On the Road again…Bus tour making way to Berlin

We now have 10 team members with two late additions in Adrienne and Brad Bartz helping our team in the last stage of the tour. The last two days we have been in Brauwnschweig in the city center. Our street soccer tournament there was sponsored by Joey’s pizza, a major chain in Germany, that gave away free pizza all day!

We have had excellent opportunities to talk with people of other faiths and give numerous soccer DVDs and Bibles away. We’ve seen several people take these items, go to a park bench and explore through them for the next hour! Who knows the ripple effect these tools will have.

The churches continue to be impressed by our spirits and believe that us coming to them will give provide numerous contacts to follow up with when were gone.

Now our team makes its way to Berlin and finishes up in Chemintz on June 29th.

Continue to pray for our strength and the power from God and his gospel to change hearts and to refresh us every day!

~Zach

New Hope with the Help from Down Under

Working in the kickoff network has given me a greater view of the Body of Christ. It still amazes me that so many Christians from all over the world are here at the moment, supporting local churches and communities.

In Stuttgart we had a team from the Australian Christian organization “Fusion” helping us. In their home country they are well-known for their community work. Their strategies and concepts are very simple and we’ve found they also work in Germany!

One of their brilliant ideas was to have an “Open Crowd Festival.” It included lots of fun activities like a jumping castle, balloon sculpting, face painting, karaoke singing and water games. People kept coming got involved in the activities. We had more than 300 guests every day! It was a creative way for us to share Christ’s love (everything was for free) and to connect with the people from the neighborhood.

For most of our volunteers it was their first time to share the gospel. They were overwhelmed by the positive response of the people who live there. We were all challenged to take different roles. I would have never thought that it would be so much fun to be a clown for a day. When do I have the freedom again to paint a heart on the cheek of a 80-year-old woman?

We feel very blessed that we had the Fusion team here with us. With their experience and enthusiasm they were a great support and motivation. I think everybody who was with us in these days (including the people who came from the neighborhood!) had the feeling that he/she was part of something bigger. It was also the beginning of many friendships and a new hope for a community.

See more Festival pictures here…

Tschüss!
~ Daniela

The Closing Conference

The Chicago Eagles, Wheaton College, and AIA North America gathered back together at Klostermuehle June 19-21. It was a time to share about what God had done in the ministry sites all over Germany and also what God was doing in them personally.

Dave Lennander, pastor of Rock Berlin, came for the first evening of the conference. He summarized the feelings of all the pastors the teams worked with, by saying that his church was blessed and encouraged by the soccer teams. Dave said that he was encouraged by the soccer players’ attitude to do whatever needed to be done. He spoke about the school visits, camps, clinics, and games the players took part in. Dave said that he was happy to see people come to his church who had never before stepped foot into a church.

The soccer teams have departed Germany. Please pray that they would travel safely. Also, pray that God would continue to remind them of their time in Germany and the great need they have seen here.

The Tour Bus is still on the road! There is a full schedule ahead, so please pray for energy for the team. They will be traveling until June 30th.

~Adrienne

Cologne Bus Tour update

It is our last day in Cologne. I am writing from the city center in an internet cafe.

In less then one hour we gave over 350 DVDs and 100 Bibles away! Today there is a match in the city of Cologne, England vesus Sweden. The city is bursting at the seams with people and there is already a German match being played in Berlin to add to the mayhem. We have been amazed by what God has done in the last three days here.

We have had several conversations with people about faith, spirituality and the person of Christ. Most are suprised yet grateful that we are here and have enjoyed talking with our staff. Tonight we plan to watch the game in several open-screen cafes and cheer on the teams. This is by far the most hectic area we have been to, but our team is more composed, more dependent on each other and God to work through all the snags and holdups each new location brings.

Please continue to pray for unity and for visible works of God to encourage us during hard times. I cannot convey the blistering pace we are on, the energy required, or the trust we need in God to be effective! ~Zach

Soccer Teams return to Klostermuhle

The project team is back at Klostermühle, preparing for the soccer teams to arrive. Tomorrow the soccer teams, coaches, and staff come back to the conference center for debriefing. It will be a time of fellowship and sharing in what God has done in and through them over the past two weeks.

Michele Braceros, one of the team members, said that she cannot believe how fast the time has gone. She said that she is really looking forward to hearing the stories. She is praying that God is preparing the soccer players hearts to be open in sharing what God has done in their lives.

Pray for safe travels for the soccer teams, as tomorrow they are traveling from their ministry sites to Klostermühle.

~Adrienne

Time is Flying!

It is really hard to believe that the soccer teams aspect of the project is almost over! God has moved in mighty ways over the past two weeks. It will be exciting to hear the stories of what the soccer players have seen.

Please pray for the soccer players and coaches as they are wrapping up at their minsitry sites. Pray that they will enjoy the last day with their host families and church communities. Pray that they would follow up with any conversations before they depart.

The bus staff is halfway through their part of the project. Today they were in Kreuztal, outside of Siegan. They were set up in a large sport complex. There were volleyball matches, go-cart races, plus the playstations and street soccer unit! The kids were loving all that there was to do.

