19 out of 23 . That is how many years of my life I have been playing soccer, by this point it is embedded into who I am. My first trophy is from Spring of 1994. When I was little, soccer meant an hour on a Saturday morning full of cheering over-encouraging parents, perfectly sliced oranges, and a whole bunch of smiling, pig-tails drinking juice boxes. By the time I was 10, I tried out for my first club soccer team. Over the years soccer turned into a 5 day a week, multiple weekend a month out of town, matching practice uniforms kind of commitment. As I got older, I wanted to play soccer in college, so I changed to a more prestigious team about 45 min away. I still enjoyed soccer, but it was a serious commitment: it wasn't about fun anymore but long drives, hard practices and brutally honest coaches. In the end I choose going to a big D1 school to experience SEC football over my dreams of being a collegiate soccer player, but I only lasted one semester of not playing before I joined the Auburn Women's Club Team until I graduated in May 2012.
I won't lie, I am that girl who couldn't stand intramural teams or pick up games. Soccer is something that has been so important to me and I have worked so hard at it my entire life, making it very difficult to play with people who have no idea what they are doing. I didn't like to get kicked in the shins, have my feet clumsily stepped on, or pass a perfect ball that got whiffed by people who were just playing for fun. I realize now its only because of pride and a failure to extend grace that I had such an ugly attitude.
And that brings me to Jeffery's Bay, South Africa. This is the first time that I have played soccer semi-consistently the entire year and it is completely opposite from what I am used to, but it is incredible and eye-opening. Its full of girls who don't know what they are doing, who have kicked my shins AND stepped on my feet. The first day they girls opened with a worship song and then asked us to sing one for them. We have one ball and 5 cones for 15 girls, no goals to score in or pennies to differentiate teams. We had to stop twice for a herd of cows crossing the field and constantly have to move young siblings or neighbors out of the way. And the best part is I have loved it more than any soccer I have played in years. I have loved it because its not about soccer and trying to constantly improve and impress, its about Jesus and sharing more of Him. And adding Jesus to my favorite sport was all it took to change my ugly,stuck-up, prideful attitude. It's amazing how He changes everything if we let Him.
I am working with the Phillia Girls Soccer team, one of the many LXP ministries in the area. Blessings is the head coach but more importantly the head prayer warrior. She is an ex-member of the Zambia Women's National team and a few years ago she fell head over heals with Jesus. Her heart was burdened to share the grace that has been so freely given to her with others. God gave her a vision to do so through something He has already greatly gifted her in: Soccer. She went from playing on international turf with top of the line equipment to coaching on a dirt patch scattered with trash and broken glass with a bunch of underprivileged girls wearing skirts and sandals to training. Instead of bringing balls to practice, they bring the baggage of hard family lives and patience-testing attitudes. But hidden under the pain they bring yearning hearts and determined feet.
Blessings heart is discipleship, not soccer. That's why she can see a game she loves played in such a different way. That's why she comes to the field every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday even if she is the only one that shows up. That's why she prepares for practice by spending twice as much time in prayer as she does planning drills.
She told me that when she started the girls constantly tore each other down every time they made a mistake, though none of them had ever played before. As she has taught them how to improve their skills, she has also taught them the power of encouraging words, how to extend grace and the importance of treating people with love. That's why the name of the team is Phillia, it means friendship love in Greek.
The girls practice 3 days a week. Their ages range from 9-17 and their attire varies even more. Short skirts, worn jeans, and broken sandals are completely common, though most of the girls wear no shoes at all. Tuesday and Wednesday are devoted to practice, after opening with a silly game and heart-warming song the girls train and then close with a prayer of thanksgiving. Thursdays are devoted to a bible story, home visits, and soccer is played at the end, time permitting.
I never thought this day would come, but I WANT to be a Soccer mom: the very people I used to make fun of as a kid. But I need some help from all of the other soccer mom's and players, and I'm now talking to almost every child in America because even if you don't have a a season of soccer under your belt, then its t-ball, dance, or summer swim team. You know what it is like to have a brand-new jersey and proudly wear your team name across your chest. Or the splendor of a perfectly new ball whether it be soccer, baseball, football, or basketball.
I have seen these girls continue to be transformed into the likeness of Christ before my eyes in two weeks. I have watched them work hard and work in-spite of so many circumstances telling them they can't do it. That they will never be good enough. That they will never succeed or measure up. They come to practice in whatever they wore that day, because its all that they have. And seeing what I have had, I don't want them to play soccer like I did. I don't want them to have a "practice t-shirt and shorts" ,a different pair of cleats for training and games, or a warm-up jersey. I don't want them to not because I want less for them, but because those things honestly don't matter. I know first hand that having excess doesn't mean success or happiness, but I also know how much of a difference a little equipment can make.
So that's where I need your help to bring unity to this team of fighting young ladies. I want to purchase a few more soccer balls and get the girls uniforms to call their own. A bunch of my squadmates and I are leaving all of our athletic clothes for them at the end of the month which I know will be a huge blessing, but my heart is to get them new uniforms and not World Race new but brand-spanking new (they don't have any at all anyway). The new is important to me because that is exactly what they are, new in Christ. They are not defined by their pasts, their families, or their piers. They are defined by their transforming hearts, fighting Spirits, and loving Savior.
If you want to help me get the girls Jerseys: email me at [email protected] :]
