Sports Outreach

Archive for the ‘Sports Outreach’ Category

Posted: January 12, 2021 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Jos Nigeria, Nigeria, People of Egbe, Prayer, Sports Outreach

By: Emma Salako

We have been trying for some years now to bring a sports team from Jos all the way to Egbe. Finally, the Lord answered our prayers in November and the team came to Egbe. I can tell you that it was a glorious moment of change and discipleship. The first game was played against Vessel’s F.C of Egbe which ended at 0-0. We shared the gospel with all the players and the crowd that had gathered. The second game was played against Egbe Mekun F.C and ended up at 0-0. Both games went well and there were no injuries and no fights, which is rare for football games in Nigeria. Many players made a vow to be committed to their game and not just their game but to God also. The team from Jos was able to share experiences with Egbe players and relationships were built. We have now been invited to Jos to play and the team from Jos wishes to return to Egbe and stay for one week to help drill the young youths and have more outreaches to neighboring towns.

Overall we thank God for this amazingly peaceful event and all the lives that were committed to Christ and relationships that were built with many other football players around Nigeria. God is definitely using this sports program to spread the gospel to the men of Nigeria. These men will return home and share the good news with their friends and families. As you support this ministry you too are fulfilling God’s great command found in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Nigeria February 2020 Trip Photos

Posted: February 12, 2020 by Patrice Miles in African School, AWANA, C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Mission Trip, Mission Trips, Missionaries, Nigeria, Orphans, Patrice Miles, People of Egbe, Prayer, SIM, Sports Outreach, Spring Of Life, Uncategorized, Volunteers

Words and pictures cannot describe the fruitfulness of our 1st trip of 2020. God used all of us and the gifts he has given us to encourage all the kids, caregivers and staff at C.A.R.E. Africa and Foundations Academy. Take a peak below and pray about joining us on my next trip in June. Email me at patrice.miles@sim.org for more details.

The Reason to Celebrate

Posted: December 18, 2019 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, People of Egbe, Prayer, SIM, Sports Outreach

For our sport outreach this month we invited a team from the town of Ilorin to a match. I have had a relationship with this team for a long time. They have always wanted to come to Egbe to play a match but due to finances they have been unable to make the trip. The entire team is M*slim. I have deeply felt God wanting me to build a stronger relationship with this team. So after much prayer we decided to use our sports outreach funds to finance their trip to Egbe. Twenty-five came including coaches. Only two people on the team were Christ!an.

We were able to get them accomodations and feed them. We had a movie night and discussions about life matters. We all shared and I was blessed to share Chr!st with everyone. We played football and the game ended 1-0. I believe our loss allowed them to see God in us as they felt loved and not cheated. Saturday morning we all trained together and prayed. Indeed it is one of my best days this month. Some of the players agreed that we should create a group to be encouraging each other. None of them were judged because of their religion. I was able to give the coach a Bible, the Fellowship of Christ!an Athletes Bible, and the team agreed to use it. I believe a door of fellowship has been opened and look forward to God’s plans for the Ilorin team. Please join me and keep this team in your prayers during this Christmas season as we all continue to share about Chr!st’s birth with our family and friends, the real reason for celebration!

Emma Salako

Donate to our Sports Outreach Programs by clicking Sports Outreach

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Following My Dreams

Posted: December 11, 2019 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Nigeria, Orphans, People of Egbe, Prayer, Sports Outreach

by Emma Salako

At this time in my life I have come to understand that following one’s dream and achieving it is never easy. To achieve that “burned in your heart” dream, it must come with sacrifices.

Such sacrifices may involve friends, family members and yourself. Total abandonment of yourself for the dream is necessary. Sacrificing yourself requires self discipline, self control, patience and long-suffering. Prayer must be the foundation and the altar upon which your dream and your sacrifices are built.

The dream within me is bigger than myself! I will not allow what people think or say about me stop me from, Dreaming, Hoping, Believing, Striving, Developing.

When you have a dream do you allow people’s thinking to stop you?

That means that what they think or say about you is more important than your dream. You must remember the dream is not for you but for those who it is going to impact. Lives will be transformed through your prayerful perseverance to achieve the dream.

Achieving dreams isn’t based on the money in my bank account, but the riches in my heart towards seeing lives impacted and transformed. Achieving dreams is not based on education, family background or about who you know. It is about believing in yourself, striving every day and not giving up.

CareAfrica_logo_v1_tag2_flat-01 You don’t need anyone to approve your dreams. The right people will come alongside you and help you grow it. That is where I am today – working with the most loving, caring, gentle souls who believe in the dream called C.A.R.E Africa. We prayerfully Believe, Hope, Strive and Follow where the dream takes us each day.

“Surely you are not calling me to do this Lord?”

Posted: March 20, 2019 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Orphans, Prayer, Sports Outreach

“Surely you are not calling me to do this Lord?”

This thought along with many other thoughts whirled through Emma’s mind when God called him to serve in Egbe in 2011 (click Emma’s Story to read Emma’s personal testimony).

Pastor James, Emma and Don Fawcett

Emma’s initial calling was to start a Sports Ministry for HELP orphanage both locally in Egbe and as outreach to remote villages in the bush. On one of these outreaches Emma visited a TIV village. The TIV are an ancient tribal group in Nigeria with a very unique culture. This village, over an hour from Egbe, had no church building, no pastor, no resources for sports and little to no education. The need was great.

