Where We Serve

Sports Friends is now working across 5 continents and 20 countries.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is one of the world’s poorest countries, landlocked and prone to drought and famine. Fragile subsistence farming still feeds 90% of the population and poverty marks the mindset.

64%

< 25 years old

64% of people in Burkina Faso are younger than 25 years old. Family breakdown and pursuit of better opportunities in the city result in high numbers of street kids.

FROM THE BLOG

Bless those who persecute you

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Prayer

Pray for the young people of Burkina Faso to pursue the hope and future of life with Christ. Pray they will be transformed by the renewing of their minds as God opens the way before them.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in West Africa.

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Canada

From coast to coast, ballparks, skate parks, ice rinks, and sports fields are enthusiastically invaded all year long by young people who share one special universal language: sports!
6.5 Million
Speak another language
6.5 million people speak a language other than English or French at home.

FROM THE BLOG

Canadian Camps

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Prayer

Father, make your Glorious Name known among young people in Canada again and put life-giving words in the mouth of many new coaches, from the East to the West.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Canada!

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Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the oldest known nations in the world, but its history is scarred by recurrent drought and famine and tensions between ethnic groups and bordering nations.

$850

Average annual income

Average annual income is $850. While the church is growing and reaching out to those around them, they have limited resources.

FROM THE BLOG

Jesus washed my feet

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Prayer

Thank You, Father, for the freedom of religion Ethiopia has enjoyed for decades now. We pray for peace and provision for this nation with such a beautiful and conflicted heritage.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in East Africa.

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Ghana

This West African nation enjoys relative stability, an example of how a multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation can remain at peace. Sports Friends partners with the local church to bring the gospel to less-reached people groups using sports ministry.

40%

 < 15 years old

To a nation of young people (40% under 15 years old), sports ministry is a relevant, fun, and powerful tool for demonstrating the depth of God’s love for them.

FROM THE BLOG

Serving Ghana through sport

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Prayer

Father, we pray for families and churches in Ghana to draw near to You and to each other. Please raise up community leaders with a passion to see Your kingdom come across the land!

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Ghana.

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Kenya

Kenya is a hub in East Africa for expansion of both good and evil. Christian mission, theological education, and church ministry thrive here, but systemic corruption also invites terrorist activity and drug traffickers.

500,000

Refugees live in Kenya

Kenya is home to nearly half a million registered refugees. In Kakuma refugee camp, Sports Friends has trained more than 70 coaches to minister among massive communities of displaced peoples.

FROM THE BLOG

Hope in hard places

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Prayer

Father, we pray for salvation to come to many who find themselves in Kenya as immigrants and refugees. Let hope and justice fill the land.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Kenya.

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Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa includes several countries experiencing violence, civil war and extreme persecution. Sports Friends is pioneering expansion efforts into some of the places where it costs the most to be a Christian and where there is little gospel witness.

Millions

Face food insecurity

Millions of families face chronic food insecurity and malnutrition due to natural phenomena, while the chronic instability and conflict in the region hinders relief and development efforts.

FROM THE BLOG

From camper to coach

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Prayer

Father, when the fighting and oppression seems unending, we cry out for Your truth and justice to shine light in the Horn of Africa. Bring relief and hope to Your people.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in nations where many do not know Him.

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Malawi

Landlocked Malawi hosts a very young population that faces serious challenges of drought and flood cycles, high HIV/AIDS rates, and poverty. But God is moving in many ways!

47%

Children are underdeveloped

47% of Malawian children have growth stunting due to the effects of poverty in the nation. Prolonged desperate times lead to entrenched desperate measures.

FROM THE BLOG

Precious in His sight

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Prayer

Father, we pray for the youth of Malawi who are hungry for food and a future. Draw them near to You as You meet deep and practical needs through the love of Your church.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in East Malawi.

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Niger

Fewer than 1% of people in Niger know Christ. The nation remains at the bottom of the world’s Human Development Index and desperately needs the ways of God to bring peace and wisdom.

2 Years

Spent in education

In Niger, the average time spent in formal education is just two years. Sports ministry is an incredible opportunity to pour into and invest in the next generation.

FROM THE BLOG

The power of a gift

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Prayer

Father, we cry out for Your kingdom to come in Niger. Would You raise up men and women of wisdom and courage who will invest their lives in the next generation.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Niger.

