Exchange Student Teaches Life Lessons

Olney, Md.  (WUSA)-It was purely personal reasons which led Hugh Roberts to ask his parents to take in a foreign exchange student.  "I never had a brother," said the Our Lady of Good Counsel senior.  "I have two little sisters at home and I always wanted a brother in my life."  "We didn't have any problem with it at all," remembers his father Hughart.  "We said if you're willing to share your bedroom sure."  But there was one, well large piece of information they didn't quite know.  "We didn't quite realize he was seven feet tall," says his father laughing.  Julius Francis arrived from Nigeria with a big smile, and even bigger requirements.  He played both soccer and basketball, and his soccer coach remembers how difficult it was to logistically handle such a tall order.  "He was so tall there was no gear, his soccer shoes had to be made specially for him," says Julio Zarate.  Julius' first love was always soccer but because of his size basketball quickly became his focus, but in his stay with the soccer team he not only made sure he passed along his passion for the beautiful game to his teammates, he also passed along some life lessons too.  "I told them that life in America is very easy," says Francis.  Life here indeed is much different than his life in his homeland, and while it took him awhile to open up about it, Julius eventually did.  "They had been through some local tribal warfare that occurred, losing some family members, losing their home," recalls Mr. Roberts.  The revelation as you might expect had an impact on Hugh too.  "Wow, was all I could say."  Those experiences in hand, Francis implored his new brother, and his new team to cherish what they had.  (I told them). "Don't misuse your opportunity you have now," says Francis.  "You look at someone who came from his situation and it makes you step back and think about how blessed you are," says senior Drew Schaeffer a soccer teammate of Francis.  Francis says his goal is to eventually return home and help people in his country, safe to say he's helped a few here along the way.