Where In The World We’ve Been

Derek and I are still amateurs at this blogging thing – hence the erratic posting. When anything changes in our schedule, our blog tends to be the first thing to get the boot.

This time, our blogging absence is owing to my work schedule change (no more evenings/nights!), a trip to Bemidji, a few trips to Appleton (including doing a Dearths to Zambia open house, selling our Honda (sad day), visiting Derek’s grandma in the hospital, and celebrating Father’s Day), just enjoying summer, and now the World Cup.

I’ve actually been surprised at how into the World Cup I’ve been. Part of it is probably due to the location this time around – South Africa. Africa has sort of been consuming our thoughts lately, and so we have enjoyed “being there” vicariously through these games.

But besides that, I think I do have a particular fondness of the sport. My small Christian school that I attended from K-12 always had a soccer team, and when I was in junior high or high school Mt. Pleasant Baptist Academy won State in our division. For me, soccer games were my “football” games…hanging out with friends, cheering my team on, brisk fall evenings, fun memories made.

Another reason I like soccer is that it is Zambia’s main sport. I played every once in a while with the street kids when I was there. It is a pretty simple sport – really, just a ball is needed. And even that can be improvised as I learned.

Oh, one other reason I’ve been so addicted to watching the World Cup is because of its international flavor. That’s also why I like the Olympics. There’s just something special and unique about people from all over the world coming together for a common purpose…just a {very small} foretaste of what heaven will be like.

In case you haven’t been following the World Cup, USA got knocked out already. They lost to Ghana, which is the last African team standing. So, tune in this Friday for the Ghana vs. Uruguay game, and cheer for Africa! They are definitely the underdogs at this point, and no African team that I’m aware of has ever made it to the final four in the history of the World Cup.