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Team CCPC Takes on Team Iglesia Maranatha; Both Win

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Last October, partner church Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC) made their way to Juárez, Mexico for the 28th time in a nearly 34-year history. Every year, CCPC goes down seeking to make an impact in a neighborhood just a stone’s throw away from the boarder, with the University of Texas – El Paso’s college buildings in plain sight.

La Iglesia Maranatha and Pastor Jorge Mata has been serving in the Felipe Ángeles neighborhood for those many, many years. One of the annual traditions for the family mission trip of CCPC is to play a “friendly” soccer (fútbol) match prior to the week’s worth of work on a Sunday in a local park. This trip was no different as team members, Jared and Mea Kelso, write about their experience:

Lots of kids are kicking around soccer balls in Juarez, Mexico, thanks to the generosity of Soccer Chaplains United! This fall, Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC) returned to Juarez, Mexico to visit Iglesia Maranatha. CCPC has a 20+ year relationship with Iglesia Maranatha. Iglesia Maranath serves the inner-city community of Juarez, and it has been faithfully led by Pastor Jorge for 40 years. The mission trip included leading a VBS program during the afternoon for local school children and repainting the church during the mornings, as well as encouraging and catching up with old friends.

On our first Sunday, we attended Church and held a picnic at one of the local parks. All of the Church members were there, and almost everyone played in a pick-up soccer game! Soccer Chaplains United’s donation of gear allowed us to hand out new jerseys to the church members that were put to good use in a vigorous match in the park. It was so much fun to watch our groups begin to bond as they played for over an hour!

While we didn’t have a chance to hand out jerseys to the kids, we were able to donate the jerseys to Iglesia Maranatha. Part of their outreach to the city includes a thrift shop that Ms. Marta, Pastor Jorge’s wife, runs alongside her dental clinic. Donating these jerseys gives the Church an opportunity to sell high-quality clothes and put more money towards their facility fees and encourage Pastor Jorge and his family. The jerseys also allow the customer a chance to own something that’s uniquely theirs!

Thank you Soccer Chaplains United for your continued support of Cherry Creek Pres’ ministry, and the chance to donate this gear to Iglesia Maranatha!

Jared and Mea Kelso, team members for Juárez mission trip 2022

Remember, when you 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 from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

Cherry Creek Jaunts to Juárez, Mexico for 28th Time

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In just a few days a small team from Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC) will look to make their way to Juárez, Mexico for what the 28th time in a nearly 34-year history. Save for a period of a few years when the church deemed it unsafe to travel to Juárez with the drug cartel violence and in 2020 with the boarder closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the church has sought to go down each year and make an impact in the neighborhood just a stone’s throw from the boarder fence.

La Iglesia Maranatha and Pastor Jorge Mata have been firmly planted in the Felipe Ángeles neighborhood and community for those many, many years and it’s through this relationship that the Gospel is shared and people are encouraged in their faith. The mission trip sees several church families combine to lead VBS (vacation bible school) for the children in the neighborhood and to work on several construction projects on the church grounds and in the surrounding neighborhood. The church, within sight of the UTEP (University of Texas – El Paso) campus across the boarder, lives in a shadow of poverty, but the neighborhood is slowly being transformed with jobs and homes being built and people being elevated socially and spiritually by the work of Pastor Jorge and the church.

A team member wrote to request the gear for this year’s trip:

Dear Rev. Kenney, Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church has been blessed with the opportunity to send another mission team to Juarez, Mexico this year to support La Iglesia Maranatha and Pastor Jorge.  Our team of eighteen students and adults is looking for donations of any surplus soccer gear to benefit the local kids.  As in the past, we will be serving around 80 children through our Vacation Bible School program, in addition to working on several projects in the community.  Soccer Chaplains United’s generous donations in the past have made a positive impact and assisted teams to better show generosity and the love of Christ to these kids. We are so grateful for your continued partnership with our church. Thank you.

2022 Juarez Mission Team
The Cherry Creek Prebyterian Church Team of 2021 pauses from playing soccer in the park to take a photo.

