What a Trip - May 2023

During our time in Tanzania in June 2023, we received a letter from the Good News Prison Ministry, inviting FC Grace to partner with their over 200 chaplain volunteers that evangelize and disciple to prisoners of all backgrounds including Muslims throughout Tanzania. Good News Prison Ministry had heard about the FC Grace message only days before when we met with many football teams and government officials locally in Mbeya. They recognized that this message using soccer as an evangelism tool, was a key to efforts in reaching more prisoners. Additionally, the model we use, based on Jesus’ ministry, raises leaders from those who have been discipled, allowing the chaplains to move on to other locations. We are scheduled to hold our first FC Grace conference on September 18 to 23, and we will be equipping the first 50 chaplains to teach and execute the FC Grace message. This effort will be led by our Tanzania instructor team.

Tanzania, like every nation has a football federation that licenses coaches based on a progressive ladder of certification starting from C for coaching youth teams up to A for coaching professional teams. These licenses are given to coaches after they attend and pass months of multi-level courses. Additionally, these licenses are very expensive and only offered in one location outside Dar es Salaam, making it nearly impossible for most coaches to afford to attend.

This year, FC Grace sponsored two of our Tanzanian instructors, Denis Songela and Rutta Halotel for their “B” License. We estimate that less than 5% of coaches hold any certification, let alone two certifications (B and C). The more FC Grace coaches are licensed, the more coaches we will attract to attend conferences, leading to greater opportunity to evangelize and disciple. Denis and Rutta are the first coaches sponsored by FC Grace. This has been a 5-month long challenge, not only in the courses they took, but also the requirements to perform many coaching hours under professional clubs and coaches, away from their families and teams. They will have completed their training and testing at the writing of this newsletter. Donations we continue to receive contributed to their course cost, expenses and travel.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), the governing body for soccer in country, heard about our consistent and ongoing programs throughout Tanzania and in late August, asked Terry Lyambilo, our lead instructor, to speak about FC Grace at their annual conference for their regional directors and national leadership. TFF told Terry that they had been watching our progress over the five years we had been in Tanzania, and were impressed with our lack of self-interest. Many organizations had come to offer training at a price, and FC Grace had only given, never charged anything. They wanted to learn more and so Terry was invited to speak. As a result, they now want to sit in our conferences as attendees to see the impact directly. They hope to partner with us to reach more coaches in Tanzania with the message of God’s grace.

Through our church, Calvary Chapel Lynchburg, we have reached out to Calvary Chapel in Eastern Africa and received a stunning welcome! Within a week, 10 churches responded with interest and an offer to help with facilities. Bob is speaking to each one of them over Zoom, introducing them to our ministry and message. We are excited to meet with many of these pastors on our next trip and explore how we can work together. These pastors are in Kenya, Uganda, and DR Congo.

Frank Chewe, our lead instructor and Richard Banda, our instructor in Mazabuka, Zambia called upon all the churches in the district on Mazabuka to come together and discuss sending the coaches who have accepted Christ to their churches. 80% of the churches sent their pastors to attend this meeting! As Frank and Richard explained the FC Grace message and ministry, those attending recognized that this message reaches the coaches and their players in their region in a way that they have been unable. They agreed to spiritually support, unite and disciple the new converts that hear the gospel message through FC Grace.

In the Northern province of Zambia, Frank will be holding an FC Grace conference with a large group of Muslim coaches. Bob will be teaching over Zoom for portions of the conference. We are praying for this wonderful opportunity!

In Lusaka, Zambia, we have assisted 3 women in starting small businesses this summer. We are hopeful that these businesses will succeed and that lives will be lifted up.

In Uganda, we have been working with Mamdali Aziz, a wonderful coach based in Entebbe. He has 40 children he supports, with food, clothes, shelter, schooling and soccer. He was on the verge of quitting because of discouragement, and has been working with Bob over this last year. He is now preparing for FC Grace to hold conferences in Entebbe and Kampala, and will be our lead instructor there.

In Malawi, there are two primary cities where we have connections through our lead instructor, Terry in Tanzania. Both locations are interested in having us hold a conference for their coaches including some of the professional team coaches.

This Fall, Bob is the unofficial Chaplain for the Liberty University Men’s Soccer team. He is developing relationships of trust with the players and staff, and offering an open door for players and staff who want individual ministry. Our prayer is for the opportunity to impact players lives for Christ.