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Nigeria

In a nation infamous for corruption, upheaval, and religious persecution, many followers of Christ in Nigeria live and die for the gospel. Sports Friends is passionate to see Jesus lifted high and relieve all forms of oppression.

#9

World Watch List

Nigeria is #9 on the World Watch List for persecution. Violence against Christians is prevalent, organized, and increasing.

FROM THE BLOG

From player to coach

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Prayer

God, we praise You for Your bold and passionate pursuit of Nigeria! Bless and protect Your people as they follow You under incredible pressure, and bring revival across the entire nation!

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Nigeria.

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Peru

Peru displays magnificent natural beauty, boasting coastal deserts, Amazonia rainforests, and the Andean mountains. But underneath this beauty there is a fragmented country suffering from corruption, devastation of the environment, and distrust.

1% to 13%

Growth of Christianity

Evangelical Christianity has grown from 1% in the 1960s to almost 13%, especially in rural populations in the mountains and jungles where Bible translation work has been exceptional.

FROM THE BLOG

Pursued By Love

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Prayer

Lord God, we thank You for how You are raising up leaders and building up the Peruvian Church. Let love, light, and hope mark Your people as we reach out through the inviting tool of sports ministry.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Peru.

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Senegal

With a history darkened by centuries of slave trade, Senegal also remains darkened to the knowledge of Christ. But the light is shining among hundreds of young people on Sports Friends teams!

100K Youth

Small but resilient Senegal

100,000 young people in Senegal (called talibés) are being forced to beg on the streets for food and money. They are greatly abused and exploited.

FROM THE BLOG

Small but resilient Senegal

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Prayer

God, we pray for the young people of Senegal. We acknowledge in them the beauty and glory of Your image and pray for freedom from all forms of oppression in Jesus’ name.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in West Africa.

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Thailand and Southeast Asia

Thailand is the Sports Friends ministry hub for all of Southeast Asia. Few people in this area of the world know Christ. The churches and church planters here are excited about the impact sports ministry has on the lives of youth and their families.

84.6%

Buddhist

Being Thai is culturally equivalent to being Buddhist. With nearly 60,000,000 people who do not know Christ, sports bridge the gap to build relationships and share the gospel.

FROM THE BLOG

Unwelcome, undeterred

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Prayer

Father, would You bring Your kingdom of unshakeable hope to a land in search of truth and inner peace. Illuminate minds and hearts to recognize their Savior.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in Southeast Asia.

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UK

In 2019, we initiated ministry in the UK focusing on marginalized young people who are without father figures or strong male role models.

70% Youth

Non-religious

Research shows that an astonishing 70% of people in the UK aged between 16 and 29 describe themselves as “non-religious”.

FROM VIMEO

Meet the knitting ladies

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Prayer

Lord, please provide more opportunities to use sports to share the gospel with immigrants and refugees in the UK and that sports will be a tool for revival!

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the UK.

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USA

The world’s third largest nation in area and population, the USA has the greatest ethnic-origin diversity of any nation in history. We are excited to be pioneering sports ministry efforts to reach out to middle eastern refugees here.

26 Million

Refugees in the world

More than three million refugees have arrived in the U.S. since 1980. Sports Friends is equipping the church in North America to build relationships with the people that God is bringing to their doorsteps.

FROM THE BLOG

Wonderful to be a coach

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Prayer

Jesus, this nation is largely comprised of refugees, and even You lived as a refugee during Your early life on earth. Show favor to those seeking safety, and place Your followers in their paths to reflect Your welcome.

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the USA.

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New Countries

God is opening up doors for exciting growth opportunities in our existing countries of ministry, as well as the potential for expansion in numerous new countries around the world.

40%

No Christian witness

40% of the world’s people groups have no community of believing Christians.

Join church-planting teams in communities across the world where there is no church and virtually no Christian witness.

Contact Us

Prayer

Pray that the Lord would raise up workers to join Sports Friends teams as we build capacity and pioneer sports ministry in new places. Pray that He would provide all the resources necessary for expansion!

Opportunity

You can join the team! Offer God your passions, gifts, and skills to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Read More

Interested in learning more?

For more information or to inquire about serving with Sports Friends around the world, please contact us.