In addition to the local work that La Iglesia Maranatha does, Pastor Jorge and the church members have also undertaken several trips into the poorer, and more rural parts of Mexico. Taking donations and other items, the church has traveled long distances to share the Gospel and encouragement with the poorest of the poor in some of the small villages deep within Mexico.

Assembly line for packing donations

Remember, when you 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 from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

CCPC Returns to Uganda After Missing Last Year

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Soccer Chaplains United church partner Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC), next month, returns to Kampala, Uganda to serve alongside Youth for Christ Uganda. The church has been sending teams to work alongside YFC-Uganda since 2007. This year will be especially impactful as the team looks to support and encourage the staff and volunteers, especially after all the hardship of these past few years due to COVID.

YFC-Uganda Staff share about the love of Jesus after a soccer game

While the team is in Uganda, they will serve at the Mirembe House, a home for single pregnant teens to live and find care. Additionally, they will help to support school outreaches, put on a sports ministry camp, and help with other work projects as needed. The team will take some time at the end of the trip to see and experience the beauty of Africa with a short safari in Murchison Falls National Park.

I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for this amazing trip! I have been challenged spiritually while deciding to go on this trip for multiple reasons. I have learned to fully trust in His plans for my summer. I learned that sometimes there isn’t a right or wrong decision, sometimes there is just faith – faith that the Lord is doing BIG things and He cares and provides for us so well.

Olivia Schwarz, 2022 CCPC Team Member, on looking forward to this year’s trip

Soccer Chaplains United has supported multiple CCPC trips to Uganda. This year (2022) marks the 4th such trip and includes trips dating back to 2015, 2017, and 2019. You can see other reports and mentions of our partnership work in Uganda by clicking here.

Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world with over 87% of the population living on $5.50 USD a day or less. For team member, Olivia Schwarz, she has seen the providence of God in many ways, even before the trip has begun. She shared,

As I prepare, I am excited to immerse myself in the culture and learn all I can from this experience. To have the opportunity to see what the Lord is doing 8,516 miles away and to be His hands and feet is very special. I have personally seen the Lord’s hand throughout preparing for this trip, through financial support, learning what faith is and how to trust Him more, and Godly counsel. I am excited to see what the Lord has for me and the team on this trip. I feel very blessed to see God’s provision through the opportunity to donate items of need, from baby clothes to soccer gear in order to further bless the people of Uganda.

Olivia Schwarz

Project Request

The CCPC Team is requesting 1 indestructible (One World Play) soccer ball and Rapids jerseys or shirts for 25-50 children.

If you would like to make a specific donation of one of the items above check out our SmileAmazon charity list here. Or you can make a financial donation via PushPay and our Community Project Fund.

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!

Just Juárez, Mexico

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With the global pandemic shutting off much of the world from itself, this year’s singular Community Project fulfillment looks south of the U.S. boarder to Juárez, Mexico and the small team from Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC) that looks to make their way in just a couple weeks time.

Led by Parker Dragovich and Pastor Chris Piehl, this year’s trip is thought to be the 27th trip in a nearly 33-year history. For a period of 5 years (2009-2013) the church deemed it unsafe to travel to Juárez with the drug cartel violence in its heyday. And, of course, 2020 saw closed borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the 30+ year history, CCPC has maintained a specific relationship with La Iglesia Maranatha and Pastor Jorge Mata. Pastor Jorge has served the church and the Felipe Ángeles neighborhood and community for those many, many years.

The mission trip sees several church families combine to lead VBS (vacation bible school) for the children in the neighborhood and to work on several construction projects on the church grounds and in the surrounding neighborhood. The church, within sight of the UTEP (University of Texas – El Paso) campus across the boarder, lives in a shadow of poverty, but the neighborhood is slowly being transformed with jobs and homes being built and people being elevated socially and spiritually by the work of Pastor Jorge and the church.

The Cherry Creek Prebyterian Church Team in 2017 poses with Pastor Jorge Mata (right, purple shirt).

