View photos from the outreach
SOSHANGUVE, South Africa – The bus is brought to an abrupt halt in the middle of a narrow street, and the North American ladies are hurried from the vehicle. The people on the street immediately surround the women.

Normal neighborhood noises are overpowered by the sounds of drums pounding, vuvuzelas blowing, hands clapping, feet stomping and voices cheering. The parade of dancers, musicians and soccer enthusiasts eagerly escort the North Americans through the dusty streets.

The North Americans are participants in an Athletes in Action outreach in Soshanguve township on the outskirts of Pretoria. All of the ladies are soccer players from various locations throughout the United States and Canada. They are in South Africa during the World Cup for one purpose – to glorify God by sharing the Gospel through soccer.

Chris Dirks, director for AIA South Africa, says, “A focus that we’re bringing in during the World Cup and that we want to build on is training the church how to effectively use sport to affect their community.”

The AIA volunteers in Soshanguve are working alongside Ebenezer Alive in Christ Fellowship Church to host soccer clinics, scrimmage with local soccer teams and share the Gospel with South Africans. During each event, an athlete shares her testimony about how Christ has impacted her life.

“I am a soccer player. Who would have thought that I could use the language of sport to connect with [others]?” says Laura Novikoff, a student from the University of Kentucky. “Your sport becomes a way to say ‘thank you’ to God and to worship Him for everything that He’s done for us.”

Lauren Beachy, an athlete from Cincinnati, Ohio, explains her reason for coming to South Africa and interacting with the people in the township: “We’re just going to spread the Gospel to them every day and love on them and just play soccer with them.”

And that’s exactly what the women are accomplishing. After a lively praise and worship gathering, the athletes challenge a local women’s soccer team to a scrimmage. Following the game is a time to share testimonies and the Gospel message with the crowds who were drawn to the action.

The parade then escorts the AIA team from the soccer field to the church. Community members of all ages meet up with the women to participate in their soccer clinic and share laughter and excitement during a viewing of the World Cup match between South Africa and France.

AIA coach Mike Friesen, who is also the women’s soccer coach at San Diego State University, summed up his team’s mission, saying: “[Our] job here is to just pour into the South Africans … and just show them a little bit of God’s love.”

Martha Richards is a media producer for IMB’s Global Communication Team. She loves traveling, reading and being around children. Her passion is serving others and sharing stories about God’s work throughout the world.