Robert@PNG

Recently a group of young men from the neighbourhood got together to form a new Rugby Union Club. These lads all live in our street or not too far away. In my opinion an excellent idea! So many of the young men in our towns roam aimlessly all day looking for some luck - in most cases just enough coins to buy their next meal and put something in their tummies.

Our street Rugby team is known as “Bungy Rookies” and the boys have been busy training everyday for the past couple of months. They have already organised a couple of coffee nights (fund-raisers) and will do odd jobs for any neighbour happy to chip in a few coins in exchange for their effort.

(Bungy Rookies just after one of their daily training sessions)

Not so long ago I was asked by their captain if I wanted to be the team manager. As honoured as I felt being asked to manage the club and after weighing it all up, I made a decision to decline the offer. I met with the team one afternoon and told them that I would not be their manager but that I would still assist them with various tasks as the need arose.

So the 1st thing I did for them was design a logo…

Bungi Rookies Rugby Union Club (Logo)

Also, on the occasion of both fund-raising evenings I either helped out with a speech or two, a little MC’ing and during the last I (believe it or not) played some didjeridoo. A couple of opportunities also arose during the course of the evening to share some of of poetry (Rantings). By the way - both evenings were a success, apart from gaining trust and confidence from the neighbours they also managed to raise over K500 on each night.

Onya Rookies!!!

And…

…the last couple of weeks on a Wednesday afternoon I have been doing some “mind” exercises with the team. The idea for some of the older males in the community to meet with the team once a week for a pow-wow started at one of the coffee nights. We’ve been meeting now for two weeks.

Yesterday - I had the boys for an hour or so and we went through a meditation technique that I picked up along the way and have also been practising regularly for the past few years. We sat there on that rugby field - 20 lads (all young except for one!) and with eyes closed each one of us breathed and observed. By the end of the session I had somehow convinced them that having a quiet mind could possibly go a long way towards winning a game of rugby!!

One of the things that I am learning to do in Papua New Guinea is to give something back to the community. The opportunity to work with these boys - even if it is only for an hour a week - is incredibly rewarding. Last night as we left the field and were walking home - I could feel a spark inside and the weight of all the worries and frustrations that have been swarming me of late - just dissipate into thin air.

GO THE ROOKIES !!!