Vai!

Last week was a lot of training- a Welsh and a Brit (both awesome futbol players) were here. We spent a lot of time learning Biblical basis of sports missions and other such things. They kinda boiled it down to the simplest ways to do everything, and that in itself was mindblowing. We had a lot of practical training, and that week we also got to play outside a lot. I don't actually play soccer too much, but my volleyball skills have transferred to the keeper (portillero) position surprisingly well. We've been working through a lot of issues individually and as a group; there's been so much I hardly know where to start. But the main points for me have all stemmed from "getting over myself" as David says. My theme passage lately is James 3:13-18.

This week we've been doing a sports camp for the kids in Torre. It's crazy different from any camp in the states. I'm in charge of volleyball, but they're so young a lot of times it turns into just running around, them teaching us Italian games and us teaching them American games. We have had to be cooped up in the tiny gym with everyone for most of the week because of rain, but that means we just get to see more amazing taekwondo demos by 4-time world champ Vladimir. Today I only had a couple girls, so we actually hardcore worked on some skills. Sometimes Amanda translates, but when I'm left alone it's a bad mix of Spanish/Italian and the kids throw their hands up and say NON CAPITO! when I can't understand them (in a nice way). It is really funny watching them interact- they do the stereotypical Italian yelling with the hands when they're mad, and I've heard "Mama Mia!" many times. But my girls have been opening up a lot, and some of their English is really getting better (they do English classes in the afternoon after we finish with sports and lunch). There has been an older special needs girl, and yesterday she was playing some games with a ball and cups and basically all the kids were crowding around and cheering for her- the joy on her face was unbelievable.

Most of the kids at this camp have never known someone who believes in Jesus besides a priest or someone who's over 70. So a main point is showing them that people they look up to, who are interested in sports like them, and who are "cool" young-20's Americans actually pray and read a Bible. Someone's been giving a testimony-ish every day during the break. The questions these kids ask are crazy; they really have no exposure to church or much talk about God. Yesterday when Eliseo asked someone to read a bible verse they were all fighting over it and crowding around to see what it said.

The rest of our time this week has been filled up with FCA training from Dan, getting gelato, playing basketball and/or soccer in the rain, and watching world cup games (insane to be in Europe, I'm sadly becoming a bigger soccer fan). Last night we met with some kids in Bobbio who are actually Christians, although pretty much none of them come from a Christian family. We just talked and played with them; they also asked a bunch of questions and then they all crowded around for our autographs afterwards.

I've been able to meet a lot more of the OM Italy team, and I've talked to Amanda about when she played here. I'm not sure what level I'll be at (Logan Tom played for a club here), but David has apparently been telling people I could go pro. We'll see, but I might even make money off of it some day. I'll probably be staying at Forterocca at least for a while, then who knows. Also, I found out I'm running a basketball camp for Arab kids in Bethlehem with Austin and Clayton. No big deal. Kinda stoked outta my mind. Two more weeks.