Athletes in Action News and Commentary

The end...

We all arrived safely back to the United States late yesterday night.  It felt weird saying goodbye to everyone but we all know that it won't be the last time we are together.  We became way too close to not be friends for ever.  God put this team together for a reason.  We were all gifted in different areas and we blended very well with each other.  Someone's weakness may have been someone else's strength.  In that way, we all balanced each other out.  As we grew closer to each other, we grew closer to God as well.  We all learned so much during the past few weeks and we are all excited to put into practice all that God has taught us.  We are sad that this trip is over but at the same time we know that this is just the beginning.  God has so much more in store for us.  Now it is time for us to impact our campuses.  So really this "end" is only the beginning.

 

The song has ended but the melody lingers on...

"The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." -1 Corinthians 15: 56-58

We finished our last clinic yesterday.  It's bitter sweet because no one wants to leave but we all know that God has even more in store for us as we go back to our different parts of the country.  We all sense that God will use us in big ways when we get back to the states.  We have not only impacted the lives of athletes around us, but we also impacted each other.  When we take a step back and observe, we see how far God has brought us all in this short amount of time.  

We are  sad to be done working with the Guatemalan National team.  We really connected with them because they were all around the same age as us.  They were all so full of life and so receptive to our testimonies and gospel presentations.  Erin really connected with her throwers and I think if she could she would put them all in her carry on to take back home with her.  The distance runners really bonded with Javier and he is looking for a scholarship to run in the USA.  Naturally, we decked him out in Alabama gear.  Why settle for less than the best?  I kid, any university would be great.  Sam took on the role as a pole vault coach and did an amazing job working with those athletes.  Phil and Josh did a little bit of everything and were able to make some great relationships with a bunch of different athletes.

Not only were these athletes around our age but they also spoke english.  I can't even describe to you how much this helps when trying to communicate with someone.  Because of that, we were able to share about our faith in Jesus Christ on a run and not just after practice with Cristobal as our translator.  We still can't be sure on how many actually received Christ into their hearts but we will find out in heaven.  There were some athletes there that had already placed their faith in Jesus Christ so we know that the ones who just did will have someone so help them in their faith.  

Last night after our last practice, we all went to Pizza Hut.  Guatemalans like pizza just as much as americans.  We spent about 2 hours there and had the time of our lives hanging out with the athletes.  What made it even better is that they had the waiters sing Happy Birthday to Erin (her birthday is today).   The times we've had with all of the athletes that we have worked with will be forever etched in our memory.  We've had the time of our lives here and it makes us hungry for more.  We all had a taste of doing God's will and planting seeds for the harvest.  God is always looking for workers and we have 11 people on this team more than willing to do whatever it takes to go out into the harvest.  "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" -Matthew 9: 37-38

Debriefing starts today so that we are well prepared to go back home.  Pray today that we say everything that needs to be said to each other.  This is our last full day as a team together and we want to get the most out of it.  Also pray that tomorrow we have safe travels back to our destinations.  

KUJO

Mudslides

"For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go." -Psalm 91:11

We left early Wednesday morning for Panajachel and Antigua.  There  has been so much rain in the past few weeks and there are mudslides all along the highways.  Cristobal did an amazing job driving us and we arrived to each destination safely.  It was crazy to see all of the mudslides first hand because they have been on the national and global news lately and we were in the middle of it.

We arrived in Panajachel mid-morning to go swimming in the lake.  It was a torrential downpour and cold outside.  We decided to take a boat to a hot spring so that we wouldn´t freeze to death.  This "hot spring" turned into be a hot hole.  We tho ught the driver was kidding when we arrived at this little "hot spring".  The only thing hot about it was when we stuck our foot in a hole and then are foot got hot.  This was definitely not what we had in mind but it is definitely something we will forever remember.  We keep getting closer as a team (literally and figuratively).  You can´t help but make best friends when you have to cuddle up next to each other for warmth.

Afterwards, we left for Antigua to do some sight seeing and shopping.  We met Charlie while shopping.  Charlie is a Christian and he gave us all free bracelets and really good prices on his merchandise.  We love Charlie.  We also had the best cheesecake in the world.  Cheesecake factory had nothing on this stuff.  Phil is convinced that Antigua sold its soul to the devil because everything tastes so good there.  Being the typical American tourists, we ate at McDonalds for dinner.  To our defense though, it is the nicest McDonalds any of us have ever seen.

