Unexpected Excitement

After a good breakfast (baked oatmeal, cold cereal, fresh fruit, and the ever-present, ducle de leche and bread), we sat down around the wood stove to keep warm and have team devotions (Galatians 3). At about 9:30 am, our work project for the morning was setting the posts for what will eventually be a play fort for the campers. Some guys mixed cement while others broke rocks into small pieces or cut boards. The weather was perfect for working outside. The camp staff was very pleased with the progress we made on the project the first day.

When lunch was ready, we ate outside since the weather was so nice. As lunch was ending, Zach Haese, and Micah Herron noticed that there was some smoke in an area of the camp behind our lodge. A quick investigation revealed that some of the ashes from our wood stove had been “thrown out” by Grant Chai and Ben Cummins. The ashes smoldered into a small brush fire and could have become a very serious wildfire had the guys not noticed it when they did. The flames had reached about 2-3 feet high and were spreading quickly in the dry brush. Fortunately, none of the surrounding trees caught on fire. Had that happened we could have been in for a very long afternoon of firefighting. Everyone worked quickly to put out the fire. Some carried water from the swimming pool in buckets that had, earlier in the morning, been filled with cement. Others took shovels and stamped out smoldering grass and brush. God really protected us and the camp facilities from serious damage.

Our first full-field soccer match was in the late afternoon against a club team called Bella Vista. They were very good. They were extremely quick, very skilled and had much more depth than we had. They got out in front of us 2-0, but a goal by Caleb Salsman cut the lead to 2-1 at halftime. Andy Gibbons crossed the ball in front of the net and Micah Herron headed it on to Caleb for the finish. After halftime, Bella Vista’s depth of showed as they built a 5-1 lead. Late in the game, missionary Dan Vallette scored a goal for us making the final margin 5-2.

The two teams gathered after the match and Coach Andrew Scott presented the gospel using the “pelota de muchos colores” (ball of many colors). It is a soccer ball that has all of the colors of the wordless book and is a great tool to use in presenting the gospel. The Uruguayan team listened attentively. Afterward, they each received a t-shirt with the gospel printed on the back and a Bridge tract from our team. All of the spectators also received a Bridge tract. Dozens heard the gospel and many good contacts were made for the church and the camp ministry.

One highlight was a contact that was made by the team and then followed up on by Pastor Reuben from the Iglesia Biblicos Centros. Pastor Reuben is planning on personally following up on this young man. He was able to get his contact information and is planning on keeping in touch with him. He seemed very interested in coming out to church. Pray that he will come next Sunday while the team is still here.

Many of the young men that we are playing soccer against could possibly come out to a week of camp next summer. Camp Director, Dan Vallette and Paul Reece worked on an invitational brochure about summer camp that will be handed out at each of our games. Dan believes that contacts that are made through this soccer trip could result in a number of the young people coming out to camp for a week. We are attempting to connect them with some of the youth group at the church who are attending our games each day.

Team Testimony from Ben Cummins:
Today is August 10 and God has given us another beautiful morning. The weather continues to be slightly colder than I expected. Yesterday, after breakfast and devotions we headed out to begin building a play fort for the camp’s playground facilities. Mixing concrete with a small mixer we placed most of the posts for the foundation of the fort.

The most exciting and shameful part of my day was when Zach Haese noticed a small fire beginning out behind our dorm building right after lunch. Grant Chai and I had a sudden shock of panic as we realized we had poured the ashes from yesterday’s fire out back that morning and several of the embers were still glowing. Our team quickly became expert firemen and the fire was put out without further incident. Things could have gone much worse and I was happy that Grant and I were not on the news that night for burning a camp down.

We played our first full-field game last night against a U-18 team and, despite our best efforts, we met with defeat. We hung with them and the game was exciting from beginning to end. Afterwards Coach Andrew Scott went through a presentation of the “Pelota de Muchos Colores” (wordless book presentation except on a soccer ball) while Caleb Salsmen translated for him. We also presented the players and coaches with a quality soccer ball and t-shirts with the gospel on the back commemorating our trip. The players and coaches listened to the gospel presentation with good attention and were grateful for the scrimmage and the gifts.

I am enjoying using soccer as an outreach. In the past, I have played soccer only for myself and this trip has been amazing to see what God can do with our talents if we allow them to be focused on His glory and not on ourselves. Being surrounded by Christians peers has been the most enjoyable part of my time. We play together, we live together, we hang out together, we work together, and we eat together every day. I hope the trip will continue to be profitable spiritually and physically for the team and the missionary family.

Benjamin Cummins