Destination: South Africa

(Photo by David Michael Lamb, CBC)

Playing with gun-toting kids in Soweto Soweto, South Africa.

Last week, I went down to Soweto with the crew from CBC World Report - Peter Armstrong and producers Sean Brocklehurst and David Michael Lamb.

Our first stop was the expo centre, where I was hoping to reconnect with some Cameroonian supporters. They were there in rehearsals for the opening ceremony.

I skipped off to the washroom for a couple minutes and returned to find the CBC crew already engaged in a juggling game with the security guards at the entrance. The display (by one officer) was so elaborate, that soon the ball was flying, and the security ropes crashing to the floor.

"This ball is magic," the CBC guys noted. Indeed.

Our next stop was Soweto. "Where?" the driver asked. Anywhere there is solid ground is generally good enough for a game, I responded. Game play in Soweto We stopped at a surprisingly grassy pitch behind Soweto's Orlando stadium (I think it might actually have been the first time I played on grass during my trip).

A few young men and boys were kicking around a sunken ball in a corner. I passed them the ball, and the game began. It was more of a keep- away than a full-fledged match. And, as usual, it slowly turned into everyone against one: me. Sadly, the game might well be the biggest representation Canada will have at this year's World Cup, at least it had one of CBC's biggest names - Peter Armstrong.

Well done.

You can check out a photo essay of the game here. You can also check out the segments from our game that went on World Report Sunday.

Our numbers grew as passersby trickled onto the field. Most people just join in naturally, without a word. That's why, a few minutes into the game, I was surprised to see a young boy of about 12, leaning against the goalpost with his hands behind his back. He was just watching.

I called out, but he seemed reluctant to get in to the game. So I jogged over, put my arm around him, and dragged him onto the pitch. I was immediately impressed. In his orange loafers, his touch was graceful and controlled, unlike most of us who were sloshing our way across the grass. The boy had a natural way with the ball, so I called him my little Drogba.

Around 15 minutes later, catching my breath with Peter, I noticed the young boy shifting something in the back of his pants as he controlled a pass. The shape was universal; it was a handgun.

Earlier, when I dragged the young boy onto the pitch, the gun was behind his back, Peter told me. And when he joined the game, he jammed the pistol in the back of his trunks. He had been playing with it the entire time.

What could have happened I never found out what the boy's intentions were and what he might have done had I not invited him into the game. There was a good deal of expensive camera and radio equipment between us.

I also never asked the boy to take the gun out or show it to me. I don't know who it belonged to or even if it was real (many guns that people use to rob are fake). I was just aware of the outline of the pistol in the back of his shorts, with the handle peeking out as he shot around the field in play.

I kind of feel like that experience, that 60 minutes in Soweto, summed up my entire trip, summed up the power of soccer across Africa and across the world. When I first met the boy, he was a pre-teen with attitude. But as soon as he got in the game, he became a boy again.

Later on the pitch, I reminded him that he was my little Drogba, but that Drogba asked people to lay down their weapons, not to pick them up. He nodded, before racing to intercept the ball.

Up this week: It turns out I'm not the only one who ventured across the continent to watch the World Cup - I catch up with some Super Fans! And, what you've been waiting for - a view of the games from inside the stadium.

Tonight I'm headed to Brazil/ North Korea! For real-time commentary, follow me on Twitter.