From some of our comments over this site, sporadic as they made be, a reader (you!) may be able to pick up that we like teamwork, working in teams, and the concept of sharing and cooperating that teams imply. Thus frequent appeals and prayer requests for teammates. Ha! That’s just a high-level introduction to our soccer camp from this past Monday and Wednesday. Teamwork was essential.
(Photo slideshow after the break)

First, we connected, via Crossworld, another mission agency, with another ministry, Buxmont Torch that was coming down to work with Athletes in Action in a soccer tournament with local universities. That’s a four-way connection. We were really the free-loaders. The AIA team here (Abbey Reed) and the Torch were really doing the bulk of the work, but Rich Sparling, the Torch president/coach, wanted to work with a church-plant ministry. So we planned a two-day soccer clinic in the neighborhood. We’re always glad for an opportunity to use someone else’s skills!

Second, we had help here. A friend from church here designed banners which we put up. Four seminary students showed up to help warm up the kids. Tere, from small group helped register the kids. Gil from the neighborhood helped hand out flyers. And Eddie helped out yesterday, sick with a travel-cold. So this soccer camp was a total team effort.

Third, soccer is a team sport! We had the US teams here, a well-oiled soccer-teaching machine. We had 80 kids on Monday and 100 on Wednesday, many of them players on teams in the neighborhood league. It was great to see them training, running, laughing, kicking the ball (mostly), learning techniques, and having a great time. Monday, we had to cut our time (5-7 pm) short due to rain, but Wednesday we went the distance, and had time at the end for two Torch players to share testimonies, and for Tim to briefly share the Gospel. It’s hard to say how much of what was said sunk home. But a big immediate success was for a dad to come up to Rich & Tim and tell them, “You need to come back. This was one thing that could bring people together in this neighborhood. We have lots of problems, and people need to see and hear this.” We’re convinced of the truth of 2 Peter 3:9. God is certainly patient with us.

So we’re in this for the long haul. We’re looking right now to be building relationships and to show this neighborhood a Gospel love–grace and truth in Jesus. These are the things that help us do this.

Pray for us! We’ll keep doing the teamwork!

Here are photos from the camp: