Looking back on my time in Cape Town, mere days have passed, yet the impact feels both immediate and timeless. I did not have any specific expectations going in, other than the hope it would have a profound impact on my life. I can say now, with certainty, that I have gathered lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, the most notable of which can simply be described by the word “play”.
Most afternoons were spent at the VUSA sports camp in Langa, a township outside of Cape Town. In Langa, many don’t ever leave the township and are told the outside world is not a place for them. Attempting to have a positive impact on these kids in three weeks is a difficult task that I did not initially know how to approach. Amidst language barriers and cultural divides, I discovered my most powerful contribution wasn’t what I could teach or provide; it was the simple act of joining them wholeheartedly in play. Through play, I discovered, boundaries dissolve and genuine connection emerges. I came to this conclusion, not on my own, but through emulating what was most important to the kids themselves. I fully immersed myself in rugby, cricket, netball, soccer, or whatever they wanted to play on that day.
The talent evident in these kids is impressive, but the narrow scope of their world, which has been shaped by circumstance, stood out to me. In a way, we can extend the scope of their world by connecting with them. Their curiosity about our lives in America wasn’t just about geography; it was about imagining possibilities beyond the boundaries they’d known. Each question they asked revealed both wonder and an awareness of the world beyond boundaries they hadn’t yet crossed.
The kids laughed as I fell on my face for the 7th time in a flag rugby game and cheered after I finally figured out how to kick a rugby ball following 2 hours of continuous failure. We weren’t American volunteers and township kids. We were simply humans, playing together, proving that the outside world wasn’t as distant as they’d been told.
This experience revealed that play isn’t just about sports, it’s a way of being in the world. It’s a profound expression of human curiosity, engagement, and vitality. To truly play is to engage fully without seeking validation and to give yourself completely to the moment. These children taught me that life’s richest experiences come when we approach them with unbridled curiosity and joy.
If there’s one lesson I’ll carry forward, it’s to live with the same passionate enthusiasm these children brought to every moment. There’s a part of me that reflects on this experience thinking, “I just played games with them for a few hours a day, what’s the big deal?” But perhaps that’s precisely the point: there doesn’t need to be a grand narrative or problem to solve. The simplicity of genuine connection, of being fully present in a moment of play, is enough. I am forever grateful for this experience and all of the people I met along the way. They reminded me that sometimes the most profound lessons come disguised as the simplest moments.