“What are your dreams? How
do you want to live and make a difference in God’s kingdom?”
After my freshman year at
Gordon, I entered another summer of fun, family and friends. But these questions plagued me as I
arrived back to start another fall semester at Gordon. I knew God was calling
me to go outside my comfort zone, I just didn’t know how far out. It was only a few months later, during
the summer of 2011, that I found myself in a small Italian village, sharing the
Gospel with kids through the medium of sports.
“Out serve, out love, out
care,” became the motto for my teammates and I throughout Fellowship of
Christian Athletes’ nine-week international sports leadership training in
Northern Italy over the next summer break.
A diverse group of 17 interns
from around the world, my fellow sports interns and I came together with two
common passions: sports and Jesus Christ. Coming from very different
backgrounds and cultures, we learned to put aside our personal habits, jump out
of our comfort zones and relate to people of all nations in order to reach them
for Christ. John 3.30 became an
influential verse for me this summer, “He must become greater; I must become
less.” By practicing this discipline in the community of FCA leaders and
interns, God has completely transformed my narrow view of the world and His
kingdom within it.
I
had never been involved in FCA, barely had I ever traveled outside the States
and the extent of my foreign language skills did not extend much farther than “Hola, ¿Cómo
está usted?” I soon realized this wouldn’t get me too far were I
was headed.
Bobbio Pellice is a little
town in a quiet village, everyday like the one before. I literally woke up every morning with
the song, “Belle,” from Beauty and the
Beast, stuck in my head, hearing cowbells chime as their owners made the
daily trek to the pastures nestled within the Italian Alps. I never knew what was to come each day;
I only knew that the day before had left me a changed person. God continued to challenge me in
everyway in Italy: spiritually, physically, emotionally and relationally.
I flew to northern Italy and
met up with 16 other interns, none of us knew what we had signed up for. We only knew that we were called by God
to use sports for His glory. After
much training (physical, educational and mission-focused) from a variety of internationally
diverse Christian sports leaders, we brought our new skills to the European
children. After a few weeks in the
Italian valley, using sport as a medium to share the Gospel through camps and
clinics, we were split into four small groups and sent to other eastern
European countries to spread seed.
I had never heard of Moldova
before. Before I knew it, I was on a plane to this country, which holds the
titles of both “the most poverty-stricken country in all of Europe” and “the country
with the highest industry for sex trafficking in the world”. I was terrified. Again, out of our
comfort zones, the three other college-age ambassadors and I joined FCA’s
global movement for Christ.
After 60 days of international
sports ministry, I did not consider myself the same person. On the flight back to Boston, I
contemplated where God would use me next and how my life would look differently
after Impact. While I continue to
ask these questions, God continues to comfort me with his Word spoken through
Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will
be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1.9.
Ready to step outside your comfort zone? Sign up for a summer internship or
outreach team; it may just change your life. Italy Impact 2013 is now
recruiting, for those of you who love sports and God’s Kingdom, I highly
recommend it.
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