Street Kids Ministries

Okay, Let me tell you an update on a couple ministries that I have had the opportunity to get involved with while I have been here. Saturdays I have been going to this soccer camp that gives street kids the opportunity to learn learn and play soccer as well as receive the opportunity to learn the word of God and hear the Gospel. I have really enjoyed it and it is an activity that I really look forward too. It is run by my friend Kent and my Friend Jenny also helps out a lot. He has like a hand full of Rwandan coaches who work to teach the kids. These guys are all really fun hang out with and play soccer with. We work with the kids all morning and then in the afternoon the coaches play against each other and then we eat lunch and have a time of fellowship and devotion with ourselves. This last week I started using some of my soccer knowledge to help with training some of the kids that want to be goal keepers and it was a lot of fun getting back into the keeper mindset and I loved teaching them some drills and not having to do any of it myself. This ministry that Kent is doing is a great one as he works with a limit of around 100 kids from age 7 or 8 to around 16 each Saturday.

On Wednesdays I usually go to hang out and speak to another group of street kids with a guy from Youth For Christ. When I say kids I mean their age range is from like 9 or 10 to almost 25. So it is a very diverse age group. This past week we used some of your money that was graciously given to buy some food for each one of the kids. As all of them live on the streets, a couple attend school, a few have parents, but non of them have stable shelter to live in or daily food to eat. They spend their days begging or stealing money so that they can eat or buy drugs and alchohol to ease the life that they live. This past Wednesday was an untraditional day as there was a small group of guys so we just decided to sit and listen to them. So prompted by some questions from us we just sat and listened to their needs, physical and spiritual. Most of them were physical like food, money, or a place to live but some were spiritual. We just let them open up about their lives and we just listened. Then we talked about ways that we could better help them and meet their needs and how the guys who work with them on a daily basis care and love them and want to encourage them to want to go back to school or try and make money from a job instead of trying to steal it. It is the men who are like 18-25 who are the hardest to know how to help. Next week we will share another meal with them.

Well this is a very big weekend. I want to wish everyone a happy Easter as we take a special time to think and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we enjoy our Easter basket for those who get one and our Easter egg hunt lets look beyond that to the saving Grace of Christ through his death and resurrection. It takes me back to the church musical we would have every year that I was in a couple times playing a crippled boy or something...maybe my mom can remember, who was also a wonderful singer in the choir. Anyways has they would all stand and sing "HE'S ALIVE, HE'S ALIVE". Lets praise God, He's Alive.

This is also the first weekend of the national tourney and I want to say that this is one of my favorite times of the year, though I am disappointed because I will probably not be able to watch any of the games being I have not seen any tv in over a month and the games will mostly be in the middle of the night here, but if anyone wants to tivo the games for me it would be very appreciated upon my return. Go Heels.