Read a review of this year's Wheaton Football Ministry Partnership trips

For the 10th consecutive spring break, we partnered with former Wheaton Football players' missionaries overseas to be involved in their work and experience first hand how each continues to be obedient to God's calling in their lives and see the milestone marked in our life. In 2000, starting with Venezuela, we have travelled to Romania, Senegal, Mauritania, Botswana, Guinea, and South Africa, with over 600 players and leaders.

This year was as exciting as ever. We took 70 players, going to five different locations in Africa. Each of these areas offered unique experiences in culture, sights and smells as well as seeing God's hand in a different nation. Seeing their lives and culture with such contrast to what we are used to was an education in itself. These trip projects have a varying degree of being work related to being very relational among those we are around.

SENEGAL: This 97% Muslim country had three groups at three different locations.

Dakar Academy – This group was all about being involved in the students' lives. A school with a mix of missionary kids, Senegalese kids, and kids whose families are employed overseas, it offered a variety of opportunities to do devotionals, youth nights, carnival activities, and building a tree house on the property to hang out in.

MIV – This group travelled inland about two hours into Senegal to stay at an orphanage of 80 kids. The tangible projects they did were to landscape, plant nine trees, paint the chapel and complete a bakery. The most profound opportunity they had were the relationships they built with the kids and adults.

The Phare – We have had an eight-year involvement at this three acre Christian conference center in Dakar. From the first year there was a check list of projects. As one was completed, the chain reaction of other projects began. There is not a building or wall that has not seen a Wheaton Football player swinging a sledge hammer to demolish it or to help build it back to its intended use. This is some good ole fashion sweat equity that our players have poured into this place to become a better facility, used to house pastors, missionaries and hold conferences … for the Glory of God.

SOUTH AFRICA With the Drakensburg Mountains in the background, we went to work at “The Cottages”, an orphanage of about 26 kids, each of whom had their parents die of AIDS. There is a great need among the Zulu nation with unemployment and living a healthy lifestyle. We had two major projects; one was building a large wooden playground set equipped with swings, slides and platforms. Up to that point all they had was a tire swing and small metal monkey bars. We also helped install a 6' fence around a five acre orphanage, placing poles in concrete, pounding others, equaling about 700 yds. in length. As the kids would come back from school by 3pm, then it became a draw between playing and working. We also won our second “World Cup” soccer match between the teachers (who always play soccer) and the U.S. (us who always play football).

BOTSWANA – This is the first time we visited this country and to partner with players from Wabash College. Each day the group of guys would take day trips to area villages to play soccer, do mini sport camps, and then read Bible stories to the group of young athletes. At times they would also tell the stories through skits they put together. A few of the groups had the privilege to visit local prisons and minister through sports, story and song to the men. One amazing event happened in Sahitwa. Kids came from miles around to see our American athletes. It was a rainy day so they had to do the sports activities inside. After the sports, they all memorized Genesis 1 together. What a great event to be a part of.

There is a book written by an alumnus of Wheaton, From Wheaton to the Nations, about the missionary legacy of Wheaton College from its beginning to the mid 90's. I'd like to think we are writing the next chapter, For Christ and His Kingdom.

Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2009/4/15/FB_wfmp.aspx