Dear Team Members, August 13th , 2009
It has been a few months since I have been able to get an official update out to you all, and for that I apologize, so that being the case, I wanted to take this opportune moment to do just that and give you an update on what has been happening over the last couple of months.
In light of the last newsletter, we were gearing up for our tour to North Africa, finishing up the work with the youth team, and preparing to head off for the summer soccer camps in the States. And now that we are already in August, as you may have guessed each of those events has now come and passed, and each provided very encouraging final outcomes.
The North Africa tour went very well, as we headed into the North of Africa for a few days to play a friendly match, run a clinic, and partner with a local church and ministry in helping open doors. Using the game of soccer was elemental in us aiding these groups in the work that they have been so faithfully serving in over the years. And so without going into too much detail, it was exciting as we traveled into a village in the mountains to work with this group, (which was an experience in itself, as traveling on a normal road in Africa is an adventure let alone a windy mountain pass) and through a simple clinic on what looked like a dirt parking lot, we saw opportunities for future ministry opened up for the groups working in this exceedingly difficult spiritual climate.
With regards to the youth team, it finished up well, and I guess it was a bittersweet ending. Being such a challenging season in terms of busyness with the team, it was good to wrap up a good season, yet to say goodbye to week in and week out coaching of these young guys in soccer and life was definitely tough. Looking back over the year, the relationships that had been built, and recollecting the challenges and laughs leading back to the first few practices in which we had just a handful of guys coming out, made seeing a solid group at the end sitting in the change room as we shared a testimony so mind boggling. To experience in a very real sense, God using the silly things of this world (that being soccer) over a calendar year, to open up opportunities on so many fronts, for us share how God had impacted our lives was truly amazing. Because the truth is, Spain can so incredibly cold when it comes to the Gospel and Jesus Christ. And to see young men listening intently, and openly, as we shared not just as outsiders with something to say, but as two people that had lived and experienced life with them over the past year changed everything.
And I suppose it can often be like that for many things our lives. In the beginning the task at hand can often appear so insurmountable, and it’s easy to really begin to question how conquering such mountain is going to be possible. Yet the moment when you stand upon that summit, and you hear God saying “this is what I wanted to show you,” it makes gazing out at all the hills and valley’s that you had to walk over to get to that very moment, so incredibly filling. In that moment, you are so powerfully reminded of the incredible truth that God is sovereign, that His plans are so much better than ours and to know that His yoke, is good.
And as it stands, I have just finished up the summer coaching tour, which went great, as we spent 5 weeks in the States, partnering with churches, and sharing the message of Christ through soccer camps around the country. There were twists and turns and hurdles to overcome throughout, as I had a concussion during the final week of camps, yet overall the 5 weeks were very encouraging. We had a great team, and to work alongside the various coaches from around the world in seeing the lives of kids impacted was a real privilege.
And now, I am currently back home in Williams Lake for a few more days prior to flying back out to Spain to carry on the ministry over there, which will kick off right away, as there are camps to run right away once I return. This upcoming term, I am really praying into where God is leading me, and what areas I need to be serving in. I ask for your continued prayers for direction with these upcoming months and that God would really show me where He wants me to step.
Love you all,
Matt Hama
matt_hama9@hotmail.com
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