By Monday Kimkwat, SF Nigeria
God is greatly at work through Sports Friends, impacting the lives of young people and reaching their families in ways we can only imagine. It was during a camp that I met the young boy this story is focused on.
While waiting for all of the campers and their coaches to arrive, a little boy by the name of Captain showed up. About seven years of age and quite outspoken, I mistook him for a child of one of the pastors around the village. Surprisingly, he appeared for training exercises the next morning. Then I knew: Captain was one of the campers.
After the morning exercises I asked about his coach. A man named Zacks came to me.
“I am his coach,” he said. “I came with Captain.”
“Why?” I inquired, because the boy seemed far too little to be at camp.
“He is one of the most committed players on our team and has a passion for sports, especially football,” replied the coach, explaining that he had promised to bring the boy to camp as soon as he heard about it.
They had both longed for this moment.
This coach was one of those trained during the Basic Training (BT) in Abuja. He started coaching a team at his local church after the training. There, he met the boy, Captain. He showed love to Captain, who always went back home to tell his mother about his coach.
After awhile Captain’s mother, came looking for Zacks at the field. She had heard a lot about him and wanted to meet him. She wanted to show appreciation for his kindness to her son and thank him for what God has been using him to do in the lives of the young boys.
She took Captain by the hand and handed him over to Coach, saying, “From this moment on, be like a father to him!”
Unknown to Coach, Captain’s father had died. He only has his mother to look after him.
The bond between coach and Captain has grown stronger since then. They spend a lot of time together off the field. Sometimes Captain spends the night at Coach’s place and sometimes the weekends as well.
Little Captain, a zealous little boy in between a loving mother and a caring coach who takes interest in him… God lead them on!