An SRS team served alongside a softball club in Erd to run a softball camp for five hours on each of the two days. A very experienced female player and coach from the US helped the girls to equip and improve their game on and off the pitch. Besides coaching defensive plays and batting, our team had great talks about focus and resilience.
360 people from 38 countries gathered for 3 days to think about the gaps as we seek to make disciples in sport and play in Europe.
The ECSU gathering 2019 in Altenkirchen, Germany reminded us that our God is unstoppable. We learned more about sports ministry and the sports ministry projects within Europe. We played sports together and made new contacts and friends. But moreover, we were motivated to GO: to all people, all places, all sports.
The SRS Girls’ Gymnastics Camp 2019 took place this February in Germany. Like every year, the camp focused on gymnastics and what God is doing with sports.
The 30 participants aged between 11 and 17 spent most of the weekend in the new and well-equipped gymnasium. A team of six coaches served the athletes as new elements could be learned and familiar ones practiced. There was also time for personal exchange and recovery.
Through the daily devotions, the gymnasts were able to hear how character traits of God can be combined with well-known terms from gymnastics. Saturday evening stations on regeneration and prayer gave the opportunity to meet God personally. To be practically challenged during the devotions and to explore further characteristics of God, each participant was allowed to take home a MOREsports-bible.
Through this balanced mix, it was a very enriching camp for the participants as well as for the coaches, where God’s presence became clear in many ways. We are thankful for the great fellowship, safety during gymnastics, the good conversations and the excellent food, which was provided by a kitchen team.
“Everything was perfect. I really liked it here, and I hope I can come back.”
Participant of camp
“The camp could not have gone better.
Participant of camp
This two-day camp was arranged for the first time in this small Hungarian town in Southern Romania. We are thankful that God sent us between 5 and 12 kids of all age-groups to teach them in basketball, volleyball and floor-ball. He blessed them with open hearts and minds which led to great talks about loyalty and respect. This all happened as the pastor we serve alongside in the neighboring town of Curtici, wanted to reach out to the youth in Dorobanti.
SRS-International was able to come alongside the Seehaus and provide soccer balls for the residents. The Seehaus is an alternative prison program for youth. Youth ages 14-23 who have been sentenced 1-5 years in prison can apply to the program. In the program, they learn to become responsible citizens. They live in a family unit with groups of 7 and a host family. They also receive vocational training in wood work, metal work, and agriculture. Within this construct, they have the opportunity to play sport on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and they usually play an organized sport. This is where the ability to equip the Seehaus with equipment for the youth to enjoy sport within their context.
With your donations, we provided the Seehaus with 18 all-purpose soccer balls. Some of you may ask but why so many? The Seehaus has 2 houses. One in Leonberg, Germany and One in Leipzig, Germany. The balls will be divided among the 2 houses to be used. SRS-International has an ongoing relationship with the Seehaus and looks to assist them in their programs as needed.
In January a project was started in Leonberg Germany. Many of our partners came together along with the local churches to form a team that would hold a “play time” with refugee children once a week. They call it Kids Club for children ages 6-12. It focuses on local refugee and marginalized children. Many of them come from homes where abuse and neglect are all too frequent. Most are also from a Muslim background. We average 12-20 children a week.
The goal is to play sport, teach values, and show Christ through our love for them. These things together help to develop and equip the child physically, mentally and we pray spiritually.
In April, we were blessed to have someone sponsor 2 of the children from the club to attend the SRS KiSA camp. This was a tremendous experience for them. To sleep in cabins, play sport and learn more about Christ was exciting for them. They stated the camp was “Great Fun.” One of the girls came back to the club and performed a dance she had learned at the camp.
We are thankful for this opportunity God gave us to serve alongside each other and the children. Pray for our team that we will be patient. Pray God will stir in the hearts of these children. Pray that our team will continue to grow and that we would get more involvement from the community.
The SRS women’s soccer team went on a trip to Northern Ireland to serve the area with a soccer camp and to play against a U-17 representative team. The camp had 160 children participating and the match was enjoyed by all. During the camp, the children aged 9-14 had training sessions, tournaments, and a “just for fun” tournament for female teams.
The SRS women’s soccer team went on a trip to serve Northern Ireland for a soccer camp and played against a U-17 representative team while there. The camp had 160 children participating. During the camp, the children ages 9-14 had training sessions, tournaments, and a “just for fun” tournament for female teams. Besides soccer, the SRS team was able to share with the children that they are loved by God and that Jesus died for them. As a reminder of those and two other points, every child got a bracelet with symbols of those facts. The match against the U-17 team was the first time the SRS team had played a match together. It was a great opportunity for enjoying sport together.
An international team of sport mentors (chaplains) served at the 2018 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. This tournament is the biggest Paralympic event after the Paralympics itself. The team contained eight people from: Great Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands and Japan. The chaplains spent most of their time in direct contact to the athletes.
In September, we visited a rowing school in Uruguay and got the assurance for a location where a new rowing school will established. At this new location in Montevideo, there is an opportunity to build a bigger rowing school and therefore reach more people. Besides the rowing school, we visited many former pro soccer players and their families.
SRS-In Sport News