An international soccer match doesn’t happen in Austin very often, but the one just played on the state Capitol grounds was more than just unusual, it was inspiring.

Players from Haiti took time to play with local players in a friendly match Tuesday, but they know there will be stiffer competition ahead.

"I have a lot ahead of me now because we're preparing to go to Japan in 2012 for the next world cup. So, it's been the most magnificent thing that I can imagine that’s happened to me," Haitian soccer player Emmanuel Ladouceur said.

Not long ago, Ladouceur faced an earthquake that devistated Haiti and forever changed his world.

"I lost my parents, and I didn’t have any way to support myself," Ladouceur said.

Now, his support comes on the soccer field, as a member of the National Haitian Amputee Soccer Team.

They're touring America to make it clear that those who face disabilities are capable of great things, if given the chance.

"Therapeutic recreation has a way of helping that person that has some sort of challenge to accept themselves and have a different perspective on life," International Institute of Sport spokesperson Fred Sorrells said.

Those who’ve faced the same challenges for decades know what it means to take the field.

"Society and everything makes you feel like you're not the same anymore, but you want that. You just want people to look at you like you're the same," Orthotic & Prosthetic Technologies spokesperson Frieda Borth said.

The equipment issued to this team is like no other: Dental care, prosthetics and even reconstructive surgery.

The hope is that they'll gain enough support for a long-term therapeutic recreation program in Haiti.

"As a team, we sing. We do all sorts of things together that actually builds community," Ladouceur said.

They play for the love of the game and the dignity it provides them.

To find out how you can support the Haitian Amputee Soccer team, visit the International Institute of Sport.