In addition to the local work that La Iglesia Maranatha does, Pastor Jorge and the church members have also undertaken several trips into the poorer, and more rural parts of Mexico. Taking donations and other items, the church has traveled long distances to share the Gospel and encouragement with the poorest of the poor in some of the small villages deep within Mexico.

Assembly line for packing donations
Juárez 2021 Packed! 8 boxes – 350 lbs of soccer donations
I show Pastor Jorge (2017) donated gear that the church can give out to the community.

Remember, when you 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 from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final Update

Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final UpdateCrossTraining’s church partner Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church recently returned from Juarez, Mexico, and a week-long mission trip. This year, the short-term mission worked on several things while in Juarez, but perhaps none more important than the relationships with area families, youth, and adults through soccer and other activities, as they share in the Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final Update.

Team member Ruben Rodriguez gave this summary of their time,

k09a4384A few weeks ago we returned from an incredible trip down to Juarez, Mexico.  Our team was comprised of a couple of families, some high school students, and adult volunteers. All were there to help run VBS and do work projects.  The area of Juarez we stayed in is impoverished. Most houses are made from simple brick and mortar, crude door and widow coverings.  The people who live there are on the lower income scale. Most of them working long and odd hours to earn enough money to buy food and keep their electricity on.  Despite the hardships that people live in, there is no shortage of joy or hope among them. We always celebrate with them on arrival, and share in their sadness when we leave.
Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final UpdateNowhere is that kind community more felt than the several times a day that we played soccer. We play with children, high school students, and adults from all around the neighborhood.  We would play a quick pick up game in the morning, one in the afternoon, and then a larger one in the evening – usually late into the night.  These are games go for an hour or longer at a time, with people of all different skill levels joining in.
Much like the rest of the trip, the thing we’ve gleaned most from these times with the Mexican people is that they are not interested in whether we can or cannot play, the level of our skill, etc.  The thing that is most important is our willingness to enter into community and relationship with them, be that while building a house together, running VBS alongside them, or kicking a ball on a dusty field as the sun sets behind the Hueco Mountains.  Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final UpdateThere are dozens of stories we brought back with us about meeting new people, incidents of athletic greatness and sportsmanship on the field, kids who stuck out to us during VBS – but the one thing that continues to resonate with us long after coming home is how much we are missed by our friends in Mexico, and how much we miss them in return.

Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Final UpdateIf you would still like to make a contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016) in your donation and use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation. Your financial gift helps CrossTraining cover associated costs of providing bibles, soccer balls and equipment, and other outreach tools.

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Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016

CrossTraining Timothy ProjectThis week Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church leaves again for Juarez, Mexico, for a week-long mission trip. CCPC has been serving alongside Pastor Jorge Mata and La Iglesia Maranatha for nearly 30 years. This year the short-term mission team will look to work on several service projects on the church compound, lead a morning and afternoon session of Vacation Bible School for 70-100 children and some adults, and continue cultivating relationships with area families, youth, and adults through soccer and other activities.

CCPC reached out to CrossTraining last year and made a Timothy Project request. You can read about all they accomplished here. This year, they are requesting any t-shirts, shorts, jerseys, and soccer or basketball equipment that they can take down to enhance their ministry.

Pastor Chris Piehl commented on how the Timothy Project items helped impact their trip last year,

Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016

Last year, CCPC took soccer shirts to Juarez and hopes to continue to build relationships.

The items last year were a tremendous blessing to those we served. The children were so proud of the shirts they received the first day we were there and many wore them all week. We were able to play soccer constantly. Soccer is a great universal language when the Spanish/English language barrier exists.

Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016 Request

T-shirts, shorts, and jerseys

Soccer and basketball equipment

 

If you would like to make a contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: CCPC Juarez 2016) in your donation. Please use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation. Your financial gift helps CrossTraining to secure additional equipment and to cover associated costs of providing bibles, soccer balls and equipment, and other outreach tools.

