JOHANNESBURG — It’s not your typical Africa.

Kids – many of them Caucasian – run across a grassy soccer field, practicing their dribbling and goaltending skills. The wind is so cold it causes teeth to chatter and eyes to water.

The children are participating in an Upward soccer clinic, a popular outreach event held at many churches in the United States.

But this isn’t suburbia, USA. It’s suburbia, South Africa.

American and South African students share the love of Christ in a village in South Africa through soccer clinics and big-screen showings of World Cup matches.

Read more about this ministry in South Africa at www.worldsoccerjourneys.com

Edenvale Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa holds a weeklong soccer clinic for the children in their community. The children learn soccer skills, do drills, play in a tournament and hold daily “huddles” where they hear the Word and learn Scripture verses. Out of 180 kids in attendance nearly 150 are unchurched.

Read more about Edenvale’s soccer clinic at www.worldsoccerjourneys.com.

More on Tim Howard’s faith at www.worldsoccerjourneys.com.

ROOIGROND, South Africa — As they step out of vans, a cold wind greets the student volunteers from the University of Louisville and Clemson University in the United States and Northwest University in Mafikeng, South Africa. Dust, kicked up by the wind, coats their teeth and settles onto their clothes and skin.

Charged with the task of breaking barriers and sharing Christ with the Setswana people, the 16 American and nine South African students begin unloading their soccer equipment for the day’s events.

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa — It’s his first soccer game. Seventeen-year-old Robert Morris, seated with his mom and two sisters, smiles with excitement at the idea he’s really at the World Cup. He’s at the Korea vs. Greece game at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

“It’s surreal — it hasn’t sunk in that I’m actually at the World Cup,” Robert says.

South Africans in a village outside of Mafikeng erupt in celebration as the Bafana Bafana team score the first goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The game was viewed at Freedom Baptist Church as a part of an evangelistic outreach ministry.

Tata Kepe, 78, talks animatedly to a group of volunteers from Tennessee about the World Cup. He’s excited about the tournament and thinks the development taking place in South Africa is a good thing. “The people will come from overseas and bring their money,” he says. He’ll watch the games on his television.

The four volunteers came to Grahamstown to hold soccer clinics in impoverished townships. Austin Womac and Jacob Thurman are from Alcoa, Kyle Prince is from Murfreesboro, and Ken Brown is from Maryville.

Tata Kepe lives in Joza, a township outside of Grahamstown. It’s on a hilltop, cold because of the winter wind. For several decades he has been a deacon at Albany Baptist Church, the strongest Baptist church in the area. It has the potential to reach many in the region through outreach efforts like the soccer clinics.

Keke’s grandson, Samkelo, 13, attended the soccer clinic and learned stretches, drills and control techniques. He also learned more about Jesus and the importance of a life lived with Christ.

See more photos from Grahamstown

Learn how you can pray for the nations who are competing in today’s matches–South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France.

An Ultimate Purpose Beyond the Game

See more photos of Athletes in Action

PRETORIA, South Africa — “Normally when I played soccer, I played for myself,” says Tumi Mogotsi, a university student from Soweto, South Africa. “Now when I play on the fields, I know I’m going to play for God – not for me.”

Mogotsi is one of about 50 athletes attending an Athletes in Action (AIA) training for ministries related to the World Cup which starts on Friday. More athletes will arrive within the week.

AIA is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. “Our main mission is to use the platform of sports to reach the world for Christ,” says Terry Bortz, operations director for AIA media.

Athletes from ten countries are participating in the AIA training and will travel in teams throughout South Africa during the World Cup. These teams will minister alongside local churches as they hold soccer clinics and lead in other efforts to share Christ with the surrounding communities.