Greens in Argentina - Part 8
Boots for Buenos Aires delivery day to Hogar San Pablo Orphanage and Nani Corleto's Botines Soliaros Foundation.
The day we have all been waiting for - they day when we make the deilvery of the boots so generously donated by the people of Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
We arrive at the Hogar San Pablo orphange at around 10.30am although no one on the bus really immediately noticed as the orphange is in a non-descript, four storey, street fronted building. Alexjandro ushers the touring group from the bus into the small foyer of the building and after exchanging pleasantries we are directed up three sets of dimly lit stairs and into a small room which contained a table some chairs, an old computer (lucky to be a '286' at best)and a television of equal vintage (which we found out later also served as the orphans ghetto blaster).
Several of the orphans of differing ages are there to meet us - tentative "Ola's" (Spanish for "'hello") are offered before one of the house mothers makes a brief introduction. The boots are brought into the room and the unopened bags placed on the table. These articles from strangers from a place that some of the orphans may never have even heard of arouse some interest.
The bags were opened any emptied which draws a closer inspection from the youngsters. One of our playing group picks up a pair of boots and motions one of the house-mates to try them on. Another pair is handed across to a different recipient which sparks a grab for the boots by the remainder of the gathering - it doesn't take long for these kids to catch on. With in a minute there are boots being tried on and walked in all around the room. Socks aren't considered a necessary fashion accessory although the pairs that had been donated as a part of the 'Boots for Buenos Aires' campaign and by our players on tour are proving popular.
News spreads quickly that there are gifts on offer on level three with residents from other floors arriving to join the spree. The initial reticence of our welcome is replaced by enthusiastic 'high fives' each time a pair of boots is donned. The ghetto blaster is warmed up and a brief break dancing demonstration is conducted by an orphan wearing his newly procured footy boots. Dein Perry might be worth a call - this guy is a prospective 'Tap Dog'.
There was no outside yard connected to this buiding - the next stop is a Buenos Aires council provided space that is set aside as a common use area for the many orphanages that are similarly land locked and dotted around the city.
Australian Group Travel has kindly provided the bus that transports the orphans across town to the recreational space where we will meet up with recently retired Argentine fullback Nani Corleto who operates the Botines Soliaros foundation for disadvantaged kids - many of whom hail from the "wrong side of the Buenos Aires tracks". Nani's foundation provides educational opportunities for young people through rugby - commit to school and an education and the foundation will provide the rugby and other life-skills opportunities.
A simple catch the ball and run through two lines of players bearing bump pads is arranged. The orphanage kids take a couple of goes to get the hang of it whilst the Botines Soliaros kids are old hands at the drill and delight in dropping their shoulders into the pads and MCRC players who are holding them. The Hogar San Pablo residents are quick to copy their more experienced comrades and the contact between ball carrier and pad holder becomes more enthusiastic and the laughter more boisterous all round.
More drills are organised and the pattern repeats itself. The Botines Soliaros kids under the watchful eye of Nani execute the exercises with relative precision, the children from Hogar San Pablo despite starting from well behind scratch in technical expertise take up each challenge presented by this weird shaped ball with great gusto.
A game of 15 a-side touch rugby between the MCRC tourists and Botines Soliaros under the adjudication of the Good Doctor is organised to finish day's physical program. Some of the kids from the orphange play an impromtu game of soccer whilst the rugby is in progress, whilst others stand and watch this strange game. One of the bigger Hogar San Pablo kids decides he would like to have a crack at this game where you pass the ball with the hands - unfortunately we have to temper his enthusiasm as the contest is being fought out at better than regualtion ferocity.
The Good Doctor blows fulltime - who won?
The kids from both the orphanage and the foundation we hope.
The final act is some after match food and soft drink with the kids in the presence of Argentine deity (Nani is a god here, although from his easy and layed back demeanour you can tell he doesn't subscribe to that view) and some presentations including boots to the Botines Soliaros foundation and our touring mascots (a stuffed Kangaroo and a stuffed Koala to both the foundation and the orphanage.
Speeches are made, thanks given, photo opportunities taken and we board the bus back to our four star hotel. The orphanage kids return to the humble four storey building they call home.
Were they better for the experience - we think so, were we better for the exprerience - definitely.
We may never know if we influenced their lives however we gave the kids an afternoon of fun that they perhaps would never have had. More than that, the people of Newcastle and the Lower Hunter who donated the boots helped provide equality. For a few short hours these kids were able to participate on an equal footing with people from a culture and lifestyle so different from their own.
The boots will eventually wear out however the generousity and time spent will never be forgotten by anyone involved.
Thank you to all who made it possible.
Correspondent D' Internationale