The beginning of 2021 looks much different than in previous years. However, we are blessed to continue finding ways to serve God in the communities to bring light and hope. Today we are hearing from Willy Lopez, one of our Sports Site leaders in Costa Rica.

Our Sports and Recreation ministry here in Costa Rica incorporates various recreational activities to teach and mentor and ultimately see young people’s lives changed for Christ. At the end of 2019, we had worked very hard to develop strong relationships in the community with both the kids and their families; then, 2020 struck. Everything halted, and all in-person sports ministry stopped.

Now in 2021, we are taking our first steps into a new normal. Schools still aren’t open at full capacity, and kids have a little more free time these days. That means they’re able to spend more time with us in our programs! Right now, we have a running group that meets two days a week, handball once a week, and soccer training/drills twice a week! We are so thankful to be able to have space and relationships to keep these programs running.

This past Monday, we had our first training at an indoor soccer field! I can’t describe how incredible it was to be back on the turf! We ran drills, did conditioning, and took some practice shots. Man, are these guys out of shape! We are working on fixing that!

Our site’s most exciting part isn’t the sports practices; it is our bible club/youth group! It is an evening we spend with them and is very similar to a youth group in the US! We don’t force any of the kids to come because we value their desire to be there. Our prayer is for the kids we connect with through sports to feel the Holy Spirit tap on their shoulder and nudge them to youth group! Ultimately we want to facilitate a God experience for every kid with whom we come in contact!

Would you pray for our ministry site? Please pray that God would continue to open relational doors in the community. Pray that we would continue to have access to soccer fields. Also, we pray that Daniel and I, Willy, would be encouraged to speak into the lives of the kids that we serve.

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