As I explained in the Kisumu report, rain was very high on
the sky’s ‘Things to do’ list and it had taken it’s toll on the pitch we played
on in Kendu Bay. This was part of our trip to visit The Mango Tree. It’s a
project that looks after over 3500 orphans in the region. The project could
triple in size and still not be enough to look after the orphans in that
province. Their parents are dying of HIV/AIDS weekly. Daily. The scope of The
Mango Tree is admirable. Run in Kenya, by Consolata Kunyada ( An amazing lady) ,
they are trying to regenerate the whole area. Educating people on agriculture,
using crafts to increase revenues and HIV awareness, testing, and counselling.
We met volunteers and nurses, some of whom have HIV themselves, but are
determined that their area, their province, their children don’t suffer the
same fate.
Still, amongst all this, there shines a light. One that welcomed us warmly to Kendu Bay. The Mango Tree had arranged a day of football for us. We were to play two games that day. And they were tough. Big, physical lads booting the ball around on a dreadful pitch. As the pictures illustrate, this pitch had it all. It was muddy, hard, soft, it had a small lake in the corner on the right hand side. People were stacking it left, right, and centre. The tackles were fierce (Fair play to Charlotte she made one of them), the running hard, and the goalies of indeterminate ability. We lost the first game 2-1. Our goal came courtesy of a slightly naughty shove on the keeper by yours truly, with the resultant spill affording Andy an open goal. We’d worked hard and I nearly nodded a late equaliser but ultimately we faced our second defeat of the trip.
The second match was equally brutal and, being played all of 40 minutes after the first, was a gruelling affair. I’d found myself at right back and had a pretty good second half. I was enjoying the physical stuff and came off the pitch pretty pleased with my performance (ahh, the luxury of writing your own reviews) Ed too had been throwing himself into challenges into what had become a midfield of 1, and a war of attrition. 0-0 the final score at Kendu Bay, and I took some solace, as a defender, in finally keeping a clean sheet.
It was a remarkable day. It is a remarkable charity as Andy has written. We can’t thank them enough for their hospitality and we will always remember and support them.
JJ FootballAfrica x
Game1
Line-up: Kennedy 7 Johnson 7 Barnard 8 SUNSTARMAN Howie 8
Game2 Line-up: Johnson 7 SUNSTARMAN Barnard 7 Howie 6
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