One week later- from Steph

Since camp has ended it's been rather quiet around the office, but Boston and I have managed to keep ourselves fairly busy. A lot of our time has been spent sorting and taking inventory on hundreds of shoes, cleats, clothes, and shinguards. Yesterday was no exception; the object of our attention was the mountain of half-inflated balls that has been growing in the back corner of the Futbol Sin Fronteras Bodega.

We set up shop with the rather loud electronic inflator and even louder music, but to be honest I didn't delve into our task with an exceptional amount of enthusiasm. So not surprisingly, it wasn't until the second hour of our labor that a smile crept onto my face as I watched a flattened mass of synthetic material transform into a fully functioning soccer ball and felt it take shape and come to life in my hands. And with this I realized that each of these balls has had a past life. Perhaps, it was on a turf field rolled out among the luxurious apartments of New York City's Upper East Side, or maybe it was in a backyard of soft fescue grass set between fields of corn and soybeans. But no matter from where each ball departed, it left the hands of one soccer enthusiast and will eventually find its way to the hands of another.

I have seen it happen five times during the past week, and each time the same thing has happened. Behind the new receiver's outstretched arms beams a beautiful smile. For this ball is received not as a haphazardly given gift, but as a well-earned and much anticipated reward for consistent attendance and hard work at practices, even on days when there was no food to eat before running around on a dirt field under the scorching sun. And these practices have been more than just a time to play; they have imparted invaluable lessons of teamwork and sportsmanship, self-confidence and respect.

So even though these balls will probably never touch another blade of grass, they will touch the hearts of many Nicaraguan girls. Knowing this makes every minute spent inflating balls, sorting shoes, and counting cones more than worth it. Many thanks go out to all of you who have made this work possible with your donations.