A Team Becomes United in Mexico

The buzzer sounds and the players line up and shake hands after a hard-fought game, but the real “game” is just beginning for the Athletes in Action women’s basketball team as they begin to share their personal faith stories and engage in spiritual conversations with their opponents and other people in Mexico.

The 11-member team travelled to Puebla, Mexico where they used their passion and skills in basketball to not only compete, but to make a spiritual impact. They saw God transform the lives of many people there, but perhaps most remarkable was the work He did in the hearts of the players themselves.

With many deep emotional wounds and from very different backgrounds, the team was brought together for a higher purpose than only competition. At the training camp God began working through the team members to help each other cope with struggles and personal heartaches and to prepare them to reach out to others in Mexico.

One team member describes the importance of her teammates in helping her overcome a tragic event in her life, “I lost half of my heart three years ago; y’all have been putting the pieces back together.” She says, “The principles [AIA taught at the training camp] have been huge in my life in melting my pride because of finding my identity as an athlete.”

To many, basketball is just a game, but for this team it was a means to share and experience God’s love. As the team discipler Rachel S. put it, “The girls were unified in Spirit and purpose in a unique way, and it was evident in how they played on the court and in how they engaged in community off of the court.”

By Lacey Mehling, Athletes in Action summer intern

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