For spring break, many high school students in Colorado head for the mountains to ski or go on vacation. But, for one team of students from Valor Christian High School, this spring break will be about serving the poor in Costa Rica and reaching out to a local community through soccer camps and clinics. On March 24-April 2, a Valor Christian High School team of 20 male and female soccer players and 7 leaders will take a missions trip to Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
Tamarindo, 20 years ago, was a small fishing village. Now, it is more of a small, sleepy surfing town. Surfers from around the world have settled there because of the year-round consistency of the waves. As the town has slowly built up, real estate and tourism have boomed as well. But behind the tourism, a lot of poverty exists among the local “Ticos.” Valor is partnering with Casa Vida church and Pastor Alex Bejerano. In what Valor hopes to be a long term relationship, the team will look to build “Mercy” homes for needy families that the church has identified. Additionally, they will be reaching out through soccer camps and clinics to teach soccer and share the Gospel with people of all ages, from children to adults.
Valor will be collecting shoes to distribute in CR
The Valor team is hosting several soccer gear drives on the front end of this trip. Many of the children do not have shoes, cleats, guards, or even soccer balls. In addition, Valor has identified and met with an American, Dani, who has lived in Tamarindo for the last 12 years. Dani has come under the national soccer federation and is beginning to build regional teams for girls and boys. In addition, she has begun to identify and train coaches as well.
Dani (pictured in red) translates to several soccer players in CR
On a recent scouting trip, Valor Christian High School Soccer Head Coach Brian Shultz shared about his meeting with Dani.
She (Dani) wept as she told us she has been praying for a group like ours to come and support what she has been building for the last 12 years. She said God told her that she was sending someone to help her and she has been waiting.
The Valor Christian team intends to repeat this trip annually or bi-annually, but the gear needs are greatest for the first year. Head Coach Shultz reached to CrossTraining to make a Timothy Project request.
This project has the potential to meet the immediate soccer needs of many kids and has a sustainability factor as much of the gear will support Dani and her coaches for years. We have partnered with CrossTraining in a similar fashion for missions trips to Zacapa, Guatemala and we are grateful for the huge provision that occurred then. We would be honored to partner with CrossTraining again.
Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2017 Needs
1. Soccer Balls
2. Gently worn to new cleats, turf shoes, and indoor flats (kid sizes-teen sizes)
3. Coaching gear (pinnies, cones, hand pumps, 1 electric pump, needles, whistles)
4. Jerseys/training shirts for (kids and teens)
5. Kids shin guards
6. soccer socks (kids sizes)
Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2017 Specific Request
- 50-100 soccer balls (equal amounts of size 3,4,5)
- 100 jerseys and/or training shirts (kids-teen sizes
- 200 pairs of new kids and teens soccer socks (gently worn acceptable)
- As much gently worn soccer shoes and shin guards as possible
- 5-10 futsal balls
- 100-200 Disc Cones
- 55-110 scrimmage vests (color groups of 11)
- whistles (5-10)
- hand-held pumps (5-10)
- packages of needles for coaches (5-10)
- 1 electric ball pump
- $50 baggage fee (x3)
- 3 large duffels
If you would like to make an additional contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2017) in your donation or if you would like to support future Timothy Project ventures, such as this one, please use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation. Your financial gift helps to secure additional equipment, sponsor a missionary or organization in an outreach effort, and to cover associated costs of providing bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!
#TPT
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?