“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” Luke 14:12-13...
By Shane Smith, SF Kenya There’s a popular saying in ministry that many new missionaries find comfort and strength in: God doesn’t call the equipped, rather, He equips the called. As we head to unfamiliar places to serve people we’ve never met, we trust that God will...
Last week our staff members at Camp Langano interviewed a few of the campers. Read what these young men had to say about camp below! Name: Shumi Age: 14 Favorite Part of Camp: Everything! But mostly the zipline and Goliath! Something I learned at Camp: I learned about...
By Moses Gyok, SF Nigeria Camp is unarguably a very big event that provides an opportunity for kids to give their lives to Christ, but it is also just a beginning in the process of discipleship. Uwenruza David Dama is 11 years old and is committed to knowing God. He...
From May 9-16, I was in Kenya for the Sports Friends Training of Trainers with sports ministry leaders from all over Kenya and Malawi. It was an incredible time of fellowship, fun, learning, and growing in Christ. The Lord met us and encouraged each person at the...
By Fostance Mtolo To serve God is a calling and commitment, and at all of our Sports Friends trainings we emphasize that each person must count the cost of making disciples of Christ through sport. In December 2013, we had a training in Chikwawa, Malawi, with 36 newly...
By Mia Smith and Lemmy Delano From a young age Sanchez was enthralled with the world of soccer. Throughout his childhood and then into high school he poured in endless hours to improve his skills and set his sights high on the dream of someday playing professionally....
This month we’d like to introduce you to Shane, the Country Director of SF Kenya! Name: Shane Smith Role with SF: SF Kenya Director Favorite Sport/Team: Soccer / Arsenal Favorite Bible Verse: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that...
By Mia Smith and Lemmy Dalano, SF Kenya The soft sound of a broom being swept across the floor accompanied the looks of wonderment cast in that direction. A few weeks earlier no one would have guessed Joseph would be the one with broom in hand, aiding and encouraging...
By Ishaya Inuwa, SF Nigeria "... and the darkness could not comprehend it." John 1:5 The history of northern Nigeria today is characterized by violence resulting from insurgencies. Life is full of uncertainties within this region, and so people are fleeing/migrating...
This month we’d like to introduce you to Ben, one of the the Country Leaders of SF Ghana! Name: Ben Gariba Amonung Role with SF: Country Leader, SF Ghana Favorite Sport/Team: Football (Soccer) / Chelsea Favorite Bible Verse: "As Scripture says, 'Anyone who believes in...
By Shane Smith & Lemmy Delano, SF Kenya Young Pendo was raised in a family where she was constantly neglected. Due to the hard environment where she lived, she struggled to keep up in school and began to look for other opportunities. Having grown up in a household...
In June of 2012 a young man named Mawusa Jackson took a nearly capsized carved-out tree to get to the other side of the Shire River. He was determined to cross the treacherous crocodile and hippo-infested waters for one purpose – he had been elected by his small...
This month we'd like to introduce you to Jonathan, the director of SF Niger! Name: Jonathan MooreRole with SF: Director, SF NigerFavorite Sport/Team: NFL, Green Bay PackersFavorite Bible Verse: Romans 12:9-21 Favorite Food: Luku (Fufu) and manioc greensWhat do you...
By Mia Smith and Lemmy Dalano, SF Kenya // Photos by Hunter Buchanan All Zena had ever known was fear. Even in the very place serenity was supposed to rule, fear was overriding. Instead of bringing a sense of peace, home for Zena was accompanied by a sense of dread...
In December of 2013, Sports Friends Malawi leaders travelled 120 kilometers south to a district of Malawi called Chikwawa. There we trained 34 leaders from the surrounding local churches who had shown much interest in sports ministry. It was a blessed time where the...
By Mia Smith & Lemmy Delano, SF Kenya Terror was all the villagers could comprehend as the screaming and gunfire began. Pulling the men away from their homes and families, the attackers slaughtered them mercilessly. The once-dark night was illuminated by...
By Laurie Sadio, SF Senegal One of the most valuable aspects of sports ministry is how quickly and easily a newly trained coach can begin forming relationships and ministering to youth. Once a soccer ball is involved, it doesn’t take much for young people to come...
By Solomon Pam, SF Nigeria A long walk of obedience with God can be challenging, but is also very rewarding! Discipling young people is often a part of that long walk of obedience. Discipleship takes time, energy, and a steady commitment of patience. And even in the...
By Laura Hall, SF Ethiopia “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 If the primary role of a coach is to support and encourage youth, we’ve been blessed at Camp Langano to serve alongside...
Meet Juddo. In 1999, Juddo was born into a Malawian family riddled with sickness. Before his fourth birthday, both of Juddo’s parents had passed away from AIDS, leaving their young child to grow up with his grandmother, aunt, and cousins in the slum of Chilomoni,...
This month we'd like to introduce you to Luke, the director of SF Zambia! Name: Luke WesslerRole with SF: SF Zambia DirectorFavorite Sport: GymnasticsFavorite Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made...
By Laura Hall, SF Ethiopia We don't always get to see the full impact camp has on people, but every now and then God gives us a glimpse... Our Camp Langano director, Brian, was surprised when he was recently invited to visit another sports camp. None of our staff had...
By Moses Gyok, SF West Africa Coach Charles loves youth and has always desired to teach them what he did not learn while growing up: the Word of God. However, despite his passion, teaching has not always been easy for Charles. After seeing several of his efforts fail,...