In June I accompanied 7 students from the school where I teach to the small village of Jacmel-Peredo in southeastern Haiti. For five days, we help manufacture and carry — all by hand — 20 lb. clay and concrete blocks to aid in the construction of a new wing for a medical clinic. While we were there, we met many, many children (school had just ended). We played and talked with them when we had breaks in our work.
One afternoon, several of my students joined an impromptu soccer game with some of the Haitian boys. I noticed that the soccer ball they used was falling apart and didn’t hold air for a long time. So I mentioned this to the director of our program. He told me that he had been purchasing soccer balls with his own money and since the Haitian economy is so corrupt, he hadn’t been able to afford to purchase new balls for the kids for a long time.
As the week continued, I began to look more closely at the Haitian kids, all of them wearing clothes too small, tees that were mostly holes, shorts with no elastic left in the waistband, and shoes tied on feet with string because the sole had separated from the top of the shoe.
The night before we left Haiti, I asked the director: if I could send one thing to him from the USA, what would he want? He said a new soccer ball and an air pump for the kids.
Upon returning to the dojo, I talked to Master Alan about this and he hatched a plan — DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT FOR SOCCER EQUIPMENT. Here’s the need:
- new or gently used soccer balls (deflated — they’re easier to ship overseas)
- manual air pumps
- new or gently used kids’ shorts, tees and athletic shoes in all youth sizes
- new or gently used soccer jerseys in all youth sizes
If you have items to donate, bring them to SMMA in August. The Dodgeball Day is August 20 at 3:30
You can see the Facebook link here!
Thank you!!
~ Miss Sarah