Earlier this year, Rev. Mike Anderson took some Colorado Rapids gear down to Bethel Orphanage in Juarez, Mexico. The orphanage houses over 100 children who have either been abandoned or were taken from their families because of abuse or other things happening in the home. Many of the children have little hope - but Bethel is trying to change that for each one that walks through the doors. Food, schooling, a safe place to live and grow - these are just a part of what Bethel Orphanage is offering to those under its care. The orphanage received a number of shorts, jerseys, and other soccer equipment. Below are a couple of pictures from the orphanage. Please pray for each special

The red line - it is every coach's nemesis in Major League Soccer. It's simple: teams above the red line when the season ends gain entry into the playoffs for the MLS Cup. Teams below the red line go home early. Every coach handles the red line differently - some watch it closely from the beginning of the year to the end. Others pay it no attention (or, so they say) choosing rather to take it "one game at a time." Some coaches play through a thousand scenarios and calculate how many points are needed to be above the red line when the season ends. But amidst formulaic calculations and all manner of worry and concern, the red line represents

Thursdays throughout the month of April, CrossTraining has been featuring stories on our latest Timothy Project ventures. We will have some updates from equipment sent down to Mexico in the next few weeks, but take a chance to look back at some of the Timothy Projects that have already happened in 2014: Haiti Costa Rica Indigenous Indians Costa Rica Amateur Team Costa Rica Native Boys Team Costa Rica Church Team If you or someone you know has a Timothy Project idea or proposal, please encourage them to check out our criteria and submit an application. CrossTraining currently has some used soccer equipment available as well as copies of the Athletes in Action DVD, The Prize: Under Pressure (linked to trailer preview).

The growth of fantasy sports is changing the landscape for the professional sports fan - the game that is much loved (whether soccer, basketball, baseball, or something else) or followed can now have a different level of interaction and control for the fan. Choose players, select which ones play at a certain time, spend a certain allocation of money to develop a team, win prizes, win money - all of these possibilities are creating a new type of fan; a fanatical, fantastical fan. I observed this recently whilst over at a friends house - he had a game on the TV with two teams that I knew he didn't follow or have any loyalty with. When I inquired about it

For Bryan Smith, Haiti has become a bit of home away from home. Smith first traveled to Haiti in 2004. For the last four years, he has been bringing soccer with him. It is the world's game, after all. Last year, the Colorado Rapids donated a couple of boxes of equipment with many personal donations by Haitian Goalkeeper Steward Ceus (Rapids, 2009-2013). This year, the Rapids donated enough gear to outfit a complete team with shorts, shirts, and compression shorts along with some miscellaneous gear. Smith, using some of his other connections, was able to secure additional equipment like shoes and balls for the young men of the village of Fedja, in the Mirebalais region of Haiti, northeast of Port-au-Prince.