This trip has been an experience of a lifetime that truly could only have happened once. The combination of being in South Africa, a place uniquely linked to DC through their shared battle against the HIV pandemic, during the World Cup with kids who are inspired to make a change in their community is simply something that could not be replicated. The energy of the whole country was amazing, and the national pride we saw every day carried over to our kids showing pride in their own communities, whether they be from Soweto or DC. That pride meant that every one of these kids worked to take advantage of the opportunities this trip gave to them to make a positive impact in their community. Whether it was learning the South African culture through Nelson Mandela’s house or the Hector Pieterson museum or learning the amazing coach’s story of Edwin Cameron, every participant of the trip came away from it with a range of knowledge and experience to change their own lives and the lives of those around them. Matching the energy of the kids was a daily challenge as a coach, though to be truthful I sometimes felt more like a learner than a teacher. I had the privilege to help facilitate the kids’ activities but I was given back the blessing of seeing these kids learn, mature, and accept the responsibility of what that meant. They are blessed with knowledge and maturity, and I saw them actively try and teach others and act as leaders, such as sharing what they know to people we met or playing with the young orphans at an AIDS orphanage. After just witnessing the group resolve to bring what they learned back to their communities and formulate a plan on how to do it, I am very proud to say that these future leaders called me a leader on this trip, and this trip was only a preview of the great things they can grow up to do.
-Matty Boy
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