For Rev. Mike Anderson, the Bethel Orphanage in Juarez, Mexico has been a place that has captured his heart for years so when he heard that CrossTraining had some extra soccer gear from the Colorado Rapids that was available as part of the Timothy Project, he jumped at the opportunity.
We went down to Juarez about 18 years ago to build a house and stopped by a local orphanage, and, being adopted myself, I’ve really had a heart for orphans. About five years ago, a fellow minister invited me to Bethel Orphange to take some trees to plant in the neighborhood and at orphanage – we stayed with the children and workers and God just grabbed my heart as they invited me in – it was a special bonding time.
The orphanage, named Casa Hogar Bethel, houses some 100+ children who have either been abandoned by or taken from their parents and families. As a ministry, it struggles – from food in the panty to finances to carry out the work. But workers live and serve by faith in God and they are proud of the children that they serve. The orphanage has won awards for excellence in education in the state of Chihuahua and have excelled in many soccer tournaments – thus, Rev. Anderson thought that the children would love some of the gear and equipment donated by the Rapids.
I’ve brought soccer balls down there before and by the end of the second day they are already worn out – the kids are so eager to play. Down the street is a park that the government built with a caged soccer field – but it is really too dangerous for the kids to leave the orphanage. The children have to remain within the walls of the orphanage for their own safety as they could be taken into slavery, or there are sometimes shootings – so I know they will love the gear from the Rapids.
Rev. Anderson packed a large suitcase – filled with enough shorts and shirts and soccer gear to outfit two complete teams, including goalie gloves and extra gear for adults who coach or oversee the children. Rev. Anderson and his team leave for Juarez, Mexico and the orphanage on April 30-May 3. Please pray for the team that will go down and the gear that they will give to the children. Check back for an update on this Timothy Project.
Recently, the Colorado Rapids cleaned house – boxes of used team gear were simply taking up too much space in the confines of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and after the annual “garage sale” for Rapids fans, there was still plenty left over. That’s when team staff contacted Rapids Chaplain Brad Kenney. The text message read:
Chaplain Venegas sprang into action – putting some messages out to contacts in Costa Rica. Is there anyone who could use some team gear and equipment for their church or a local team? Pretty soon, Chaplain Venegas had 4 different project requests coming out of Costa Rica – a player training with a team in hopes of getting a contact in Major League Soccer, a church group praying for new team uniforms, and a couple of reservations with poor, indigenous people. As Chaplain Kenney opened the boxes, it was almost too overwhelming…Do you have an idea of sizes? (read a text message to Venegas).
I just remember looking at all the boxes in my living room, my children were trying to help me sort and count, and I panicked – what were we gong to do with all of the gear? Will we have enough? Too much?
The Colorado Rapids have been in the news of late, particularly over the situation with the head coach, Oscar Pareja. For the last couple of months, there have been stories that surface about Pareja’s pursuit by his former club FC Dallas. Beginning in November of 2013,