Playing Ball


I don't get football. And I hope you forgive me. I love "U" (pronounced ooooh) though. I call it Vietnamese football. It is simultaneously relaxing and heart-pounding. If you wear glasses, you should take it off.

There are two teams. The purpose is to put the opposing side under hostage. Your breath is your ball. Person 1 from Team A runs across the dividing line, saying "Ooooooh." If Team B grabs Person 1 and Person 1 runs out of breath, s/he becomes a hostage. If Person 1 touches anyone from Team B and makes it back to his/her territory, the person touched becomes captive. It's a violent game.

I taught it to the kids on the iJesus retreat. I couldn't resist. They were playing baseball with a tennis ball and we had 5 cars within 20 yards of their game. Johnny wasn't too happy when I asked them to stop. Royal looked as if the world had stopped. The others wondered what they would do with their remaining free time. It was time for "U"!

I don't think the kids remembered my confiscation of their tennis ball.
They were playing baseball with ice and asking if I would make the retreat longer.
They gave me a baseball.

They had signed their names.
Royal said, "Sơ Vân, we want you have this ball so you can remember us."
He had no more words.

He didn't need any more words.
The baseball is next to my family photo.

ps. Group photo of our iJesus retreat

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