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From Zacapa, With Love

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The Valor Christian High School team which recently (Dec 26, 2021) went down to Guatemala has some updates to share about how their trip, their community service work, and their times of witness are going. To read more, from the student’s perspective, follow this link.

Annika plays soccer with a brand new, pink soccer ball from Soccer Chaplains United’s Community Project and makes some new friends.

I played soccer with a lot of them and the kids were having a great time. I also got to jump rope and dance with a lot of the girls. I made a connection with a girl named Gracie. I had braids in my hair and most of the girls want us to braid their hair. I braided Gracie’s hair and she had such a big smile on her face. The girls kept asking a lot of us to be their “Madrina” (godmother) and most of us were able to make a big connection with one or two kids in the community. We also were able to paint the school in the community. There was a water line on the wall of the school from the floods.

Annika
The Valor team plays in the “las ganchas” with their new friends, handing out donated soccer gear from Soccer Chaplains United.

One of the students (Zac) shared about his experience playing soccer in a few different settings in Guatemala.

I loved playing soccer with the kids because I saw a joy that I don’t encounter often. We were playing on the side of a mountain/cemetery and there were lots of things that had the ability to damper the fun of soccer; however, the kids and some of the team members had a lot of fun laughing when we would trip on a rock and celebrating a goal made from two rocks. In the end, we gave the community a soccer ball from Soccer Chaplains United where they will be able to practice and play whenever they want.

After the few hours with the kids, we played soccer in what they call “las ganchas” which had synthetic turf and a few small-sided goals. We played with some of the people of our ministry partners’ church, and we played for a few hours and had a lot of fun. After a few hours of playing, we left exhausted, happy, and ready to sleep. After this trip, I will never take sleep for granted!

Zac
Not all soccer fields have grass and are flat and level. A picture from an earlier trip to Guatemala illustrates Zac’s experience of playing soccer on the side of a mountain.

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!

Valor Returning to Zacapa, Guatemala For Service and Soccer

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This December 26th, a team of 19 high school students from Valor Christian High School will travel to Guatemala for 16 days. The team will spend a majority of ministry time working with the community that lives around the city dump in Zacapa, Guatemala.

Children in Guatemala play with a makeshift goal

Soccer will be a significant part of the team’s ministry as they hold soccer camps and outreach projects in the community. With all that has gone on in the pas couple of years, this community has great need and not only does the Valor team hope to provide ministry to them while there, but also leave behind some gear that would enrich their lives. Other projects include building a house, working on literacy projects, and distributing supplies in the community.

Danny Brooks will lead Valor students to Guatemala for service and soccer

Danny Brooks, Spanish Instructor at Valor and the team leader for the Discovery Trip, is familiar with the poverty and need in Guatemala having served as a missionary and pastor there for a number of years before coming to Valor.

Having lived in Zacapa, Guatemala for five years, I have seen the challenges that this community faces, both spiritually and economically. We are so privileged to bring a team of high school students who will minister cross culturally to leave a lasting impact on this community, while also confronting their own world views of living in a privileged society here in Denver. We are thankful for the opportunity to work with amazing ministry partners in Guatemala who has focused on this community and helped sustain them physically and spiritually during the continuing pandemic.

Daniel Brooks, Faculty, Valor Christian

Danny and the Valor team will be working with local missionaries. Below is an excerpt from Erin and Javier’s recent newsletter:

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This week we started a new project that I am very excited about. Marcolfa is an elderly lady who we met at the garbage dump last year. We have visited her in her home and she has come to our meetings where we minister and feed children. Her home is made out of different found materials. She told us that her metal roof leaks, so she has sheets of nylon under that where she puts rags to soak up the rain. In these pictures you can see the inside and outside of her home. I am broken when I think of this little lady during one of the tropical storms we have here in Guatemala.

One of the difficult things about building a home for people is that their current dwelling must be torn down in order to build in exactly the same place. There is not an abundance of land in Guatemala and every square inch is taken advantage of when building. The family must make a temporary shelter in a tiny space or stay somewhere else while their home is being built. That is why we try to do most projects as quickly as possible, about 8-10 days.

We told Marcolfa that her home had to be torn down in order to build her a new one. What a huge step of faith, destroying all you have to make way for something new. Before even a bag of cement or metal beam or workers with tools showed up, she gladly did what needed to be done with the help of her grandchildren.

Marcolfa’s old house and land being cleared

Here is Marcolfa (above) in the space cleared to build her house. Every family that we help, every home that is built, we tell people that this is an earthly home, but it is nothing in comparison to what God is preparing for us, our eternal home.

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Working primarily with children, both boys and girls, the team is requesting as many soccer balls as possible — 30 or more — size 4 and 5; as well as jerseys approximately 30 sizes child-small adult.

We can’t wait to join Erin, Javier, and their team to bless the people in Zacapa!

Danny Brooks

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!

Students Grow in Unexpected Ways During Month In Guatemala

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Valor High School senior, Class of 2019, Colin Kemp spent the month of June in Guatemala with a team of his school peers and a few teachers and mentors.  Kemp shares about the trip from his perspective in this post.

