Today was our first full day in Africa. After some much needed showers, rest, and a team breakfast, the team started the day by traveling to the Sports Outreach Center in Kampala. We participated in the morning devotional with the Sports Outreach team. They opened with worship and then one of the coaches, Robert, gave a devotional on diligence. He focused on examples in the Bible where God calls His people to be diligent in their faith. Robert led the group in a discussion about the individual call to diligence and its its effect on the greater team. Two general themes emerged from this discussion which easily apply to both soccer, the ministries’ outreach tool, and our walk with Christ. First, as an individual we need to prepare ourselves for the team. The team, or the body of Christ, will not function as well if every member has not diligently prepared themselves. He prompted the team to diligently seek God in their daily life. The second theme to emerge was the idea that the team also prepares you for your individual journey. As a team we pour into each other to give each member the fuel and the support for his journey.
One of our team members, Amy (a physical therapist), led the Sports Outreach staff in an injury prevention training program with exercises and bracing techniques for common lower extremity injuries. This training will allow the staff to pass these techniques onto the Kampala children as they learn to play soccer. The staff was extremely receptive to learning the injury prevention techniques and asked questions about using the ace wraps and ankle braces we donated to the staff. The members of the staff with previous injuries were the most appreciative of these supplies.
Amy leading stretches with the staff
Demonstrating injury prevention
After the stretches, our team joined the staff for a pickup game of soccer. While the staff was extremely receptive to our participation in this game, the gap of skill level was extremely apparent. While most of the team will be feeling the effects of this game the rest of the week, the experience of playing soccer with the staff will not be soon forgotten. Amy, Craig, and Matt’s team won the game, with Craig's expert goalie skills blocking all of the other teams’ attempted goals.
The staff treated our team to a lunch of pizza and some local African cuisine. After lunch, Robert gave us a tour of the Ministry center. While many aspects of the property are still under development, Sports Outreach has a grand vision for their future. Their current projects include dormitories for local children, a chapel which will also serve as feeding center, and a building to serve as a center for national chess competitions. The team was extremely impressed by Robert’s vision for Sports Outreach’s future and his great faith in how God can use them in the community.
Work on the chess center
Work on the chapel
Having gained an understanding of where Sports Outreach is centered, we had an opportunity to see one of the slums where the staff serves. The staff sponsors an educational and soccer program in the slum of Neteete. We were blessed with the opportunity to meet with several students who have benefitted from this program. These students expressed genuine gratitude for the opportunity Sports Outreach provided for them. They recognized the fact that without the gift of education, their lives would have followed a very different, possibly darker, path. We had the opportunity to speak with several of the students and learn their dreams and plans for the future. It was so awesome to see the calling God has placed on their young hearts.
While we talked with the students, our team attracted an entourage of small children. These children have learned that groups of white people generally mean “sweets” and they were not disappointed. Our team was able to provide these children with lollipops and stickers. The reaction to these small gifts was a picture of pure childlike joy. This simple act not only provided the children with a treat but also let them know that people care enough about them to travel 15 hours by plane just to bring it to them. That knowledge and demonstration of love is important to children living in extreme poverty. Also in Neteete the team was able to visit the home of two of the students and Amy was able to teach the stretching techniques to the Sports Outreach Neteete soccer team.
Children lining up for stickers and candy
Stretching techniques for Neteete Soccer team
Home visit for two students
The team concluded the day with a dinner at the hotel and discussion of the day's events. We were reminded of the importance of relationship building as we continue through the trip. What makes Sports Outreach unique from other mission organizations is that it maintains a consistent presence in the communities it serves. By building positive relationships with those communities we help to strengthen the presence and perception of the ministry. We also discussed how both interpersonal relationships and personal faith seems to differ from our American perspectives. Africans tend to build deeper relationships within the community that they express much more openly than Americans. We also discussed how the circumstances in Africa allow Christians to view God as much bigger and promote a greater reliance on faith. The people supported by Sports Outreach have significantly less than we could ever imagine, but have faith enough to pursue great dreams nonetheless. The team agreed that the gratitude by all supported by Sports Outreach was the most impressive part of the day's journey. Wherever we went we saw genuine appreciation for our efforts and the efforts of Sports Outreach. We look forward to another day of building relationships and learning more about God’s vast and diverse kingdom of believers.
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