He was one of them!


An important area of focus for projects like the one in East Africa is to assemble a team who can continue building the ministry after the project.  To that end, AIA put on a basketball coaches’ clinic in Rwanda.  

As the clinic began, two coaches were asked to demonstrate passing techniques.  Coach Evelyn had a funny expression on her face during the demonstration.  Later our staff asked her why.  Evelyn shared that her family was killed by Hutus during the genocide of 1994, leaving her and her baby for dead.  When coach Evelyn walked into the gym, she saw one of men who killed her family 18 years before.  Incredibly, through God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, Evelyn was able to forgive him.  Then, God allowed the impossible to be done.  She was asked to demonstrate passing drills with this man who had killed her family!  At that moment, God completed a reconciliation between Coach Evelyn and this man.  Coach Evelyn later said, “In that moment I realized God had removed my bitterness and I had completely forgiven this man and the others.”

God is reconciling Rwandans one relationship at a time through sports.  What a privilege it is to be a part of reconciling people around the world to one another and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Love of God at Work!


One of the greatest parts of AIA’s global projects is how many ways God’s love can be shown.  During our East Africa 2011 project, His love was demonstrated in both words and actions.  You might say God’s love materialized in a “concrete” form with the construction of a basketball court.

Now community, ministry, and sports activities that emphasize Christ will be available year round at this facility.  Everyone in the area sees this as a gift that will greatly help in the development of their youth.

AIA also shared God’s love by sharing His word using the I’ve Got the Whole Bible in My Heart curriculum at the Soweto Academy.  A week-long Bible overview was given to over 400 children.  Each student was given his or her own copy of an NIV Bible.  It was exciting that some of the children prayed to receive Christ as their Savior in the middle of a class period.

We give God the credit for all this project accomplished.  It was a very challenging project, but became a huge answer to prayer for all those involved with the Global Team and Soweto Academy.

Please continue to pray for everyone involved in this ministry in Kenya and Rwanda.  Karen and I are looking forward to being involved in helping put together projects like this one in 2012.