Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good (kalos) conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably (kalos) in all things.
- Hebrews 13:18
Joga Bonito!
The greek word "Kalos" is translated a number of ways, but encapsulates the idea of "well", "good", "beautifully", "honorably" and "commendably" all in one. In the original olympics, the Greeks believed that it was not only important to run a race fast, but to run a race "well", with honor, and beautiful form.
Eric Cantona, the retired soccer great from Manchester United, has recaptured that idea, and is promoting some powerful, positive messaging that we think will help us as we use sports to change culture. Called Joga Bonito, or "Play Beautifully", it emphasizes the fun and positive side of soccer, encouraging people to play the game with honor and dignity. It features soccer stars having fun while doing amazing juggling tricks, and also video of players who cheat, with appropriate reprimands from the host of the show.
I believe that once kids grab a hold of this idea, it is not a far journey to get from there to "Live Beautifully". The Apostle Paul tells us to "fight the good fight of the faith". The word "fight" here is not a brawl, it is the Greek word "agon", which is the idea of a contest or a race. Paul is telling us to "Agon Kalos", or "compete for the faith beautifully!"
I encourage you to check out Joga Bonito at http://www.nikefootball.com. Its a lot of fun. There is also some great, new video of U.S. national players talking about their home towns, some of whom come from a town similar to East Palo Alto. You may need to download the latest free Flash player to see it. Once you get it working, click on Joga TV.
Answered Prayers
We give thanks that we have our first donations for RYAA, $3500 in one-time gifts, and one $100/month donation. We are grateful for the support of our friends who have decided to invest in this ministry.
We also give thanks to St. Francis Catholic Church for their support and encouragement. They have offered to let us speak before mass and some fellowship groups they have in order to raise support and volunteers for the organization.
Our core group of coaches from last year's AYSO and CYSA leagues are supportive of the direction of this new sports association. They have agreed to try to incorporate prayer into the games and atmosphere of the teams. We need to pray for them, as they are not accustomed to this, nor sure of the reaction of the kids. However, after showing them a video of the Brazilian National soccer team praying, they got the idea.
Prayer Requests
These next two months are going to be critical to this ministry.
Please pray for:
- Church partnerships
- Financial Supporters
- Volunteers: coaches, referees, mentors, and for special one-time projects - see http://ravenswoodsports.org/volunteer.html
- Wisdom in prioritizing all the work that there is to do
Also, please pray for Pam Reliford, the current recreation supervisor for the city of East Palo Alto. The city is cutting its budget to make up a $3 million deficit. She is scheduled to be laid off, even though she is the only employee the city has who is dedicated to serving youth. I saw her last night at the city council meeting, and she was noticeably upset. She is in the process of looking for new work now.
Also, pray for Cammie Harris, the principal of Chavez school, and a fellow worker in the faith. She has been transfered to another school, against her wishes. Pray for the Lord's peace in this move. Also, pray that the next principal for Chavez school is as easy to work with and as dedicated to the youth.
Action
If you are local and would like to contribute to this ministry with some muscle, and you can use a hammer, or a saw, please join us at Cesar Chavez field this Saturday, June 17th, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. We will be finishing the snack shack and storage shed that was built for us by the 2nd Mile project. We need to install siding, roofing, and interior plywood. If you would like to help, email us and we will give you the particulars of where to go and what to bring.
To contribute financially, go to http://www.ravenswoodsports.org/donate.html. At this time, you can contribute by check, or online via credit card or bank transfer through PayPal.
Do you belong to a church or group that would let us come present this opportunity to invest in the community? Let us know.
Past Prayer Newsletters
If you missed past prayer letters, you can see them at:
http://www.ravenswoodsports.org/prayer.html
Joga Bonito!
Shannon and April