GSM Founder Speaks About LCS Guatemala Team Success

Below is a segment of an e-mail update that Paul Banta (Founder of Global Soccer Ministries) sent out shortly after the LCS team returned from Guatemala.  Thanks to all who prayed, supported, or participated in this amazing project.  And please continue to pray that God would use GSM and these evangelistic soccer clinics to reach into the lives of those in Pinito.

- joe neill

Short-Term Missions Director

SimplyMissions.org

"A great group from Lansing Christian High School spent their spring break working hard with GSM Guatemala and some residents of a little community called Pinito here in Guatemala City. The community has recently become another site of a soccer academy for GSM Guatemala, where boys and girls ages 8-15 come and train, improving their soccer skills, and participating in a series of Bible stories and devotions aimed at growing their hearts.

Pinito, as a community, is composed of families that scratch out a living from the discards of the neighboring meat processing plant. The intestines of already butchered cows are cleaned and hung to dry in order to be resold as sausage casings ......the lower legs and heads of cattle are gleaned and cut away at with the remnants of meat being salvaged and resold. Though the dogs of the community seem to fare well, the families do not as they struggle to manage their lives from the discarded cattle remains that they receive daily. Located in the community, is a small, narrow soccer field that the team from Lansing Christian transformed in an unbelievably short amount of time.

Protective fencing was welded together and raised at both ends of the field was secured into a block wall that was constructed and painted. Add in a lot more painting and, to top it off, a train of dump trucks that just kept coming to dump a select grade sand/clay mixture that was shoveled, wheel barrowed, and raked to create the new playing surface. Many from the community pitched in to help including kids of all sizes, many of them being academy players who realized the significance of the upgrade to their field that was taking place.

GSM Guatemala and Lansing Christian finished the project by inviting the community to come and watch the Pinito Soccer Academy host the Canalitos GSM Soccer Academy, another of GSM locations. They played four games that were followed by hot dogs, watermelon, and face painting fun - as well as a short devotional from Pastor Teddy Torres, one of the pastors from our sponsoring church for this particular academy. Aching backs and sunburned necks aside, a great project was completed. We believe it has the capacity to impact lives for years, as we continue to run programs here. Our relationship with Pinito continues to grow, providing more opportunities to share God’s love. Pray for changed hearts within both the academy players and their families. Thanks again, Lansing Christian.....job well done! " - Paul Banta