The first two weeks in Atitlán were harder than any of us ever thought they would be. We launched our trip by studying for six hours in a Spanish school every day, 1 on 1 with a teacher.  We also empathized with the local residents after a volcano eruption changed the village, and even took the lives of many families.  We struggled not knowing what to say or do to show them how we cared and were there for them emotionally, spiritually, and in as much of a physical sense as we could.

Kemp goes on to explain how the rest of the time in Zacapa unfolded.

We filled the remaining weeks with sweating with everything we had in us to play with the kids and do construction for local churches by day, then pouring into the lives of those who have never seen the true love of Christ by night.

As a team, we were there for each other and supported one another in the midst of some of the most challenging moments we’ve faced in our short lives.  We also built each other up by loving one another in the midst of our greatest joys and laughs. This trip was more than just an everlasting memory to me, says Kemp, it was an experience that will forever change the way I love on friends and family that deserve it, and it will impact how I show the unconditional love of Christ to those who have never seen his beauty.

To support future ventures like this, 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: Valor Discovery Off To Guatemala

Timothy Project: Soccer Chaplains United team members had the joy this week to deliver soccer gear that will change lives forever. For the sixth year, Valor Discovery is sending a team of students to Zacapa, Guatemala.  Soccer Chaplains United has had the pleasure of supporting the team in the past and is pleased to do so again this year.

It was a beautiful spring afternoon as the teenagers sorted and organized the donations to be taken to Zacapa.  Rev Brad Kenney spoke words of encouragement and blessing to the team on a driveway that was overflowing with donations, new and used.  The generosity of the local community is moving.  The students will be able to touch many lives with the donations they gathered.

The role that Soccer Chaplains United is playing in this project will be measured in an entirely different way.  Through support given to the Timothy Project, we were able to purchase unique and rarely found evangelism soccer balls. Evangelism soccer balls tell the gospel through colors and images printed on the balls.

In addition to giving a box of eBalls to the team, Soccer Chaplains United gave several dozen traditional soccer balls, in sizes four and five.  We gave them cones to mark out a field or run games and drills.  We also gave them all the soccer cleats we had on hand.

May this team’s experience this summer be impactful to everyone they come in contact with, even one another. You can follow the team on their blog, by clicking here.

To support Timothy Project: Zacapa, Guatemala 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: Soccer Key In Valor’s Trip to Zacapa, Guatamala

Timothy Project: For the sixth year in a row, Valor Discovery returns to Zacapa, Guatemala.  This Spanish speaking team will spend 30 days immersed in the community.

Danny Brooks of Valor Christian High School explains the commitment the team members have made and how soccer is a bridge to helping them achieve their objectives.

Over the years, soccer has been a key component of our ministry in Guatemala. Unique to our team is that everyone speaks Spanish (and has committed to using no English), which means that soccer can be a key stepping stone that will allow for deep conversations and authentic relationship building. We will not only play soccer in the various communities, but soccer will open the door for our team to use our language abilities talk with, pray for and minister to these communities.

The relationships that Valor maintains have been growing over several years.  In 2013 the Valor team built a home in the community.  Since then, the people of the community eagerly await their annual return. Pastor Wilmer is their primary contact in Zacapa.  The soccer players, in particular, have been asking Pastor Wilmer when the soccer-playing, Spanish-speaking Americans will return.

Brooks lays out the plan for this summer,

This year, our goal is to continue playing soccer on their mountain top field. We would love to impact their lives by leaving players with cleats and balls (many play in crocs except for the cleats we brought them 3 years ago). We would also like to fix up their field and provide goals and nets. Additionally, this year we have planned to launch a community/family wide carnival – to include soccer as the main event and also include other activities to reach out to the families. All of these projects are designed to connect people with Jesus and, in particular, the church in Zacapa.

To support Timothy Project: Zacapa, Guatemala 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: Valor Guatemala 2016 Away!

CrossTraining Timothy ProjectThis week, we encourage CrossTraining supporters to keep the Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 team in your prayers as the team has landed in Guatemala. The team will use futból (soccer) to reach out to children and teens of various villages. Team leader Danny Brooks and his team of students and adults will look to engage communities to come out and play soccer with and use this community building time as a platform for sharing the Gospel and connecting them with the local church. Follow the Guatemala team progress here.

CrossTraining Executive Director, Brad Kenney, and Colorado Rapids Associate Chaplain, Cesar Duran, were able to meet with the Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 team to deliver the equipment and pray over the soccer balls, jerseys, and for the team’s trip. Director Kenney opened a prayer and Rev. Duran prayed in Spanish over the team and their trip – that they would be a blessing to the poor of Zacapa.

