About to depart wonderful Tanzania after an amazing couple of weeks producing the first American football game ever on the continent of Africa. While the NFL argues about how to divide billions of dollars, we did something historic and so meaningful Drake University brought 107 people including 65 players, while the CONADEIP Mexico universities brought 63 in total including 46 players. 7 officials handled the game; 4 of them from State College who have worked our Camps! I took 6 staff along and 11 parents joined, for 195 total from US and Mexico. Their lives were changed forever by what they did: trained 2 days, ran football clinics for 1000 children who had never seen the sport, enjoyed a safari in Tarangire Natl Park, competed mightily in front of over 11,000 fans and live TV across half the world with Drake winning 17-7, for 3 days worked in a dozen orphanages and schools building, painting, planting, cleaning, constructing and sharing; then for 6 days and nights climbed to Africas Rooftop, Mt Kilimanjaro, with 90% reaching the summit at 19,325 feet! On the mountain we employed over 400 local porters, cooks and guides, who so happily went about their daily chores with unbelievable service throughout.
I have been blessed to organize football events in 18 countries since 1996, but #19-Tanzania-was far and away the most challenging and rewarding. We touched the lives of so many less fortunate than us, who are so happy to live in such a special land. And it all ran flawlessly, in a land I describe as 'happy chaos', where it seems nothing runs on time, power blackouts occur frequently, 70% of rural villages have no access to running water, and city streets are about the same as safari roads. But the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl operated efficiently I am proud to say, a testimony to the amazing teamwork among hundreds of people in Mexico, US and Tanzania. God's hand was guiding us most certainly.
Now I am eager to return to Penn State, to the state where I grew up, where with your help we will provide a passionate Nittany Lion football experience for some of your most loyal fans. I am fired up to get Fantasy Camp going! See you soon.
-Tupande Kileleni! (Let's climb to the summit together) Patrick
Patrick Steenberge
Global Football
8172197274
"Living the Dream"
