CHAFF has been responsible for many friendships across all ethnic and other physical and emotional barriers.
About five months ago, a news item in a small local newspaper brought two outstanding human beings into the lives of us at CHAFF. They are people who are devoting their lives to the love and care of the youth.
Some of you will remember the picture I picked up from the newspaper:
Tamilian from Villipuram, Subramaniam
We were greatly saddened when the first of them, Subramaniam, returned to India at the end of January of this year. Yesterday, we were all greatly saddened as the second of the duo came to the CHAFF meeting to say her goodbye.
With her was Kaija Välimää. who has been responsible for these amazing youngsters to have come to Oulu in the first place. We have learnt much from these two youngsters who have brought much joy to us older folk in CHAFF.
Not only did they treat us with respect, but we, in turn, learnt to truly respect young people with such enormously important moral values.
As has been said by the late Maria Montessori, a great educationalist "The child is the father of man." In the hands of such wonderful youngsters, not vile and evil men as Bush and Blair, lies the future of our grandchildren.
with Ruben and Kevin practicing Takraw
in the background.
Yesterday was the first outdoor CHAFF meeting.
We welcomed three students - Anup from Nepal, Kevin from China and Ruben from Kenya. We were also witness to an amazing performance from Soda who displayed his Takraw (Kick Volleyball) skills.
David turned to me and said he now understood why I had such a great opinion of this youngster who played with the Takraw ball as if he was using the ball as if it was at the end of a yo-yo.
When I had seen Soda on the football field, I had known nothing of his Takraw skills. I saw a young boy who could amazingly toy with a football. The ball did exactly what he wanted it to do.
That is the first essential of a natural football player. After this comes physical fitness, team skills, speed with and without the ball and solid physical strength. This is the combination which produces the greats as Maradonna and present day greats as Ronaldino, Zinédine Zidane, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
In the past 6 months, Soda is very slowly picking up the other skills, despite the pressures of a youngster growing up in a very troublesome environment which puts much pressure on the youth of today.
With dedication, Soda can become an all-time great football player. But, that lies in entirely his hands as he turns his Takraw skills into being a team-playing footballer.
When a football scout appears to choose his players, he looks for a combination of all the essentials - not just one skill.
Many people ask me who I think has been the greatest football player of all-time. Many say that it is the Brazilian Pele.
When I witnessed the 1966 World Cup in England, there was only ONE great - Eusebio who played for Portugal, but was from Mozambique. Eusebio was the top scorer at the 1966 World Cup (9 goals) held in England. His lightning fast acceleration and wonderful ball control skills earned him acclaim. His trademark was a spectacular shot, which allied to his powerful running and dribbling skills, made him one of the most dangerous strikers of all time.
Eusebio
Born: 25 January 1942, Lourenco-Marques (now Maputo), Mozambique
International Caps: 64
International Goals: 46
Teams: Benfica (Portugal), Boston Minutemen (USA), Toronto Metros-Crotia (Canada), Las Vegas Quicksilver (USA)
Team Honours: European Cup 1962
Portuguese Cup: 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1972
Individual Honours: European Footballer of the Year 1966
World Cup Top Scorer 1966: - 9 goals
Pele was a master of ball control and also had an amazing turn of speed, but the minute he came on the field, he had two people marking him with the deliberate intention to put him out of the game, physically. Even with all his skills, almost in every major match, he was sidelined within a few minutes.
They tried the same with Eusebio - but this 24-year old was truly amazing as he left his attackers wondering where he and the ball had gone. Besides his ball control, and his amazing teamwork, as Eusebio was a complete team player, he was able to leave his two markers not know which direction they should be running. It was truly hilarious as I watch in several instances, the markers looking dumb-founded at each other, while Eusebio was setting up his team for another goal, absolutely selflessly.
He led the goal scorers of the 1966 World Cup with 9 goals. he was voted European Footballer of 1966. In my humble opinion, he was undoubtedly the Greatest Footballer of the 1966 World Cup.
Scoring 38 goals in 46 games for Portugal, he had to end his first class career in 1974, when aged just 32. He injured his knee so badly he was advised never to play again. In Eusebio's spectacular short career he played 715 games and scored 727 goals. Only Ronaldino comes close to the football poweress of Esuebio.
Soda has a long way to go to reach this level of football - AND it lies entirely in his own hands! Like Esuebio, Soda has to live and breathe football with every single breath.
Soda taught our three new student CHAFF participants the principles of Takraw. In just 30 minutes, all three of them were controlling that ball with expertise that they may be able to form their own Takraw team.
Hopefully, this great spring weather will turn into a summer paradise. We could enjoy many more such active outdoor CHAFF meetings with the great food served up by the Pailin Restaurant.
Next week (Sunday 7th may, 13:00 hours, Pailin Restaurant, Kenttätie 9, Kasarmi) we are expecting a very special guest. Details in a later posting.
As a final word, I include a picture of three of our young and beautiful CHAFF particpants, taken on Saturday, - Kerstin (Germany), Ildikó (Hungary) and Anais (France).
It is this vibrant youthful spirit from Soda to Kaija and Pentti that has made CHAFF such an enormous success.
Au revoir, Anais.
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