CrossTraining was able to fulfill most of the request that came from the Valor Christian High School. Below are some photographs from the CrossTraining team delivering the gear and praying over the Valor team before departure.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Away Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Away

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 AwayTimothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 AwayTimothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Request

Uniforms — 100 men’s uniforms (shorts, shirts and socks if available)

Uniforms — 50 women’s uniforms

Soccer balls and pumps — 50

Materials to build soccer goals

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Fulfillment

Jerseys — 200

Soccer balls — 20

Ball pump — 1

If you would like to make an additional contribution to help defray the costs of this project please note (Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016) 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

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016

CrossTraining Timothy ProjectCrossTraining is pleased to announce that they will partner again with Valor Christian High School and the Spanish Instructor/Team Leader Danny Brooks. Brooks and his Valor team of students and adults have been traveling to Guatemala for a number of years now to reach individuals and entire communities with the Gospel. In 2015 and 2014, CrossTraining helped to support and supply the Valor team’s work within several impoverished areas in Guatemala.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 in Zacapa, GuatemalaThe Valor team returns to work with Vida Abundante Church for two weeks in June. The church is located near Zacapa, Guatemala and the team will look to use futból (soccer) as an instrument to reach out to children and teens of various villages and continue to build the relationships that their trips have developed on previous trips. Brooks and his team of students will look to engage communities to come out and play soccer with and use this community building time as a platform for sharing the Gospel and connecting them with the local church.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Needs

Timothy Project: Guatemala 2015

Children play with a makeshift goal in Guatemala

Brooks and his team are requesting soccer balls and pumps to leave behind for the local church and community to continue to use in outreach to the surrounding villages. The team from Valor will also have the opportunity to travel to more remote villages, praying and playing with children and their families and, in some cases, leaving behind a special gift of a soccer ball, or soccer uniform.

The Valor team is also seeking to raise enough money to transform one particular soccer field by building soccer goals with actual nets for one of the local fields close to a village of mud houses.

Many Guatemalans have never owned a pari of soccer cleats and play in "crocs" and sandals.

Young Guatemalan boys grin and smile at getting soccer cleats during Valor’s 2015 trip to Zacapa.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016 Specific Request

Uniforms — 100 men’s uniforms (shorts, shirts and socks if available)

Uniforms — 50 women’s uniforms

Soccer balls and pumps — 50

Materials to build soccer goals

 

If you would like to make an additional contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2016) 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

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 in Zacapa, GuatemalaFor the better part of this summer, Valor Christian High School Spanish teacher Danny Brooks will lead a team of 15 students to Guatemala to reach individuals and entire communities with the Gospel. The Valor team returns to work with Vida Abundante Church in the impoverished areas of Zacapa, Guatemala and will look to use futból (soccer) as an instrument to reach out to children and teens of various villages. Brooks and his team of students will look to engage communities to come out and play soccer with and use this community building time as a platform for sharing the Gospel and connecting them with the local church.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Goals

Parque_Central_Zacapa_450pxBrooks and his team are requesting EvangeBalls to share the Gospel and will leave behind the balls and soccer equipment for the local church to continue to use in outreach to the surrounding villages. The team from Valor will also have the opportunity to travel house to house in villages, praying for families and, in some cases, leaving behind a special gift of a soccer ball.

The Valor team would also like to raise enough money to transform one particular soccer field by building soccer goals with actual nets for one of the local fields close to a village of mud houses.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Summary

20 Evangeballs = $16/each

20 regular soccer balls = $15/each

2 full sized soccer nets = $150/each

Any other soccer equipment available.

$100 donation to build soccer goals at Grama Tierra field in the Canal Village, Zacapa, Guatemala

Total Amount requested = $1000

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Timeline

Supplies needed by May 23

Team departs June 3

Team returns July 3

If you would like to make an additional contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015) 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

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 in Zacapa, GuatemalaFor the better part of this summer, Valor Christian High School Spanish teacher Danny Brooks will lead a team of 15 students to Guatemala to reach individuals and entire communities with the Gospel. The Valor team returns to work with Vida Abundante Church in the impoverished areas of Zacapa, Guatemala and will look to use futból (soccer) as an instrument to reach out to children and teens of various villages. Brooks and his team of students will look to engage communities to come out and play soccer with and use this community building time as a platform for sharing the Gospel and connecting them with the local church.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Goals

Parque_Central_Zacapa_450pxBrooks and his team are requesting EvangeBalls to share the Gospel and will leave behind the balls and soccer equipment for the local church to continue to use in outreach to the surrounding villages. The team from Valor will also have the opportunity to travel house to house in villages, praying for families and, in some cases, leaving behind a special gift of a soccer ball.

The Valor team would also like to raise enough money to transform one particular soccer field by building soccer goals with actual nets for one of the local fields close to a village of mud houses.

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Summary

20 Evangeballs = $16/each

20 regular soccer balls = $15/each

2 full sized soccer nets = $150/each

Any other soccer equipment available.

$100 donation to build soccer goals at Grama Tierra field in the Canal Village, Zacapa, Guatemala

Total Amount requested = $1000

Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015 Timeline

Supplies needed by May 23

Team departs June 3

Team returns July 3

If you would like to make an additional contribution to this project please note (Timothy Project: Valor Guatemala 2015) 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

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