Goooooooooal! (The best day ever)

Today’s post will be a little short, but our day was big!

This morning several of us did an activity at the Oikos Cafe and prayer walked the Erdington High Street, and 3 of our ladies assisted in a baking class for women. The fellowship among the ladies and among the group was sweet, and then they got to enjoy the sweet fruit of their labor!  

But by far the best part of our day was helping host a soccer tournament for the men at the “refugee hotel”. We had a group of over 20 show up to play, and made 4 teams to play 5 a side, tournament style. 

Our Concord team divided into 4 groups too, and we each adopted a team to follow and cheer for. As luck would have it, my team took the ultimate prize! Each of the men on the winning team got a really nice soccer ball, and when you don’t have many possessions, that can mean a lot! Our guys were Jimmy, Osama, Bruk, Ihab, and Goran, and at one point out of the 10 guys on the pitch, 7 different countries were represented! We met numerous more Kurds, as well as folks from Eritrea, Syria, Sudan, Pakistan, and more. We learned who our guys were and cheered them on, shouting out their names. I hope they felt like giants, and felt seen and known when they heard their names being called out. 

10 guys, 7 nationalities

Several of the refugees had been star players in their home countries, and one of them, Omar, was a swimmer who had medaled in the Commonwealth Games! (Small connection with our own competitive swimmer, Adria!) He summed up what our being there and cheering them on meant for them: “at times I feel very lonely. You made me feel like family, and today with you all here has been the best day ever. Please come back every Tuesday!”

Omar wasn’t on my team, but this kick scored a goal from halfway down the pitch!

One of the members of my team, Jimmy, played on the national team in Syria, and recently got refugee status and moved from the hotel to a residence. He could have been placed anywhere in England, but he was placed in a house about 50 yards from Oikos Cafe! He has begun to volunteer there, and they will help him learn skills, find a job, and write him letters of recommendation. 

Jimmy was an incredible defense player, and blocked the ball with his body just by standing in the right place at the right time at least a dozen times—once with his face!  

One remarkable thing about this trip is how rich it has been in relationship. We are not constructing a building, but we are one by one drawing people into spaces and places that want and accept them, that will help meet physical, social, and spiritual needs, and where they can begin to create new lives. I think about the asylum seeker’s story we heard yesterday, and I hope and pray for each of the men we met today that they would also be able to find peace and security and new life in Jesus. 

If there were one activity that would draw you out and make you want to join in, what would it be? 

On a final note, would you please pray extra protection, peace and unity over my family and our team tonight? Thankful for all who read this!