Honduras Vision Trip with CU Women’s Soccer caps off a busy 2022
The CU Women’s soccer team shared uniforms with the women’s soccer club in La Venta after their friendly game of soccer.
Soccer camp in the mountain village of La Venta
It's amazing the power of a ball. Standing on the edge of a soccer field whether in the city or in a small mountain village are two groups of people. Each is from a different country, culture, language, and socio-economic status. Both groups are nervous, and somewhat frustrated with the inability to communicate, but once the ball comes out things begin to change. Communication begins to take place on many levels. It starts small with hand gestures on where to kick the ball, followed by a clap or whistle. Then it turns to smiles and laughter, high fives, and even hugs. As the game concludes the teams gather to connect. Through a translator, goodwill is shared. The Gospel is explained and connections are made. Through this experience, relationships are built and will never be forgotten. The ball helped to break down the communication barriers for the message of Hope in Jesus, which help create relationships for eternity.
Prayer and a time of sharing with the Honduran Women’s National Team after the game
This was a major part of our experience this week with Cornerstone University Women’s Soccer as we encountered a Vision Trip to Honduras. This trip capped off our busiest and arguably most impactful year since joining FSI in 2017. For this most recent team, whether in Tegucigalpa competing with the Honduran National team at a high level, playing with a local high school team, serving kids with a Gospel-centered soccer clinic from the city, or games and camps in the village of La Venta, relationships were built and local ministry was fueled by this team of young women.
The team led a soccer camp with the girls from Point Ministries in Tegucigalpa
It t is our hope with international teams that we will be fuel for those we come to partner with and serve and CU women’s soccer was just. Early in the week, we began by visiting an orphanage for children with special needs followed by a visit to Point ministries which serves over 500 children in poverty-ridden areas of the city with Bible study, food, and healthcare. During the time in the city, we played two soccer games and provided a soccer clinic for the girls from the Point, the first girls-only sports camp they have ever had. Each time our team got to share their purpose and mission as a team and their relationship with Christ. From there it was on to a small, rural mountain village called La Venta.
The team outside Katie and Mario’s home in La Venta
In La Venta, Katie and Mario Valezqez, FSI missionaries serve the people there through a coffee shop “Tazo De Gozo” which means a cup of joy, and they are also helping plant a church. Mario uses things like soccer to connect with the youth of the village and build relationships with them. Again, through the use of soccer with Mario, the CU team builds relationships with women and kids within the village. After a game and a soccer clinic, we were able to host a community party where the girls played games, hit piñatas, made bracelets, and shared stories over google translate. All with the intent to connect them, and their families, to the Gospel and the church plant. The team also got to engage in a work project with the church by helping paint the pastor's new home and assisting in building a house for an elderly woman and her two children with special needs.
Time with the church plant Katie and Mario are helping with in La Venta
In La Venta, our accommodations changed greatly. From the beautiful Humuya Inn in Tegucigalpa to Camp Monte De Santidad. A church camp in the remote mountains with on and off electricity and far from the normal conveniences of life. In this and other facets of our trip, we were stretched mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Finding time with God is a key component of our vision trips. Our FSI devotional led the team through leadership topics such as apprenticeship to Jesus, culture, communication, community, and service. Picture at Camp Monte De Santidad
The goal of the vision trip is simply to see. We desire to see God at work in the lives of those we partner with, and learn from how they choose to live lives on purpose within their communities. We get the opportunity to see the Gospel at work in the marginalized and see what it means to be “content in all circumstances”. Throughout the week the team studied leadership topics as well, such as being an apprentice of Jesus, servant leadership, influencing culture, living in a world of potential and limitations, and authentic community. To all of you who helped make this trip happen, we are grateful. We can't thank you enough for all of your help in simply supporting the overall ministry of FSI! Below is a list of highlights and some pictures of all that happened in 2022. As we reflect on a great year, we are excited about what God has in store for the coming year. In our next newsletter, we will highlight some of the goals and plans with the ministry in Honduras with Katie and Mario.
Matt
President, FSI
Other Highlights from 2022
CU Men’s Volleyball team discipleship and outreach camp in Detroit Michigan with MACC Sports in January
Alec Papale increased his role in ministry as an intern at Cornerstone leading heavily in the Pack the House project and assisting in the Honduras Vision Trip. Alec has also been instrumental in bookkeeping and organization.
A CU community event at a stadium and a BOGO event to raise awareness and engage the students to serve those struggling with homelessness.
Matt and Jim lead a team of student leaders to Cody Wyoming for the FSI leadership trip
Matt has been preaching at Relevant Church Grand Rapids
Team dinners at the Wallace home: Women’s Soccer, Women’s basketball, Yellowstone team, and other small groups of students over for discipleship.
Matt and Alissa began a marriage group called - Re-Engage
CU Women’s Basketball to Guatemala with Hands of Grace
CU Women’s Soccer to Honduras
Worked with Bill Houston and Power Up sports from Our Daily Bread to Create a West Michigan Sports Alliance Prayer Breakfast bringing together Pastors, sports chaplains, FCA and AIA leaders, and more together for encouragement, fellowship, and support.
1s annual “Pack the House” event where we had an on-campus community with the focus to pack 50,000 + meals for Ukraine with IDES.
Our FSI Team - L to R - Alec Papale Student Ministry Leader at Cornerstone, Matt Wallace - President, Jim King - Director, Katie, Mario and Vivian Velasquez Missionaries to Honduras.
We continue to collect to provide a donation to the orphanage, Point Ministries and the the church in La Venta. You can donate by clicking the link below. Also, let us know if we can ever help you with a vision trip with your group or team!