October 2021 - A Look Back at Sports Outreach

Dear Friends of Sports Outreach,

“It started with a ball.” You are probably familiar with this catch phrase referencing the beginnings of Sports Outreach Institute ( SOI). In the early 1980s SOI founder, Russ Carr, discovered that playing soccer matches in impoverished areas was a great way to both gather people and to share the Good News of Jesus. During a sports ministry trip in 1983 to an orphanage in Honduras, Russ saw hungry children and a vision to meld sports ministry with humanitarian aid stirred in his heart. Upon his return, arranging for the gifts of a rototiller and fertilizer revolutionized the orphanage’s meager gardening efforts to the point they could sell produce at the local market. This success led to invitations for Russ to bring soccer teams to other countries and in December 1988 SOI became incorporated and then gained non- profit status shortly thereafter.

The Good News Football Club poses for photo in 2003

By this time Russ’ focus had shifted to Uganda, and from humble beginnings the Good News Football Club (GNFC) was formed in Kampala. This team, coached by former Uganda national coach, Barnabas Mwesiga, played “outreach matches” against various teams in the Kampala region, always sharing the Good News of Jesus wherever they went, to players and spectators alike.

In 1989, during the first Football Crusade, held in Uganda’ s national stadium, 70,000 people attended the four matches and 5,000 people responded to the Gospel! In the months after the Crusade, scores of churches and schools open- ed their doors to sports ministry and a working model was developed that still guides SOI programs today. The model can be summed up simply as stepping “on the field” by building relationships that foster trust, engaging people with the truth of God’ s Word, and working to train individuals to develop practical skills and spiritual awareness. We then step “off the field” to deepen relationships with interested people, disciple them, and ultimately deploy them to step onto the field and invest in o

Volunteers led by members of the GNFC were deployed to five slum areas in Kampala where the living conditions encountered while playing soccer made it apparent that adding feeding programs, health care, and educational opportunities would be necessary if they were to faithfully live out the Gospel of God’ s love. In 1999 Sports Outreach Ministry (SOM, as the Sports Outreach work is called in Uganda) staff members answered the call from God and SOI to lay the foundation for ministry in Gulu, northern Uganda, to address the suffering and humanitarian needs through the avenue of sports ministry. The region was reeling from years of civil war and SOM programs off brought physical and spiritual healing to many in this war- torn area. Over the years SOI has expanded to Mexico, Kenya, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Croatia, as well as many cities across the U. S.

We are happy when we look back at the roots of SOI and see that we have never strayed from the original vision of using sports ministry to share the Gospel, raise up Christian leaders and help those in need. In the next few weeks, we will look around at how this vision is currently “playing out” in several SOI ministry sites. Thus far, you have played such a crucial part in fueling the vision through your prayers, participation on trips, and financial support of projects and people. During the next couple months please be in prayer about how you can continue to help Sports Outreach carry the vision as we look ahead to a bright future.

Serving with You,

The Team at Sports Outreach

P.S.: We’ve taken a look back at how God has used SOI to restore hope and transform lives; now help us look ahead to a bright future! Click here to donate