fit in one more tournament which will include soccer, GRS HIV prevention education activities, and on-sight HIV testing. I have my hands full but I am up for the challenge. Better get back to work. My time here in South Africa is almost over and I only have a few hours before the electricity is shut off. Wish me the best

Oudtshoorn

Before the Richmond TOT began I took a short trip to the small town of Oudtshoorn, South Africa where I attended the annual KKNK, Afrikaaners weehak long concert. The beautiful quaint little town is best known for their amazing ostrich meat, ostrich biltong and is indisputable the ostrich capital of the world. Driving into town I saw farms and farms of ostrich roaming the hills of Qudtshoorn.

My friends in Port Elizabeth have been telling me about the KKNK and Oudtshoorn since September. I was there in Oudtshoorn to finally ride an ostrich. Saturday morning we drove to a nearby ostrich farm. After eating one of the delicious ostriches Ben and I built up the courage and decided to ride.

We were directed to a small pen. The workers corned the ostrich and violently grabbed the ostrich’s neck and flung a bag over his head. All I could think about was what the ostrich might do once the bag came off his head. Ben went first. The workers had us mount the ostrich on his back. We lifted up the wings, sat on the ostrich’s back, locked our legs around his chest, and leaned back while holding on for dear life by the his wings. I will say ridding an ostrich is not easy and definitely scary. At any moment the ostrich could turn his head 180 degrees and bite me right in the face. Luckily, my ostrich was very tame and sweet even though I was pretty much ripping out his wings. Still I could tell the ostrich was not comfortable with me riding. He tried to throw me off by running in circles, quickly changing directions and pace. Overall not the experience I thought it would be. In the advertisements they show jockeys riding the ostriches simulating a horse race. In the end, however, I can say I have ridden an ostrich.