Continue to pray that the bus staff would have the energy to persevere. They are encouraged and are doing a great job. It is taxing, however, to have to be on the move all the time.

Thank you for all your support and interest in the World Cup Project. It is neat to see God uniting everyone in reaching the world for Christ!

~Adrienne

Cologne

Today our bus team will arrive in Cologne one of the 12 hosting cities, that are hosting games in their stadiums. Each of these cities has setup FIFA fan camps or festivals with big screens to allow those without tickets to enjoy the games. Our bus team will be right in the middle of that action. Today could prove to be one of our busiest days.

Meanwhile, our team is so thankful on the many different families of churches that have partnered with us. They’ve provided homes for us to sleep in, huge meals and have driven us to and from our bus, helping us get to our new location on time.

Please pray for today that the bulk DVDs and Bibles would find the right hands. Also, today we are on our own. There will be no church to help us set up or give things out. Our team of eight will have to really work together. We are a little over half way on this trip and spirits are as good as can be expected, there is a strong belief and faith in what we are doing! Thanks to everyone that continues to pray for us!

~Zach

A Report from our French Players

The AIA France team left Friedburg, Germany late on June 12th. Joel Thilbault sent the following update about his team's time in Germany.

"Hello, I give you some news about our week in Friedberg. The pastor Markus was very nice and has the vision for the sport minsitry, it was great. Now we are thinking for an another projet in April 2007 with his church.

For the program we offered 100 dvds in 2 schools, camps and the game. We have had 40 players during camps. 40 dvds and 40 Bibles were given. In the friendly game we lost 6 to 2 but it was a very good occasion to give testimoy during half time.

A lot of mini mags and dvds were given in the schools.

We went to Frankfort to see on the Big TV Argentina Coast Ivory. We distributed 200 flyers with testimony

I send to you somes pictures in church with testimony during a match, foot camp, Frankfort and the leg of Fred who was very blue!!"

~Adrienne

Wheaton College Making a Difference

Wheaton College has been working with a church in Cologne for the past 9 days. They are the only team to stay with the same church for the whole 10 day part of the tour. The following is the update posted on www.wheaton.edu from Joe Harding.

“The Team has been busy with elementary school PE classes in the mornings, youth soccer clinics in the afternoon, two games against soccer clubs, the Cafe’ ministry and of course the guys find time to walk the streets of Köln a little too. Our day starts at 7:30 am (some need to be at school by 8:00 AM) and we leave for home from the Cafe’ after the last game, which has been about 11:30 pm. The Team is doing something all the time, however, we get a day off on Thursday!

On Sunday, the team participated in the morning service of the new church plant that GEM missionaries Adam (Wheaton ‘95) & Bethel Gascho (Wheaton ‘95), Jared & Lori (Moody ‘01) Bridges, and Carsten Meisner are starting. Justin and Matt assisted Lori with the music for the worship section of the program and Steve Rigby shared his testimony before Adam Gascho preached the sermon. The whole team was a part of the service in some aspect.

Mike Shearon (Wheaton ‘95), serving with AIA Canada has joined our group and has encouraged our players in many ways. Mike is leading our team’s devotional and spiritual growth sessions each day. He has challenged the players through study of the Scriptures to explore where they are in experiencing the fullness of Christ’s death so they might truly live in Jesus strength now and be able express His love to others. He also has encouraged them to know more completely what it means to die to self for the glory, pleasure, and will of the Lord.

We have played two matches against good German soccer clubs and have won both of them. The team is working together very well. The games have been on dirt fields and our players have adapted quickly. Our ball control style, strong tactics, and physical conditioning has given us the advantage in every game. After each game we stay at the club house and have a meal with the players from the other team and watch a World Cup game. The language has been a little problem, but once again the players go out of their way to find ways to communicate with the other players. Coach Bean is pleased with all aspects of the trip so far! The team’s spirit and desire to serve Christ in any way is our primary goal and thus far we have been able to maintain focus and are achieving our objectives.”

Continue to keep the team from Wheaton College in your prayers. Pray that God would continue to give them strength and endurance to keep up with the busy schedule. Also, please pray that God would continue to protect them from injury.

~Adrienne

AIA North America team in Berlin

AIA North American traveled to Berlin for the second half of their tour. Jon Vanhorn sent the following update:

“We met the pastor of Rock Berlin and watched the match last night at the church. We went to a local school and spoke with physical education classes in the morning. We had a great time interacting with the kids, talking with them, and sharing about our lives. We weren’t able to share Christ, but we did invite them all to a soccer camp we are doing tomorrow. At the soccer camps, we will be able to talk openly about Christ.”

“This afternoon we went to two different parks where there are enclosed soccer fields. We played pick up soccer with kids that were there already playing or walking through the park. We played for a few hours, against about 30 people total. We were able to talk a little with them about our faith. There was one kid from Sweden, who was a Christian already and was visiting for the World Cup. We invited him to church to watch the game tonight and also to the soccer camp tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to see them again and share with them. We are also going back to the parks two more times this week to play and talk with those we come in contact with.”

Please continue to pray for AIA North America. Pray that they will continue to have positive conversations with people they come in contact with!

~Adrienne