“Surely you are not calling me to do this Lord?”

Every Saturday Emma would motorcycle out to the village to host a football (soccer) game and to share the gospel using materials like Heart of the Champion. On Sundays he would make the one-hour trek again and attend church with them. Since they had no pastor Emma would often preach.

“My greatest challenge in visiting the TIV camp was taking meals with them. I saw the water they used to cook with and I knew I wouldn’t even clean my clothes with that water. I just prayed and asked God to let my stomach be OK. In all the years I visited the village I never once got sick.”

Medical Checkup Clinic @ TIV Village

Three years later a team with the Texas Baptist Mission Network visited the TIV village with Emma. Don Fawcett, one of the team members, was deeply touched by the challenges these people faced and returned again with a medical team. They treated many diseases caused by drinking contaminated or dirty water. The team confirmed that two previous village deaths were due to waterborne disease (the chief’s 1st wife and a 10-year-old boy). Don and his team decided to raise the money needed for a well to provide a sustainable source of clean water to protect the lives of this entire community.

Don asked Emma to run the well project. Emma had no experience with managing people, drilling a well or forming a village committee to oversee the well.

“Surely you are not calling me to do this Lord?”

Emma Entering the TIV village with the digger and crew.

The Digger

Emma says “The challenges began immediately. The machinery got stuck in the sand on our way to the village. Once we finally made it to the village we had people from the nearby town come to extort money from us for basically not giving them a well. Then one of the diggers received a very bad injury above the eye and had to be rushed to the local clinic. The largest challenge was when the drill machine simply would not start. I walked away to pray and then asked the engineer to just try and start it one more time. To both our surprise the machine turned on and started drilling. Once we hit water it became so exciting. The head engineer told me in all his time drilling boreholes he had never drilled a place with water like this one. He told me this place was very blessed.”

Emma’s ministry to the TIV people has become an outreach department at C.A.R.E. Africa in addition to the monthly Sports Outreach Program Emma conducts in surrounding communities. Emma faces many challenges with this dual ministry such as transport, logistics, equipment and monthly expenses of roughly $250 a month.

Each time God calls us to do the impossible He tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:8 “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Could this be your “Surely you are not calling me to do this Lord” moment? We hope this story will reach those who will prayerfully consider encouraging Emma by donating to the Sports Outreach Campaign https://give.icareafrica.org/careafrica/sportsoutreach

Launch of the new well.

Fruitful 2018

Posted: January 11, 2019 by Patrice Miles in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Miles In Missions, Missionaries, Nigeria, Orphans, Patrice Miles, People of Egbe, Prayer, SIM, Sports Outreach

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I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Psalms 9:1

2018 was a very fruitful year for C.A.R.E. Africa and we give all the thanks and glory to our Lord and Savior! When we look back at our 2018 goals, and check off every single one, our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness to God. Without him stirring people’s hearts to support us prayerfully, financially and physically, none of this would have been possible.

If you followed our blogs you know that 2018 was also a very hard year for us. Spiritually we experienced attacks like never before. Honestly, we were not prepared and that is why 2019 we will be better equipped. Watch for our upcoming blog announcing our 2019 theme and goals for C.A.R.E.

Join us to thank the Lord for what he fulfilled in 2018.
1. Foundations Academy Egbe primary school opened.
2. Monthly sports outreach started.
3. Began weekly Egbe community search for the vulnerable.
4. Three children graduated secondary school and one was accepted to University.
5. First, annual, one-week kids camp held. Three children accepted Christ.
6. First, annual, staff spiritual retreat held in Miango.
7. C.A.R.E. van purchased for children, staff and team transportation.
8. Hired an AWANA director who will also serve in pastoral care.
9. Two USA teams traveled to Egbe. They were instrumental in the school renovation and the TIV outreach.
10. Water well project for TIV camp started.
11. Significant increase in sale of C.A.R.E. products in USA
12. Caregiver microfinance program started. It is designed to support entrepreneurship and alleviate poverty.

As of today we have 55 children and 45 caregivers/foster parents registered in our programs.

As we continue to walk faithfully please join us in prayer for the new year and new opportunities it will present.

Youth Unity Competition

Posted: October 9, 2018 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Orphans, People of Egbe, Prayer, SIM, Sports Outreach

Recently there was a large football (soccer) competition in Egbe that was hosted by the Elder Leke Abejide. He is currently contesting for Federal House of Representatives 2019 for Yagba West Constituency. Part of his election campaign was to develop grass roots football in Yagba Land.

The competitions was called Youth Unity Competition and was held May through June across the Local Governments of Yagba Federal Constituency, which comprised of Mopa, Amuo, Yagba East and Yagba West. There were more than 15 teams that participated in the competition.

DSC_0296 (2) Vessels (C.A.R.E. Africa’s sports outreach team) came top of the preliminary round that was played at Yagba West level. They then went on to qualify for the finals and they won against Success Stars of Isanlu. which is a very experienced and fit team. This is the first major trophy award won by Vessels after eight years of existence. In addition Vessels Team was given the Most Disciplined Team Award.

This experience has created awareness for our sports outreach program. Many football players have since signed up to join the Vessels team some which are even M*slims. We are excited about our team and their success and we give God all the glory. Support our team and our sports outreach program by clicking the following link. https://give.icareafrica.org/careafrica/sportsoutreach