Partner church Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church made their way to Uganda this past summer. The team made a request for soccer gear from Soccer Chaplains United’s Community Project program. You can see what gear we were able to provide by clicking here. They share a final update on the trip and how it went below.
Uganda
This year our church was able to take a team of high school students to Uganda to partner with Youth for Christ (YFC) Uganda in serving schools in the town of Matugga. One of things that always helps our team connect with the Ugandan people is the game of soccer. In bringing different types of gear and uniforms we connect relationally with the YFC team as well as empower them to connect with their community.
YFC Uganda is involved with local schools helping combat early dropouts and teen pregnancies. One of the ways they connect with the students in the community is by holding soccer tournaments. The gear that is provided helps facilitate these tournaments by providing new teams uniforms and prizes to attract new teams. These tournaments give the members of the organization credibility when they present their messages in schools.
The uniforms that are donated help foster team pride and bonding. When a team receives their new kits you can sense an increase in their morale. They often remark that they look ‘smart’ and must play as well as they look. The gear also helps our team connect with the YFC team. Our team joins up with YFC team to compete in the tournament. Putting on the same kit and supporting each other adds a layer of relational connection that makes ministry more fruitful.
Finally, the gear provided helps facilitate YFC’s provide a place of connection for the students in the area. Their soccer facilities and gear help draw students away from the street and gangs and gives them a safe place to connect with adults and other students their age. The donations are a big part of YFC’s mission to be a beacon of hope in their region.
Thank you so much for partnering with our trip. It was an amazing trip. The gear you provided helped so much in connecting our team with the YFC team and allowed us to bless the students in Matugga.
When you financially support Soccer Chaplains United a portion of your gift automatically goes to help our community projects and requests. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community Project from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals projects and organizations, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!