The Beatutiful Game

The world of futball was rocked yesterday when the boys (more like old men) of Team One took the pitch early in the morning for their first match as a team. Team One battled the young men of the Huerto Getsemany squad to a 4-4 draw led by Tom Childrey with two gringo goals. Team One had Huerto Getsemany reeling from the outset when on the opening possession of the match, they lined up in a single back formation, Wiley quick snapped the ball to Tom, who handed off to Steve who rambled down the field for a touchdown leaving the bewildered Hondurans in his wake. For some reason the opening touchdown did not get counted in the official score. Team One is still seeking an explanation. Rumor has it that the governing board of FIFA met in emergency session last night to discuss Team One's shocking debut.

It must be noted that Team One's performance was aided by three unusual circumstances:

1) They outnumbered the Getsemany boys 10 to 6 for much of the game as Brian, one of the workers from Getsemany, Jose, and Pastor G all played with the Team One squad. Getsemany rallied when Wiley "Benedict Arnold" Jones, without announcing his intentions, defected to the other side in the middle of the second half.

2) Pastor G dominated the pitch scoring two goals for Team One.

3) Team One seemed to have no sense for the actual rules of the game, scoring one of their goals when at least three players were offsides and two were screening the goalie illegaly. This offset the injustice of disallowing the opening touchdown.

But it was still the beautiful game in spite of Team One's inexperience, not because of the diving save by Dudley, nor because of the dirt eaten by Keith, Bryan, and Mike Satterfield, nor the game led by Egla being played by the children of the church at the opposite end of the pitch; but because of the laughter, brotherhood, and love displayed by the two opposing teams as both teams celebrated each goal together, and followed the game with several hours of joyous teamwork on the Sunday School building; a beautiful, moving dedication ceremony; the distribution of gifts to the children and church; and some long, tearful goodbyes.