An Example of Compassion

There's a news story going around that really touched my heart.


Obama isn't in it.
Neither is Health Reform or the Job Market.
It's not about money at all.

It's about
Compassion.
--and Young Women.

The US Women's under-17 Soccer Team
went to Costa Rica to play in a tournament--
a championship tournament,
and their first game was against
Haiti.
Hait's team is made up of homeless young women.
Newly-orphaned young women--
due to the earthquake that has ravaged
their tiny island
and killed over 200,000 people.
Their people.

The Americans were surprised that the Haitian team
was even coming,
so they decided to do something to help these young women
before they left the US.
They organized fundraisers and hygeine-kit drives
so they could present each Haitian player with a backpack
full of necessities.

It was an emotional game--
the Americans arrived to Costa Rica
well-rested and prepared;
while the Haitian team arrived
as weary survivors.

The game was won by the Americans.
But it wasn't a sweet victory of 9-0...
this is what happened, according to Bree, the goalie:

"It definitely wasn't a good feeling," Bree recounted as the final whistle sounded. "Nobody was thinking about the game."

And now no one who saw it end will ever forget it.

"When the [final] whistle blew," Bree recalled, "I walked to midfield with my teammates to shake hands with the Haitian team, and as I did I looked downfield and saw their goalie was laying on the ground, crying."

The emotion of everything toppled Alexandra Coby. (the Haitian goalie)

Coby's coach was the first to reach her side. Bree was the second. Bree's teammates were in tow.

"We started walking to her. Her coach helped her up," Bree said, "and I opened my arms and hugged her.

"She was crying and I started crying," Bree said. "And all my teammates began crying.

"Nobody spoke any French," Bree said of Haiti's native language. "We communicated with a nod and a smile."

Bree said it didn't last more than a minute and a half. But there is no doubt they all will carry the moment for the rest of their lives."


The rest of the story is that the US girls spent a few more hours with the Haitian girls during the tournament (which the US won) and gave them the backpacks of compassion.

We live in a world of much turmoil, but stories like these lift my heart in hope.

We can make a difference. 

We do make a difference when we extend ourselves to others.

And that effort is never wasted.