PeacePlayers South Africa Storybook FINAL - Flipbook - Page 124
During their first time in Molweni (township), private school boys from Highbury
Primary School found common ground with a group of boys they had never met
before. A magical scene unfolded before a PeaceLeague game.
A team of boys from Highbury Prep of Hillcrest visited Lamula Primary School in
Molweni. During warmups, boys from Highbury Prep saw four Lamula boys playing
without shoes and asked their coach “why are they playing bare-footed?” Their coach
told them it was because they could not afford shoes. The entire Highbury team
instinctively took their shoes off and threw them to the sidelines playing the rest of
the game barefooted. None of them complained about being uncomfortable. Instead,
they focused on how much fun they were having; just like the opposing team. In that
moment, a group of 10-year old boys showed everyone what genuine compassion,
solidarity and creating a space for common ground looks like.
Herein lies a lesson for us all, no matter the age. We could ask ourselves - when was
the last time we showed compassion for another person? No matter how close we are
to them or if they are a complete stranger. The ability to empathize and understand
from another vantage point is a natural human emotion that the young men showed
us on this day.
Playing barefoot in the township isn’t a surprise to most PeacePlayers township
participants. They lose themselves in the joy of the game regardless of external
factors, including the piping hot court. It was a beautiful scene to see young boys from
Hillcrest instinctively make the effort, in the moment, to view life from their peers'
perspective. These young boys taught adults an important lesson - to make room to
empathize, understand, and see life from another perspective. The vantage point in
which we see life isn’t the only view that counts. Their parents surely understood
the impact of this moment. Highbury parents now frequently visit PeacePlayers’
programme schools for games in Umlazi, freely and comfortably - something that
wasn’t happening 5 years ago.
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PEACEPLAYERS SOUTH AFRICA STORYBOOK
