“A miracle team.”

That was the short reply of British Craig Burrows when asked how he would describe the Philippine football team to the 1st Deloitte Street Child World Cup.

Burrows, team manager and co-organizer of the squad with Ed Formoso, is not new in venturing in these kinds of projects as he had been running charitable works and other related missions in the Philippines for the past 27 years.

But putting up a football team composed of street children from a country not so much into football is a Herculean task, Burrows said.

“When I got a call from the UK to form a team here, I thought we could not make it,” Burrows said in Monday’s send off party of the RP team in Amici restaurant in Makati City. “Where do we get the funding and support from airfare to uniforms?”

Burrows concerns were all answered after three months of hard work alongside Formoso as the RP team is now ready to see action in the event which fires off March 12 in Dunbar, South Africa.

A member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his charitable work in the Philippines, Burrows considers the team, made up of 10 footballers age 14-16, a miracle for many reasons.

He cited an incident just five days ago when two of the kids nearly lost the opportunity to join the team because they lack birth certificates, thus they cannot get passports and visas to fly.

“But Thursday last week, I received a call from a friend telling me a congressman helped the two kids to get their certificates. And the Embassy has also promised us with a speedy processing,” said Burrows, appearing alongside Peter Moran of Henry V. Foundation, Fr. Rocky Evangelista of Tuloy sa Don Bosco, Miles Roces of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta and Derek Page, director of trade and investment from British Embassy, in the same forum.

Another miracle, he said, is the how they were able to put up a team with members coming from different backgrounds.

“Street children are being looked down. But when we had this team, I realized something. I learned that most of the street children are more intelligent than most children in their age. They just need the opportunity.”

The members of the team include John Rober Gaerlan (defense), Tuloy sa Don Bosco’s Erica Mae Inocencio (captain), Ladylyn Ampe (striker), Noriel Pineones (midfield), Raymond Ilona (right wing), Jayson Simangan (defense), Roberto Orlandez Jr. (goalie) and Lorelyn Cabanayan (striker). Jonah Garrido and Gerry Boy Joaquino will be the team’s reserves.