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<\/p>\nHeavy tropical downpours over night washing down the streets of Douala, so we wake up to sauna like conditions with so much moisture in the air.
\nWe visit a new school this morning, the Roman Catholic Marie\u00a0 Chevraul. Two of the teachers had been to last Sunday’s training with us: Charles and Pom. We are introduced to a gentle bespeckled elderly \u201cMother Superior\u201d who they all call \u201cmother\u201d.The most welcoming Principal we have met so far.
\nIt\u2019s going to be a fast paced day as we only have an hour or so here,so decide to play a game of \u201cquick cricket\u201d to introduce the eager students to the game and explain we will be back \u201capres- midi \u201c for a longer session.<\/p>\n
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Back to New Bell for a two hour coaching carousel with another large \u201c120-150\u201d children ( remember there are 5000 students at this school).<\/p>\n
As they rotate around the different skill stations ; batting, bowling, and throwing,\u00a0 you can hear the chanting of \u201cabstinence \u201c, \u201cfidelity \u201c and \u201ccondom\u201d after each end of station \u201cTest\u201d. The messages are becoming familiar to all. A dance has been created similar to the \u201cYMCA\u201d song of the 70s as the make the the shapes of \u201cA-F-C-T\u201d. It\u2019s all loads of fun for them and us, a stark contrast to the disciplinarian approach of local teachers which is uncomfortable to watch and we try and discourage as diplomatically as possible.<\/p>\n
You wouldn\u2019t know it had rained so heavily last night as the midday heat has burned it all off.<\/p>\n
A dash back to Marie Chevraul Ecole, grabbing some food and drink from a roadside \u201cboulangerie\u201d. 4 litres drunk already today and still no need to go \u201cau toilette\u201d!!<\/p>\n
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We start again with a new group of willing students who have never played cricket before. The smiles, laughs and enthusiasm are never ending \u2013 they just keep coming and coming with every new session. We try some new games and new tests to see if we can improve and work out better ways to relate our training and cricket tests to messages about \u201cHIV\u201d . Though Roman Catholic , the Mother Superior was happy for us to explain about condom use, even to the younger children.<\/p>\n
We have passed the 1000 mark for the number of children who’ve taken part in one of our sessions and that is an underestimate as very often once we get going numerous others join in as they walk by. Thinking on your feet and adapting as you go along, is essential.<\/p>\n
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So hot , tired , sweaty (as usual), and slightly more tanned, we finish with various mass games. We\u00a0 get an invite from \u201cmother\u201d to her office where she gives us all a \u201cshot\u201d of her homemade \u201c moonshine limoncello \u201c. Very surreal. She even offers to sell us a bottle!<\/p>\n
Probably not a good idea , when tired and slightly dehydrated. Could be time for sleep now!<\/p>\n
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Heavy tropical downpours over night washing down the streets of Douala, so we wake up…<\/p>\n