a story about a soccer ball

When you ask the kids what their favorite sport is they say football, this is what they call soccer in Uganda. I've never really played soccer, sure I've kicked the ball around with kids, but I've never played a real game. On my first trip to Africa our team took soccer balls over. We've done it on every trip. The first trip I remember watching my friends in the field play, I remember on my second trip just kicking it back and forth with some kids and my third trip I kind of played, but more or less taught some kids volley ball hits, granted I've never really played that either, but it seems easier than soccer. This last trip I bought a painting from the market that was done in charcoal. It's a drawing of a soccer field, during a game. It's my favorite things I've gotten from overseas. It hangs on my wall and all around it are pictures from my life. 

I've never wanted to be a soccer mom, ever.  It's not been a dream of mine to take the kids to soccer practice every Monday night or to open the doors to the minivan and have a soccer ball roll out. And here I am- every single time I open the door to the van a soccer ball rolls out and I have to chase it down. The only difference is a kid always gets out after me to kick it for a bit before it has to go back in the van, unless we are at a gas station. There is a soccer ball in each van and I smile every time it rolls it way up to the front seat or every time I see it being tossed in the air in backseat. 

I've decided that I am not a soccer mom, but I'm a soccer auntie. When I see a soccer ball it reminds me of the children I've met over the years. I've tried to count how many kids I've met overseas before but it's way to hard to remember every little hand I've held and every little babe I've kicked the soccer ball with, but I do know that each of them make a difference in my life. Collectively they remind me of who I am, of what I am doing and just how much a soccer ball will continue to be in my life. I can only imagine what a soccer ball will mean to me when tour is over.