Sports Club

Motto: “Remember your creator in the days of your youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1

"I'M RIDING SHOTGUN" screamed the guys as they raced for my car and wrestled for the front seat on the way to an evening of sports. Eventually things settle down as I hear the 'click' of seatbelts. Its the beginning of an exciting evening!

All Nations Sports Club was birthed after several refugee teen boys we were acquainted with joined gangs. My colleague and I recognized that their younger brothers were just a step away from trouble. The problem is greater for single moms who lose control of teenage sons.

   

So we approached a church about using their gym for an evangelistic sports club for newcomer boys aged 12-17. We outlined the goals and activities. We’d have 2 hours of sports with a ‘God-talk’ half-time. Our leaders were to be role models and we were hoping the boys would go to Christian camps in the summer. The church agreed to adopt the club as a ministry so that we could come under their insurance policy and use their facilities.

We started off with 4 boys whose widow mom is a Believer from Muslim Background. Soon friends from Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Nepal, and Afghanistan, etc. begged “Can we come too?” Each boy had to have permission from his parent. The demand quickly grew and we had to be selective which group of 10 boys we would take. Eventually our club grew to 3 groups.

Early on we identified 4 simple rules(4 R’s): Respect God, Leaders, Each Other, and Property(including rules for riding in our cars). We carefully explained our expectations. It was challenging at first. We also remind the boys and their parents a day ahead of sports club.

One time a boy was mad with another boy and as he entered the church doors exploded with the ‘f’ word. Since we had explained there would be no swearing in the club, he got a ride home and given a week to think about what he had done. It paid off! 

Before dividing into teams, we start the evening off with a short prayer. Christian ‘peer’ leaders assist and give testimonies and pray when asked. The boys respect them. At half-time we have a 15 minute ‘God-talk’. Since we are dealing with many Muslim boys, we start off with Arabic and English names for Old and New Testament characters they know. Generally, we address the topic “Who is God?” using OT characters in the fall season. In the spring session, we shift to “Who is Jesus?” with emphasis on the NT. Resources we utilize include Bible for Children for the younger boys and The Hope Project for the teens. Last year one of our specials was a Christian hip hop artist. They l-o-v-e hip hop!

   

The icing on the cake came as we were sending the boys to Bible Camp. We overheard, “Are you going to the Jesus camp?” Some are softening to the gospel message. We believe God is at work beneath the surface and some day we will see more visible fruit. PTL!

If this whets your appetite to start a sports club of your own and would

like to hear more, please contact me.

Heavenly Father, thank-you for allowing us to minister to these boys at risk through sports. Amen.

Taxi Rides

“…there will be more joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:10.

Trips by taxi can be quite interesting! Most of the drivers who are newcomers to our land respond to a friendly passenger and may share happy news or even a felt need during a short ride to my destination.

“Our water buffalo had a female calf!”, exclaimed the taxi driver from India. “We’ll be able to ship more milk to the Nescafe Chocolate Milk factory." He just got the news from his family. Because of my Pakistan days, I could relate to that since I saw with my own eyes how important a water buffalo cow was to a family's income. On another trip, the Punjabi driver was so impressed that I could talk some Hindi, he called his taxi driver friend in Vancouver and had me talk to the man.

In Adelaide, Australia we were on a taxi and I asked the Hindu driver if he knew how to get to heaven. “No, I don’t.” He was even unsure what heaven was all about. Perhaps he was thinking we'd ask him to take us there!! We were able to explain to him that you can’t use a GPS for that trip but because Jesus prepared the way we can join him in heaven simply by following him.

Our Muslim background believer friend, a taxi driver, picked up a newly arrived Uzbek couple at midnight and dropped them off at a hotel for free since they had no Canadian cash or credit card. Then he gave them our telephone number. So, they contacted us and we had many good opportunities to share Jesus.

One morning we took a taxi from our hotel to a church we were speaking at in Edmonton. The Somali taxi driver was quite distraught that there was another murder of a Somali young man over the week-end. Joy said, “I know someone who knows who killed the man.” “You do!?” asked the driver. Joy was able to share about Jesus who knows about all these things. He forgot where he was going and we had to redirect him to the right road! At the end of our trip, we gave him a ‘Jesus’ dvd. He thanked us profusely.

On another morning when I felt really lousy and quite discouraged, I took a taxi to see the doctor. All I could think of was “Jesus loves me, this I know…” so I started singing the chorus in the back seat. After about the 3^rd time around, the taxi driver started singing along! I gave him a New Testament to find out more about Jesus.

And there have been many other incidents when we've been able to show our care for the taxi driver by enquiring about his family and well-being. Taxi drivers respond very well to a few words of greeting in their language. For a Muslim, “asalam a lekum' or for a Hindu “Namaste”. Sometimes the question will be “Are you a Muslim?” and that opens up an opportunity to explain who I am.

Dear heavenly Father. We know that you care for these taxi drivers. Help me to be alert and hear what you want me to say to each one. Amen

Launching a Ministry Centre

 My friend Paul and his wife resettled in Canada after many years of ministry in a Muslim majority country. Even though his geographical location changed, Paul's concern for Muslims traveled with him. He prayed and explored what ministry he could pour his passion into. God opened the door to utilize Millbourne Community Life Centre 3 days a week. They teach 4 levels of English. 110 students are registered with an average attendance of about 40 students.

Students come from approximately 20 nations with about half from Latin American countries and the other half from the Middle East, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal, Korea, Philippines and Djibouti.  About a third of the students are Muslim.

They were hoping for more Muslims, but the ministry is in its inception and they are strategizing how to attract more South Asians.  They are also figuring out how to develop more relationships with Muslim men, as the student base is almost entirely female.

Paul writes: “Attached are some stories about our students." 

“In my home country I went to seminary and was a trained Catholic cleric, part of the Franciscan order.  I began to work with my people helping them understand their rights in an attempt to bring justice to my community.  One day I came home to find that it had been attacked by people who did not like what I was doing.  My wife was seriously injured and my young daughter murdered. My wife and I fled to Spain. Now I am here.   I ceased to believe in God and his goodness.”

“I came from Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, spent time in Djibouti, and ended up in Montreal.  I was in Montreal a few years and now I am here.  I speak five languages.  There was too much fighting and corruption in my country.  I am from Muslim background but don’t practice Islam here.   Here there is peace, security, and justice.”

“I came to discuss several problems with you.   My first problem is that I need to pass the CELPIP test for residency status in Canada.  I have failed the listening part of the test 2 times.  Every time I take the test I pay $300.  I need help with listening comprehension.  My second problem is that I would like to buy a house because the mortgage payments would be cheaper than paying rent.  What do I need to do to buy a house?  The third issue is that my high school-aged son has no community, no friends.  He is very lonely and wants to go back to our home country.  What can I do to help him?  And finally, I am from a Calvinistic (reformed) background and my wife is Catholic.  We have a new pastor in our church who is very political.  We would like to go to your church.  We have noticed that people are very friendly here.  What are the prerequisites for going to your church?”

These are a few stories from our students. Each one has a special journey and their journey has led them to us.  Pray that God would give us wisdom as we guide them into His story.  “Pray that we will proclaim the message as clearly as we should” (Col 4:4).”

Thank-you Paul for sharing these amazing stories of God at work even though you've just begun!