In a country where 61% of the population is under the age of 25, Kenya is a fertile ground for camping ministry. It was the second day of a recent Sports Friends camp in a rural Kenyan community and energy levels were soaring; the campers were having the time of their...
A year ago, Kennedy, one of our Sports Friends leaders, asked me if Sports Friends would provide ten soccer balls for Wanyama, a Kenyan missionary serving in South Sudan. I was reluctant to supply the balls since Sports Friends is not working in South Sudan, I had...
By Mia Smith and Lemmy Dalano, SF Kenya Remote camps have been a major focus for Sports Friends, designed to deeply impact communities that otherwise wouldn’t be drawn into the ministry. One particular camp, stationed within an unreached people group in Kenya,...
By Shane Smith and Lemmy Dalano, SF Kenya Njoroge didn’t mind the two hour bicycle ride to church. He took great pleasure in worshiping with other believers and there wasn’t a place he could do that in his town. Njoroge pedaled faithfully week after week… for two...
By Lemmy Dalano and Mia Smith, SF Kenya Jackson needed a change. His routine in the town of Mpeketoni was lacking something. So, when farmland opened up around 45 kilometers away from his home, he jumped at the opportunity to work the land and alter the regularity of...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 Kennedy Salano and Mia Smith, SF Kenya This wasn’t the plan, it couldn’t end like this! Geofray could think of nothing else through the thick haze of fear and pain. As he slowly began to lose consciousness, the fuzzy outline of police running towards the mob barely...
By Lemmy Delano and Mia Smith, SF Kenya Everyone stopped and looked around, wondering how this soccer team of 25 troubled youth had grown from starting fights on and off of the soccer field to serving those around them and changing the community for the better. Coach...
By Shane Smith, SF Kenya He was unable to grasp such a crazy idea. “Why would I ever want to forgive someone?” Kamal asked his Sports Friends leader, Anthony. “It would make me look weak and stupid. Besides, I wouldn’t even know how to forgive.” Kamal was attending a...
By Shane Smith, SF Kenya Living in an area opposed to the gospel, Charles was zealous to see the youth in his community transformed. These young people face many challenges such as drug use, child labor, early marriages and teen pregnancy. Charles fervently prayed...
By Shane Smith, SF Kenya At first glance, he seemed to be in the wrong place. Pastor Gona is around 60 years old and many were wondering why he was attending the Sports Friends Basic Training in Gongoni, Kenya. Pastor Gona was committed to his dwindling youth group...
By John Smith, SF Kenya The church at Dalu started an ongoing sports ministry program two years ago, and a camp was recently organized for the youth of the church and the surrounding community. The church leadership decided on the theme of discipleship because they...
By John Smith, SF Kenya We are so thankful to see what the Lord is doing in northern Kenya through church-centered sports ministry! Pastor Dan is a Kenyan missionary who lives with his wife and one child in a harsh part of northern Kenya seeking to reach the people...
By John Smith, SF Kenya Keeping any church ministry moving forward long term takes commitment from many different parts of the church. Sports Friends has been doing ministry in Kenya for about two and a half years now, and already we have a few examples of ongoing and...
By John Smith, SF Kenya One of the benefits of church centered sports ministry is that it helps develop new church leaders. Coach Johnson, who has ten children and is also a farmer, is a great example of how this is true as he has developed into a leader in his...
By John Smith, SF Kenya We recently held a church based sports camp at a small village in coastal Kenya through a church has already been involved with church centered sports ministry for two years. We are thankful that 99 kids participated from several different...
By John Smith, SF Kenya We are so thankful for how sports open up so many different types of opportunities to have relationships with all types of people. Whether it’s a one-on-one relationship or relationships with an entire community, sports has helped us build...
By John Smith, SF Kenya Tony has always enjoyed sports and had a love for young people. He first became exposed to sports ministry as he interacted with two SIM short-term missionaries who went down to the coast of Kenya to explore the possibilities of sports...