Saved by Soccer: My Unexpected Exit from Liberia

For about a year, I had been traveling regularly to Liberia, West Africa, to help with rebuilding efforts for a large company after the Liberian Civil War. Along the way, my kids and their friends in Franklin, TN collected soccer gear for me to carry over, which I handed out to local children — even joining them for games.

On one trip, as I sat in the heat at the airport, I was suddenly pulled aside from the crowded concrete waiting area by security and escorted into a back room. Three Liberian guards searched through my suitcase and backpack, demanding items if I wanted to leave the country.

One guard leaned in so close I could feel his breath. Then he asked quietly, “I think I saw you. Were you at the soccer stadium on Saturday?”

I nodded and explained that my daughters had been sending soccer gear to Liberia and that I had been invited to kick off the first soccer match in the local stadium since the civil war.

At that, the guard stepped back, turned to the others, and said, “He is the one who has been handing out all the soccer gear. He is OK.” They closed my suitcase, shook my hand, and sent me on my way to my flight.

That day, I learned firsthand that soccer isn’t just a game — it’s a unifier, a bridge across cultures and divides. The goodwill created on a dusty field carried into that tense back room, reminding me how small acts of kindness can ripple in ways we never expect. I’ll always be grateful to my kids and their friends for collecting that gear — they didn’t just give joy to other children, they may have helped get their dad safely home.

FYI - I made numerous trips over a three-year period and provided over 3,000 lbs. of gear with a lot of help. Special thanks to Peenak, Patrick, and Jean Francois for all the hard work on the business and for embracing the soccer donation effort.