Piña Proud of Work Done in the Valley

In 2018, I gave Isidro Piña a phone call after a recommendation from Spanish-speaking chaplain, Cesar Duran. Isidro began (in late April) to serve the Rio Grande Valley Toros FC as volunteer chaplain and led the ministry with the team until 2023. I still recall an early phone call with Isidro after he had been introduced to the team in the locker room after a mid-week training session.

These players are so young…they are just like…kids.

Isidro went on to win so many hearts as he served the coaches and the players of the organization. His time included the difficult year of COVID. Isidro led the Spanish-speaking Ash Wednesday service that Soccer Chaplains United produced for 2020 and 2021 when teams were sequestered at times.

Isidro continued to serve until a new opportunity within the United Methodist Church opened. His new role included a move to San Antonio and he travels around to various UMC ministers and encourages and supports them, much like a chaplain to chaplains. He handed the chaplaincy ministry over to EJ Ruiz who had also assumed pastoral duties at the church that Isidro had led for many years. But EJ’s service wasn’t to last very long as RGV Toros FC folded at the end of 2023.

Since moving to San Antonio, Isidro has been helping Soccer Chaplains United with Spanish translation and serving as an adviser on several projects. Hopeful that there might be an opportunity to serve a new team in SA never materialized.

Isidro finishes eight years with Soccer Chaplains United and many athletes still reach out to him today.

One of the guys from the team moved back into the Valley and he called me. ‘Rev, are you in the Valley right now?’ ‘I am…’ ‘Could you come and pray over my new home?’ It was such a privilege that he asked me to come and bless his house. The years of working with the Toros are some of the best ministry moments of my life.

We wish Isidro and Blanca all of God’s best for this next, new chapter!