The past few months in Thailand I have had the pleasure to do many things: teach english, ride elephants, harvest rice, eat rice, play with tigers, lead multiple worships at the local churches, and my favorite, soccer ministry! In case you did not know, I am extremely passionate about soccer and it is something that I love dearly. Every night, — when I say every night… I seriously mean every night (even when the had a tournament during the day) — we have practice from 4:30 – 6:00 and my team has had the opportunity to pour into the local kids of the village through soccer!
Ever since I was a young girl, 3 years old, I have loved playing soccer. I would play in the spring season and in the fall season and in the winter season and in the summer season and alllllll the time. Before graduating, I was asked “what will you miss most about highschool?” I pondered the question, but the main thing that came to mind was soccer. Playing, being on a team, game days, practices every night, team dinners, being on the field, sprinting down the field, shooting, and finally getting that goal I had so long desired, all of it, that would be what I would miss most. However, ever since leaving for the race, I’ve been able to play soccer everywhere. In Cambodia I played every night, and here in Thailand, I thankfully get to coach U12 boys!
When we arrived to Chaiyaphum Thailand, I heard we’d be doing soccer ministry and I was beyond excited. On the first night we got here we of course had practice, so I put on my $7 cleats from Cambodia and rode off to practice. We got to the field and it is full of 50 nine to sixteen-year-old boys. I was a little intimidated but felt strangely at home on that dirt ridden field. When practice begins, all of my teammates are fumbling around with the ball but being my typical self I try to show up everyone with my foot skills. After practice we ride in the truck and listen and sing along to worship with Nan our host.
The next night, Nan and Raem pull our team aside to explain their soccer ministry a little more. They have been apart of soccer ministry for 8 years. In the area the best way to reach out to the community is through soccer. Nan had been praying to God asking how to reach out, and God called him to coach. He builds relationships with the kids and their family, giving them the opportunity to minister to the village. He coaches practice every night 4:30-6:00 and sometimes has early practices (6:00am). He takes the kids to different tournaments so that all of the students have the chance to play in real competitive games. They wouldn’t have this same opportunity without him. He spends multiple hours pouring into these kids and this YWAM base’s main outreach is through soccer ministry.
Nan coaches two teams, a U12 team and a U15 team. There’s such a large number of U12 boys that he splits them up into an A and B team so technically he coaches 3 teams, around 50 kids in total.. All for one coach Nan. After seeing me play, Nan asked me to coach his U12 boys since he has so many kids. The first night when we were worshiping, he got a vision from God of my face and it caused him to break into tears. He felt as though I could help make an impact on the soccer program and I said yes with great delight!
That night they also expressed to us the struggles they have faced with the soccer program, which have been huge. Everyone knows them around the town to be the Christians so many of the parents won’t let their children go to soccer. They don’t want their kids influenced by Christians or being around Nan. The school in their village does not have a soccer team so they only way the kids have an opportunity to play is actually playing with Nan, and many kids aren’t allowed. The principles of the schools around actually neglect the kids from playing and they don’t have the chance to do the one thing they desire to do. The kids suffer while all Nan is attempting to do is shower them with God’s love. This has been a huge struggle for them.
Nan also buys all of the kids uniforms, provides transportation, meals for team dinners and food at tournaments, equipment, and all the typicals of a soccer team. He pays for all of it out of pocket. They don’t have any sort of boosters program like we do at home so he pays for everything, putting a huge burden on him and his family. The parents are all very hesitant to support the team, mainly because he is a Christian, but also because many of the families just don’t have money. Half of the players don’t have cleats, they play either bare footed or in their school uniform sneakers. The field is very patchy, mainly dirt, with many divots. There are no lines to make a field and the goals are just metal bars without netting. None of them are even full size goals. None of the students own their own balls, Nan provides them but most are all torn up and falling apart. These factors don’t affect the kids because they are content just being able to play soccer, but Nan wishes to give them an even better, more Godly experience.
Most of their tournaments take place in December, and Nan actually has a tradition of holding his own tournament the Christmas Cup! It would be starting this week and our team would split up into teams with the students and all compete against each other. He invites a many people to come play to be able to reach out to his community. To get people to play, he loves to give out prizes to the winners. They normally ask the participants to throw in any money they have towards it, but most of them don’t even have the equivalent of 50 cents to put in. Nan has been asking around for support of their team, but because of his faith, he is always denied.
Not only does he hold the tournament, but he also hosts a huge Christmas celebration at their own home after the tournament. He gets the opportunity to share to them about God’s love while everyone gets to join as a community. Last year they had over 300 attendees from the village but this also is not something that is cheap for him and his family. Last year it costed them about $200 USD which to us, sounds cheap for such a huge festivity, but that kind of money is a tremendous amount here. They don’t have the funds to hold the party this year and they weren’t going to have it, but they have asked our team if we would throw it this year. They locals love us Falangs and all would love to come. We are delighted to throw the party, because we will get the biggest opportunity to minister to the village yet. We want to provide food, a skit, music, gift, and the whole shabang! A true Christmas party to really get the village excited!
Coaching has been one of the most amazing experiences for me. I have grown so close to every single one of those kids and my heart yearns for them. I am no longer called the “Falang!” (this means foreigner) they know me by name, Coach Des! I know all of their names, and even with a language barrier, I am still able to demonstrate drills and also yelling sometimes does the trick. We set up multiple different drills like simple passing, 3 v 2’s, give and go’s, crossing, shooting, defense, everything I happened to learn during my soccer career. We always end with scrimmaging during sunset and watching these incredible U12 boys shank the ball while the sky is turning all colors of pink and orange has to be my favorite thing in the entire universe and something I could not be more thankful for from God. They have been a blessing in my life and I just keep praying they I have been able to be one for them. Provide the love of God to them when some are lacking love at all. Be a light where they have been infested in darkness. Be a soccer coach that they love!
Here, the soccer program is extremely lacking what it is like in the States. There are no boosters or support from the parents. The kids come prepared for pickup, not for a true team, which is the hope of Nan. To provide a true team to them. He has been having immense struggles everywhere being denied from his faith because of the huge influence Buddhism has on the culture. Please continue to keep the program and the children in your hearts and in your prayers with everything. Especially with the Christmas cup and festivities and program in general, they are looking for support.
So far, all of your donations have gone to the support of the family. It provides our $4.28 a day food and $2.8 a day lodging (also providing transportation and other needs like that) This money goes to the family and gives us the opportunity to pour into them. As full time missionaries they get exhausted and sometimes worn out, but a team coming is able to refresh them, bring them new joy and hope, and give them the extra mile to continue teaching english around and continue their efforts in soccer ministry!
For the Christmas season, if you also happen to be passionate about soccer or missions field, you now have the opportunity to donate directly to a cause. They are asking for support everywhere, so please pray about it, but please consider donating even just $5 to their team which here can go a tremendous way! This would give them the opportunity to continue the program which without this, the program might have to end. You can see God moving in their lives so I hope that you can see him moving in yours to donate! Please contact me through my email ([email protected]) or comment on this blog if you feel compelled and desire to help support!
Thank you so much!
