December Update

Dear Team Members, Dec 16, 2009

In all honesty, as I prepped to write this newsletter, as typically done by anyone seeking to compose any letter for that matter, I spent some time simply pondering what exactly I wanted to share. Something, which most would agree was probably a great, if not the most logical first step in terms of writing. However, given the fact that we are now in the Christmas season, I myself, along with the other millions of avid Christmas card writers around the world, wanted to bring to you an ever so timely word, specially seasoned with encouragement and inspiration, filled with excitement to the “nth” degree, while all at it’s very heart and core beating with a certain spice of that “seasons greetings” that we all love during this time of the year. So as I geared up to write, I myself, once again along with every other Christmas card writer in the world, put on some Christmas tunes, compliments of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, grabbed a warm cup of tea, and waited for those inspired “words” as described above, to fall gracefully onto the paper… Or the computer screen in my case…

Yet time ticked by, followed by a washroom break of two, and to exaggerate things a bit more (which I may tend to do a bit too much), I eventually felt as if it could have been nearly the middle of April, with Christmas long since past, and my computer screen still blank.

So I stopped for a moment. And I realized that when it all came down to it, this past month, in the eyes of most anyone looking in, didn’t really contain too many heart stopping moments, moments so filled with excitement that they found themselves tearing at the seam, or moments that would find themselves screaming to be included in an action filled adventure book. In fact, it was quite uneventful in that aspect. I was actually quite sick for almost an entire week in which I spent most of my time in my room trying to recover, therefore rendering myself fairly useless, prior to that I had an ankle injury that kept my from taking part in many activities, the prison ministry continued to be on hold due to sickness in the facility, and now things are beginning to slow down for Christmas. Not exactly how I envisioned things going.

However, while I may have significantly lowered my chances of reaching my original trajectory in terms of a word filled with excitement, adventure, or what we traditionally accept as inspiration, here is the conclusion that I reached.

One of the few successes that I saw this month is the fact that I have been able to begin meeting weekly with two young soccer players from the team we coached this past year. Something that doesn’t involve me jumping off of buildings, riding through jungles, being chased by wild animals (not yet anyway), nothing that really merits much in terms of stories of great feats. Yet while it doesn’t seem like much, I can confidently conclude in this; that if that is the purpose that God had for me for this past month, or even during this final season, it’s awesome.

For there are days when our purpose may seem limited and insignificant. Because as far as seasons go, we are often called to read from a script far different from our own, one that casts us in a different part with a very different role than that of the one we expected. Sometimes the role is more or less desirable and sometimes altogether unfamiliar.

However that being said, I believe as we walk in the purposes of Christ, regardless of how insignificant or small your role may appear, if Christ has called your life to facilitate a purpose, it is the greatest role there is.

Merry Christmas,

Love ya guys and thanks for everything,

Matt Hama

P.S I received the CBC Christmas card today. Thanks so much, you guys have no idea how much of an incredible blessing and encouragement it was!

matt_hama9@hotmail.com

Facebook: Tuscan Bullfighting Adventures of a Spanish Muchacho

http://matthama.blogspot.com/

PRAYER REQUESTS/ PRAISE REPORTS

• Men’s team ministry as we carry on with the team.
• Wisdom and direction as I prepare for the transition in life as this season comes to a close.
• Prison ministry - We have been given the green light to begin entering again starting January.
• Relationships with the people here in SpainA successful Sports Ministry Conference over the weekend.