#TPT

 

 

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 Final Update

Pastor Chris Phiel poses for a picture with a Ugandan boy

Pastor Chris Piehl in Uganda

For Pastor Chris Piehl, the recent trip with Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church to Kampala, Uganda was eye-opening on several different fronts – from the sparse “field” conditions to the giving away of soccer uniforms to some of the ministry partners that work with local youth in Kampala.

Pastor Piehl and Cherry Creek Presbyterian reached out to CrossTraining via the Timothy Project to see if there was any soccer equipment and gear that the team could take with them to Uganda. Pastor Piehl shares the Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 final update below,

We had a great trip and the soccer gear was a huge hit and blessing.  We spent one afternoon playing soccer against a team of street kids in Kampala.  You can see in the pictures that the “pitch” was a bit challenging (I have a big bruise on what foot from kicking a rock instead of the ball!) but it was a great game. Screen Shot 2015-07-31 at 10.46.31 AMAfter the game I shared with the street kids about what Jesus was really like and his ability to identify with all of our pain from Isaiah 53. After having one of the Youth for Christ staff pray for them, we had Ruben and Matthias (YFC Staff member) present the leader of the Street Kids ministry with a set of soccer jerseys and a couple of balls.  Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 gear handoffThey were thrilled to receive them and joked about how intimidating they would be to other teams in the next tournament that they played.  YFC has the opportunity to work with a lot of other organizations that do ministry like this and will be able to give out the other uniforms and balls over the coming months.  Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 gear handoffThey were incredibly grateful and I got to personally see how some simple uniforms could bring value and a sense of belonging to a group of young boys who desparately need it.

The team from Cherry Creek Presbyterian also has created a highlight video from their trip which can be viewed here – the soccer portions of the trip start around the 2:30 minute mark to about 4 minutes.

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 Final Update

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 Final Update

 

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 Final Update

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to support future Timothy Project ventures like this one, please use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation. Your financial gift helps to secure new equipment, sponsor a missionary or organization in an outreach effort, or to cover associated costs of providing bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

#TPT

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 Update

Pastor Chris Piehl and the 20-person team from Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, are now nine days into their work trip in Kampala, Uganda. The team is serving with Youth For Christ Uganda. Check out the team’s blog page to find out how the trip is going.

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Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 featured gear (jerseys and balls) like that pictured here from the Colorado Rapids.

Piehl and the team took soccer uniforms, balls and other equipment to use with the children on “Sports Day” – here the team gets a chance to play soccer and build friendships by spending time playing and fellowshipping.

If you would like to make a contribution to help with this or future Timothy Projects, please note (Timothy Project) in your online donation and use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation.

#TPT

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015

Timothy Project: Uganda 2015

From Denver, Colorado on a good day, it takes about 21 hours to fly to Uganda – talk about a time change! For Pastor Chris Piehl and a 20-person team comprised of members of the youth group and several adult leaders from Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, they will embark on the long journey from Denver to Kampala to do mission work for a couple weeks during July (July 1- July 18). The team from Cherry Creek Pres will be serving with Youth For Christ Uganda. This year marks the 8th year of partnership between Cherry Creek Pres and YFC Uganda and the second trip to Kampala in which the leadership hope to make a bi-annual trip.

Kampala, Uganda is situated north of Lake Victoria and is the capital and largest city in Uganda. YFC Uganda (Facebook) has a vibrant ministry in and around Kampala. Pastor Piehl mentioned some of the outreach that the team will be involved with,

YFC Uganda has a crisis pregnancy center, a vocational training center for women, they do training in schools and do sports outreach in the community. We will be joining in on one of the sports ministry days where soccer is being used as an outreach tool.

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Timothy Project: Uganda 2015 will feature gear (jerseys and balls) like that pictured here from the Colorado Rapids.

One of the most treasured times for the team is the annual Sports Day – here the team will play soccer with the children and spends a lot of time in fellowship.

While the team is in country they will also be taking along diapers and baby clothes to provide to the young mothers there. To track with the team and see what they are doing while in Uganda check out the team’s blog page.

If you would like to make a contribution to help with some of the costs associated with sending the gear to Uganda, please make a note of (Timothy Project: Uganda 2015) in your online donation. Please use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation.

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