Where sports, play, and transformation meet
God works powerfully through many different platforms at our Servant Partners sites worldwide. Sports and play programs are strategic and universal platforms brimming with potential. Physical activity promotes good health, mental well-being, and positive social interaction. Additionally, we continue to find that sports and play with a developmental application can catalyze deeper transformation on the individual and community level.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, SP staff Trevor and Chrissy Davies and Jen Chi Lee have been working with residents of the Zandspruit community to develop local organizations that promote healthy living—socially, physically, and spiritually. As a team, they helped launch Kaofela Retlagona Ladies Health Club (KRLHC) and Legadima Cycling Club.
Legadima Cycling Club brought together resources, equipment, and even a clubhouse, making cycling a reality for men and women in the community. The clubhouse is a safe space promoting good health within the community. It welcomes people from many different backgrounds and is a beautiful sight to behold. On a recent mountain bike trail building day, the trail builders, others dug trails and admired their well-earned blisters, children ran around catching worms, and women chatted in the shade while preparing food. The beauty was that everyone benefit! People built new relationships and a new recreational trail owned and made by the community. Beautiful chaos. Beautiful benefits.
One of those new relationships was with Regi. He connected with Servant Partners at a group working for racial reconciliation in the city. Through the cycling club, Regi participated in a few mountain biking events and experienced the ways that cycling was life-giving, allowing him space outside of his community to reflect and care for his body and soul.
Regi is now the local driving force behind getting more people in our community into cycling, building a development program, facilitating discussions on policies to strengthen Legadima, and providing outstanding leadership. He also has joined our church as a pioneer to help a predominately white church grow into a truly diverse South African church. Regi is a great testimony to the power of relationships and God’s timing and faithfulness to bring partners to work towards transformation.
Servant Partners has already seen the amazing fruit of sports ministry at over six of our sites and is currently launching The Sport for Change Project, an international cohort learning group connecting local leaders, like Regi, interested in incorporating sports as a means for igniting Kingdom-oriented change in their communities. Cohort members will glean insight from experience at our sites, including Johannesburg and Manila. Participants will also find space to cross-pollinate ideas and receive coaching as they apply their own knowledge toward local implementation.
We are excited for this new, coordinated effort to equip local leaders around the world to impact their communities through sports and play ministries. As we launch, would you consider a one-time gift as a scholarship in support of local leaders and community ministers participating in The Sport for Change Project?
Donate to Sport for Change
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