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Breaking New Ground

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Today, I had the privilege of presenting two sessions on sports chaplaincy to about thirty men and women interested in or whom are currently serving as sports chaplains in the country of India.

In the first session, I presented an expanded presentation of a Biblical Foundation for Sports Chaplaincy along the lines of last year’s presentation at Calvin University in Michigan. It was at the 2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity, where I met with delegates from India who invited me to conduct today’s training. With about 40 minutes, I was able to expand further into the study of Genesis 3 as the biblical foundation for the work of chaplaincy in sport and provide examples and illustrates along the way.

A short break and intermission allowed for us to dive into a second session, whereby I presented a reformatted version of a teaching from 2016 in which we looked at the four foundational elements of pastoral care as a framework for how one might take on the role of chaplain. The second session featured more around passages in the New Testament and a brief discussion of Saint Martin of Tours and the origins of chaplaincy. Our time flew by, but I encouraged the attendees to go away with the teaching and reflect on the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Prior to Coronavirus, initials talks had been in place to do some form of training for soccer chaplains in India and the global pandemic and the uptick in utilizing video conferencing resources has opened some new doors and ways of thinking of how we take on different training and educational opportunities.

I look forward to seeing further opportunities open up for us and for Soccer Chaplains United!

Community Project Update from Momentum FC India

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Our friends from Valor Christian High School and Momentum Global went to India earlier this year and requested soccer gear from Soccer Chaplains United.The trip which featured some students and teachers from Valor were visiting a Valor alumnus in effort to build out a more sustainable soccer program to reach out to the community and make a lasting impact.

Momentum FC wants to thank you for the generous gifts that were donated…We thank you for the amazing jerseys and soccer balls that [you] provided, which has been a great blessing to the club.

Click the link below for a pdf version of their message to us and see what Momentum is about and how the donations made an impact.

Momentum Global India Soccer Gear Report

Remember, when you support Soccer Chaplains United a portion of your gift automatically goes to help projects and requests like this one for India. You can also give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor an individual 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!

Timothy Project: Valor Christian High School – Kolkata, India 2018

Timothy Project: Valor Christian High School, Kolkata, India 2018.  A vision was cast years ago by a Valor Christian High School Discovery team that has taken root and is beginning to become a reality.  The next team of students and teachers to travel to the slums of Kolkata will continue to grow the boy’s soccer program with the dream of establishing a fully sustainable soccer club.

Valor alumni, teachers and students desire to reach the boys of the slum with the gospel message.  This is challenging, and retaining them is even more challenging.  John DeYoung, a Valor teacher, came up with an idea that could help solve the dilemma, a soccer program.

About three years ago, one Valor Christian Alumni asked how he could help the boys in the slums. I had mentioned a soccer program would be huge for the boys, since it is a little more difficult to get the boys involved with Christ in the slums.

Momentum Global has been working in the area for many years, it has established schools and churches.  Valor partnered with Momentum Global and the soccer program is becoming a reality.  The first Soccer Training Team program is up and running, a collective effort between Valor and Momentum Global. DeYoung shared,

The adult soccer program has been going on now for about seven months, and we have 20 young men involved, and we have seen such growth mentally, physically and spiritually.

9640183357_aed55abc35_zThe Discovery Trip team that will travel to Kolkata will join with a Valor alumnus who is living in the area and working to establish the program.  He is partnered with three professional Indian soccer coaches.

Our goal is to develop young men of faith through soccer in the slums. We believe that strong men of faith can change a culture and community. We eventually would like to create a fully sustainable soccer program where the children enter our program to hear the gospel and train hard.

To support Timothy Project: Valor Kolkata, India 2018 or future Timothy Project ventures please donate through PushPay — simply select Timothy Project from the selectable funds to contribute to. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor an individual 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!

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Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 – Part 2

CrossTraining Timothy ProjectLast week we shared about CrossTraining’s gift to His Little Feet international choir when they were on tour this past summer. Now, in the Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 – Part 2 we share the rest of the story. Driving away after giving brand new jerseys to the boys int eh choir, CrossTraining’s Executive Director, Rev. Brad Kenney, had his two older girls ask, “Dad, what about the girls?” The international choir featured 10 boys and nearly as Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 - Part 2many girls – all from different walks and backgrounds. “Well, I asked their tour director about it and he didn’t think that the girls would want soccer jerseys.” “But dad, they looked like they would have liked to receive something, too.”  was the earnest plea from Rev. Kenney’s 12 and 11 year-old girls. “I know girls, I saw it, too. I tell you what, I will try to call him back and see if we can do something.”

The phone call was made. “Hi, Mike? Hello, it’s Brad, again. Mike, my girls really want to do something for the girls, too.”

Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 - Part 2With the choir about to perform, arrangements were made to revisit the choir and this time to give something to the girls. Rev. Kenney shared how the rest of the evening went,

When I called Mike back, I told him that we had women’s jerseys, too, and that we wanted to make sure that the girls felt just as loved. As I was driving back, I was reflecting on how often in our world our default or bias excludes women and girls in certain things. I think having four daughters has made me think differently about that.

When Rev. Kenney returned, this time he brought all four of his daughters to deliver the women’s jerseys.

It was a precious time as my girls got to hand out the women’s jerseys which had a totally different look and feel. These girls could feel valued just as much as the boys. In fact, Mike shared with me that some of the boys had been flaunting their new jerseys and had upset some of the girls, so when the girls received their own jersey they were beaming and had huge smiles.

Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 - Part 2 Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 - Part 2Timothy Project: His Little Feet 2016 - Part 2

Timothy Project IN 2014: Touching the Untouchable

For Paul Grizzle, India is close to his heart. It was his first mission trip in 2011 at the end of his freshman year at Valor Christian High School that first got him excited about serving and loving the poor and “untouchables” of India’s caste system. 1866644_6b016d7c241e4831942065471f3efa8aThe recent Valor Christian High School Discovery trip to the slums of Kolkata, India and surrounding villages was the third such trip that Grizzle has undertaken and this time, he took some used equipment from the Colorado Rapids to distribute to some of the poorest of the poor in the world.

You never see the same thing in India, this trip was different because I was asking bigger questions than previous trips. Instead of just looking to serve and bring Jesus by bringing myself, I was wondering how to bring Jesus in other ways. I started wrestling with questions of how to impact things in a larger way.

9640183357_aed55abc35_zFor Grizzle, some of the questions were more difficult to answer – questions about affecting the poor and ending sex trafficking were on Grizzle’s heart and mind. Some of the harsh reality was realizing that there will always be poor people and there may never be ways to end all of the oppressive and harmful things that happen.

Grizzle and the team received some used equipment from the Colorado Rapids – equipment included soccer bags, clothes, and a few pairs of shoes and hats that got handed out to the kids and a few local pastors to distribute.

Screen Shot 2014-07-01 at 11.21.39 AMGrizzle and the Valor team hosted two “Sports Days” where they handed out the equipment and played games with children including playing soccer. The first sports day was in Kolkata itself and then another day in the village of Pratapur.

At the end of one of the the sports days, I saw a little boy walking off with one of the Rapids’ hats and he had a big smile on his face – I think he knew that it was a soccer hat and it was awesome to see just that small thing bring him such joy.

Screen Shot 2014-07-01 at 11.06.38 AMIf you would like to support future Timothy Project ventures, such as this one, please use the PayPal link below to make a donation. Your financial gift helps to secure additional equipment, sponsor a missionary or organization in an outreach effort, and cover associated costs of providing bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

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