Kristy and I have been back from Africa for about 4 months now and we've been trying to decide what our next move should be. I (Daniel) have considered and pursued in some cases, lots of options. I sent in my college transcripts and applied for a teaching certification so I could teach and coach soccer. I thought about going back to school for a masters. I thought about doing construction or selling telephones. I looked at getting into translation work. I posted my resume online for youth ministry and interviewed with a few churches. But I never was 100% confident about heading down any of these roads.
During this "in between" period, we've been extremely fortunate to have had Tim and Jess Blackburn, Kristy's brother and sister-in-law, to help us along. They opened up their home and lives to us in Tampa, Florida and got Kristy a job with their company. They alleviated a lot of stress and made what could have been a very tough time for us a lot easier. It's been really cool living and hanging out together. Thank God for people like them. Our thanks to them is beyond measure.
With Kristy making enough for us to get by, Tim and Jess housing us, and without the responsibility of children, I've used this transitional period to go after a lifelong dream - professional soccer. But before you pass me off as a delusional fantasist living in a dream world, allow me to explain how this is not completely crazy.
I grew up in a soccer immersed culture with most of my friends and life revolving around soccer. Soccer was life.
When I was just out of high school, I was going down the soccer career path. I made it to a program called the Olympic Development Program which selects and trains players with exceptional talent to perform at high levels. It also gives young players exposure to college scouts. After graduation, to my own surprise and that of others, I turned down scholarship offers in order to return to Africa with my parents. Looking back, it's a decision that I'm sure God had a hand in because six months later, my dad was murdered. That, of course, impacted my life in all sorts of ways. I decided to hang up my hopes of being a soccer player and go an entirely different direction - Bible college.
Soccer, besides pick up games and rec leagues, was put on the back burner and ministry was full steam ahead. 8 years have come and gone since I've been involved in ministry. During that time we've been on several mission trips, completed a couple internships, done youth ministry, served on staff at a large church, and worked as independent missionaries in Africa. And so as we recently stood at the crossroads I asked myself, "what do I really, really want to do?" And my answer was, "give my dream another shot."
About a month after we got back from Africa, I started training on my own to get in shape for Major League Soccer open tryouts. I didn't get a call back back from either of the teams I tried out for - the San Jose Earthquakes or the Columbus Crew. However, after the Crew tryout was over, I was approached by a coach from the Cleveland City Stars (www.clevelandcitystars.com). His name is Aaron Tredway and he was there helping out with the tryout. Aaron is a Christian soccer player who has a PhD in sports ministry (www.crossroadsgrace.org/missions/Missionary2.php). He's played professionally in Africa and America. He's the Executive Director of the Cleveland City Stars. He's also the Director of Global Advancement with an organization called Ambassadors in Sport International (www.aisint.org) He has his hands in a lot of things having to do with ministry and soccer. The mission of AISint is to to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to all countries and people groups through football. Now that's my kind of of mission group.
Aaron approached me after the tryout without talking to anyone else about me and he had no information about me whatsoever. He said there was just something about me that made him want to know more. Later, he said it was our bond in Christ and because my light was shining at the tryout. So he walked up to me and introduced himself and asked if I was a believer. From there we exchanged stories and visons. After further talks, he recently invited me to join the reserve team of the Cleveland City Stars and also to serve with Ambassadors in Sport as their inner city coordinator. Aaron said he believes that our meeting was orchestrated by God and so do I. At a MLS tryout, out of 180 guys, he feels the need to talk to me? He had no idea about my mission background and how I've been trying to use soccer to reach people for Christ.
And now, because of our meeting, I not only have the opportunity to play on a pro team which has bee my dream, but I also get to be a part of an organization that has the same vision that I've had for ministry. It's my 2 biggest passions tied into one. For me, the way this all came together is reinforcement that God does indeed intervene and arrange things in our lives.
Through the reserve team, I have the opportunity to bump up to the "A" team if I'm good enough, get exposure to other teams and coaches. Also, this summer the reserve team will be doing a peace tour of Kenya to build relationships with Kenyan footballers and touch the lives of those in the soccer culture as well as underprivileged children through soccer camps. We will also be helping set up a soccer club that will reach young people for God. This is the same thing I was trying to do on our own in Mozambique. Now I will be apart of an organization that is about the same thing but has much more personnel and resources. It's so awesome and I'm so pumped about it!! God did me a huge favor with this one.
We are excited to begin the journey with these organizations. Please pray with us that we can raise our support quickly so we can get started.
