LIFT Missions Trips: El Ministerio de Deportes

A little about the Sports site:

The Sports site collaborates with kids and youth in Magdalena and nearby areas, seamlessly integrating a range of recreational activities. The primary objective is to impart valuable life lessons, mentorship, and witness a transformative change in the lives of young individuals through a Christ-centered approach. The program includes baseball, soccer, track and field, and badminton. LIFT and SI participants not only cultivate relationships through sports but also engage in coaching exercises and devotionals with various groups of people.

Over the past week in the sports ministry site, I (Tenrick) and Joe, Isaac, and Isaiah have seen the love of Christ shown to these kids so well through their love of exercise, teamwork, and education. Byron and his wife Dulce are amazing at interacting and touching the hearts of these young children!

Through exciting games and short lessons, you can tell these kids are being poured into. The kids are very friendly, even though I can only understand half of what they are saying. The sports ministry at Students International Guatemala is intentionally relational. You can see this exercised in the way that Byron and his team greet and converse with these boys and girls.

Byron is not only a “coach” to these kids but is also a “pastor” to them. He shares the gospel daily with each group of children he teaches and encourages them to work on scripture memory. Being in the sports ministry is physically exhausting at times, but seeing the joy and happiness in these children is so rewarding.

Through a cycle of sports: baseball, basketball, soccer (futbol), volleyball, and badminton, Byron teaches the children to excel in all aspects of physical education. This past week has been a blast, and I am so thankful for the opportunity I was given to be here. Thank you all for your support!