Right now our brother in Christ Josh is in the hospital.  Josh is on the basketball team that toured Guatemala.  The rest of the team have already gone back to the states but he and Craig (his coach) are still here in the city.  Pray that Josh is able to get his blood sugar levels back to normal and that the IV replaces fluids lost.  Right now he and his coach are having a hard time figuring out when they will leave they city so pray that their travel schedule works out as well.

KUJO

Opened Doors

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations..." -Matthew 28:19

Tuesday was a busy day for us.  We got up early for track practice at 6 but the track team didn´t show up.  It was raining outside so practice was cancelled.  It was a blessing though because the distance runners were able to get their workout in before our next meeting at 8.  We met with the wrestling team at 8 and Kelsey F. shared her testimony and then Leigh gave a gospel presentation.  At the end we handed out beanie babies.  Why did we hand out beanie babies?  Each one has a bracelet tied around it´s neck.  Each bead represents something in the gospel and there is a sheet that goes along with it detailing what each bead means.  Unfortunately, we had a lot of pink ones and there are more male wreslters than female wrestlers.  Real men have pink beanie babies, right?  Later in the day we met with about 60 track athletes.  Cristobal interviewed Josh, Christi, and Kelsey J.  Josh was interviewed on the physical side of track, Christi was interviewed on her spiritual life, and Kelsey was interviewed on the psychological/emotional side of track.  Cristobal then tied all 3 together to explain how each one of us gives our very best in practice, races, and in life.  He explained that we give our very best in those areas because Jesus Christ gave His all for us.  When we give our all in a race, we are giving thanks to God for what He did for us.  Cristobal then gave a gospel presentation to explain how they too could have this personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

While we were meeting with the track athletes, Caleese and Phil met with about 17 swimmers. They shared a little bit of their testimony and they also gave a gospel presentation.  Before they met with the swimmers, they noticed a news guy with a camera.  Naturally, their first instinct was to ask to be on camera.  For some odd reason, the man agreed and interviewed Phil on why he was in Quetzaltenango.  Phil told him all about Athletes in Action and what we are about.  He explained the love we have for sports and for Jesus.

We met with over 100 athletes today and even more watched the news to hear about Athletes in Action.  We have no idea how many accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts today.  However, what we do know is that we did all we could.  We know that one day we will see many of these athletes in the kingdom of heaven.  Today we planted the seed and our prayer is that someone comes into their life to grow them up in their faith. 

After a long busy day, we had to celebrate.  So where did we celebrate?  Pizza Hut.  Probably the best meal of the trip thus far.  Guatemalans make some delicious pizza.

KUJO

Rainy day or blessing?

"Ask and it will be given to you: seek and you will find: knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives;, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

We went back to the track at 4 for practice.  It had been raining since about 3 and it didn't look like the rain would let up anytime soon.  No one was at the track so we went into the gymnasium to stay dry.  We weren't sure what the afternoon would bring so a couple of us got together to pray that the Lord would open up oppurtunities for us.  Apparently, that's all we needed because he let the flood gates open (literally and figuratively).  Our rained out track practice turned into the biggest blessing ever.  There was a basketball team, swim team, and wrestling team all in the gym.  Thankfully, we have a few former swimmers and basketball players on our team.  So what do you do with a basketball team and track athletes that used to play basketball but now run track and are in Guatemala for a mission trip?  Well naturally, you teach them a full court press.  Duh.  Then when practice is over you play knock out with them.  While that's going on you teach the swimmers different American games such as "ninja".  And even when all of that is going on, you have a former cheerleader who is on the trip share her testimony in spanish without a translator and then prays with the girls she shared with.  Are you still with me?  Good.  Now, while all of those interactions are taking place you have your spanish/english translator making connections.  So because of all of that,tomorrow we will be meeting a track team at 6, the wrestling team at 8, another track team at 3, and then the swimming team at 3:30.  We will be sharing testimonies and the gospel in each of those meetings! 

Because of one simple rain storm, one simple prayer, and one willing group of individuals, God opened so many doors.  The complete joy and happiness that our team has right now is simply amazing.  We all sense the presence of God and we feel Him working in and around us.  Today in our team meeting Tim was talking about how normally our agenda is no agenda at all.  We are just here waiting for God to open oppurtunities up for us and then we follow His lead. 

Please be praying that everyone we speak to tomorrow is receptive to the truth.  Pray that they see in us something different.  Pray that God speaks through us to say exactly what needs to be said.  Just pray.  You never know what one simple prayer will do.  For us, one simple prayer could mean many saved lives.

KUJO