Yesterday the kids gave their team presentations. The Moltibombas (literal translation for "dropping the bomb") presented a sketch (skit) about four friends who experience heartbreak and hardship when one of them tests positive for HIV/AIDS. While two of the friends were supportive, one friend stigmatized the boy with HIV/AIDS and told him they could not be friends anymore. Six months later, all the friends went back and got tested again. The boy that had tested positive had an undetectable viral count, as he had been taking ARVs and living a healthy lifestyle. Meanwhile, the friend who stigmatized him ended up testing positive for HIV. In the end, the group of friends recognized that they all had to be there for each other, and the skit ended in a group hug. Natia, Hopwell, Natasha, and Francisco received two thumbs up from the judges for their rockstar performance. Later at night, Team Up attended BRAZIL vs. IVORY COAST! We arrived at Soccer City stadium four hours early to beat the crowds. This gave us barely enough time for every kid, athlete, and faculty sponsor to paint their faces in their teams' colors, and take bountiful pictures. We were surrounded by Grassroot SKILLZ coaches, who resembled a pep band with their vuvuzuelas! The stadium was full of life and energy; behind me, Natia screamed "Brazil, BRAZIL!" five times a minute, regardless of who had the ball. The stadium was filled with over 85,000 fans; painting a picture of waving flags, crazy soccer hats, and providing a constant vuvuzuela humming. What an amazing game, once in a life time experience, and an awesome FINALE FOR TEAM UP 2010!! As I am posting this, the kids from DC and Soweto are sitting around the Athlete House enjoying a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes before we say our last goodbyes and head to the airport.
Until next time,
Tricky Vicky
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