Ministry in Brazil Through Soccer
Andrew Harrod – Class of '10
Accounting
The average American will live about 3640 weeks. Weeks? Well, I would venture to say that not many people measure their lives in weeks, but one’s life can change in a week or, in my case, three weeks. This past summer I spent three weeks in the South American country of Brazil. Those three weeks are equal to just under .0001% of my expected lifespan, yet those three weeks may prove to be some of the most profitable of my life.
The Ministry Team
For 10 of the past 11 summers, Gil Fremont, a BJ Junior High teacher, has traveled with a team of university students to Brazil. Throughout the years the players have varied, but the mission has remained the same: to reach Brazilians with the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, through soccer. The Brazil Soccer Mission Team is one of the great sports opportunities at the university.
This past May I had the privilege of returning with Coach Fremont to Brazil. Preparations for the trip had spanned the entire Spring semester, and the team had invested multiple hours in practice and prayer. Finally, the day of our departure arrived. Landing in Rio de Janeiro, my teammates and I began our three-week journey through the country. Throughout our time, we truly had a multifaceted ministry, serving in seven different cities with some 11 missionary families. Our ministry was not just confined to the soccer field, but also we had opportunities to share the Gospel in various types of schools and churches.
Ministry beyond soccer
Aside from our soccer outreach, one of my favorite ministries was teaching in the English schools. Many Brazilians enroll in additional English programs outside of their regular schooling. Being Americans, “experts” on the English language, these English schools openly receive us, because of the benefit we can provide their students through increased vocabulary and conversation skills. Also, this gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel.
At one such school in Oswaldo Cruz, I spoke with a group of teenage girls. To the girls, Jesus Christ was the statue that overlooked the harbor of Rio, but after sharing the Gospel with them, they were interested in learning more about salvation. Unfortunately, our time had ended at the school, so I invited them to our soccer game the following day. After the game, a couple guys from the team and I spoke with the girls from the English school. Due to the Wednesday night service, the team had to leave quickly, so we invited the girls to church. At church that evening I was thrilled to see about six girls from the school arrive at the church, because I knew the Gospel would be presented. Although the girls did not accept Christ that night, they promised to return to the church. I do not know if the teens returned, but they heard the good news that night.
Ministry in Sorocaba
Perhaps the most fruitful ministry the team had was in Sorocaba, a city outside of São Paulo. We served at Igreja Batista Esperança or Hope Baptist Church. One evening we held a teen “Cola Wars” outreach. The previous days we had spent canvassing the area around the church. While canvassing, we were able to see the hopeless conditions in which some Brazilian children and teens live. These conditions broke my heart, but they rejuvenated my desire to reach the young people of that community with the Gospel.
On the night of the “Cola Wars,” the time came for the program to begin and about 10 teens had arrived. After all our canvassing we had much greater expectations, but I believe God showed us that He would be the one to provide the increase. In a last-minute effort, the team went around the neighborhood to encourage teens to come. Slowly, teens began to fill the church’s lot. By the end of the night some 60 teenagers had come for the activities. Upon completing the games, the Gospel was presented to the teens. Once the invitation had ended, I looked around the room, and it appeared as though half of the teens in the room had responded. We are not sure exactly how many accepted Christ that night, but God was good.
On the soccer field
Of course, my favorite ministry was on the soccer field. (Admittedly, after the trip, I didn’t want to see or touch a soccer ball for several months.) But if we hadn’t been a soccer team, many of our open doors for ministry would have been shut. Our ministry on the soccer field crossed quite a range of venues. We had the opportunity to play on dirt fields, concrete floors, municipal fields and professional training fields. We played children, teens, adults with skill levels that varied from the beginner’s level to the professional level. But regardless of one’s skill, each player had the same need, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. During half-time or after every game the team shared the Gospel through testimony and song. I cannot tell you a number of people who accepted Christ, but I know that God’s Word went forth. Isaiah 55 reminds me that God’s Word will accomplish what it was sent out to do. I look forward to heaven, where I will get to meet my brothers in Christ who were saved as a result of our soccer ministry.
In summary, thousands were reached with the Gospel. The team distributed 5,000 “Bridge” tracts and 5,000 team cards, a card with each team member’s picture and the plan of salvation on the back. Speaking conservatively, I believe that over 15,000 Brazilians heard the Gospel. Praise the Lord for the open doors He provided, the souls He saved, and the work He will continue to do in Brazil. Please pray for Brazil as the Lord continues to work in that land.
What was gained?
Profit? No, I did not gain financially during the trip. In reality, it is thanks to the generosity of my friends and church that I was able to go. Profit? Yes--15,000 people heard the good news. If I handed out one tract a day for the next 40 years, I still would not have reached 15,000 people with the Gospel. True, the time was short, but the impact was great.
