Next school year @Fuller

Would you join us in prayer and support?

We wanted to share some great news and its pledge related with you. I have wanted to affirm and expand my Biblical and Theological formation for years. You know some, and many of the people who do as well encourage me to consolidate what could strengthen my gifts and in the meantime affirm and credit so I add value to what can help others understand and welcome our labour and service.

There is a brilliant opportunity to do this without a major challenge to our call and role today. Friends of us and Doctors at Fuller Seminary are guiding and supporting us for the possibility of taken a Masters of Arts in Theology and Ministry there at Pasadena. The idea is to do this as a growth opportunity for the family as well. 

Main part of this venture is to help our family grow. Lidia is fully on board of this, and if you know her a bit, certainly you'll understand how much that means. Larry Thompson (AIA Intl.), Javier García & Agape Europe Leadership and Nacho Marques (Agape Spain) are up to speed with this and highly encouraging about it.

We would have to take just one school year there starting next August, and then, back home I'd just need one full day a week to focus on finishing the Master on Theology & Ministry back home on a second year.

You know our leadership for AIA Europe has been and will be focused on empowering the national leaders and local teams to own beyond their scope and journey together. I don't run an office or a stint/interns team, and I empower, engage, connect, support, plan, communicate with AIA troops as much as we are allowed and welcomed by local Agape/AIA, and most of that wouldn't stop even as we would be allowed to take this opportunity.

Major projects like Baku European Games, UTC, ESLT trainings, ECSU... Are all led by European leaders and backed up with intl. AIA leaders as well. No fire we have started should be extinguished (if The Lord confirms we need to stay doing it of course). You know  that from last month, AIA Spain in under Abraham Crespo and an awesome new team we belong too as well.

Some classes of Sport Chaplaincy studies from Baylor on distance, Urban L.A. PROJECT From AIA in Los Angeles and volunteer internship coaching for NBA or NCAA team are opportunities, which if possible would add thrilling mission and experience value (always if I could do that as practices or in free time from Fuller studies.

Rob and Cathy Johnstone, Doctors in Fuller and dear friends are fully behind us and they say there's a good chance we would only have to cover 25% of tuition with help of scholarship and foundation support. There's a residence near the campus where we would pay less than $1000 per month (a third of most hosting solutions in the area) for house and utilities. This place would allow me to go to classes with a bike and avoid a second car.

We will certainly need a push and boost to sort finances out. Trusting the Lord with peace of mind and heart about it and all the related questions around it. There’s a foundation which has offered to help us with $15,000 if we raise another equal amount. Would you please consider contributing to our need in this?

Looking forward to hearing from you asap. Let us know any questions this email may have not clarified. Below you have details on how to send your support directly for this need (it would count 100% this way). If you need or rather prefer to send it through CRU, that’s ok as well (cru.org/give. Our account: #2394818).

Thanks a lot,

Ruben, Lidia, Samuel, Josué, Lucía y David Azarías

Transfers:

Bank of the West

180 Montgomery St.

San Francisco, CA

Swift Code: BWSTU566

Phone: +1 (800) 767 8442

Routing No: 121100782

Account No: 673025730

Reference: Fund 2940 for Ruben Fernández.

Checks or 

https://www.peertransfer.com/:

Fuller Theological Seminary

135 N. Oakland Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91182

Reference: Fund 2940 for Ruben Fernández.

March OYK

Dear prayer warriors,

Pray for Lidia and the kids I left again home for a full week. Thanks the Lord they are coming out from being sick and really down Lucia and Azarias suffered the worst. They have school holiday this week and it will be triple work for Lidia with me away and them home.

Pray for Zoe, Emi and Alexander. For them to be protected and fully restored in Jesus individually and as a family.

Praise the Lord for a great week visiting 7 cities of England in 6 days. Pray for wisdom and good follow through of the potential collaboration we are discussing.

Praise the Lord for great projects in Tenerife with a first Cycling Camp organized by Total Athlete AIA NL with riders from Belgium and Netherlands, and a new European Ultimate Training Camp at Gran Canaria with Dave Johns from Canada and participants from Germany, Latvia and Spain.

Pray for great groups and L1 and L2 participants at ESLT trainings in Tenerife and then Malaga coming next in March.

Pray for my trip with Greg Morgan to Portugal as part of the ECSU board next March. We will visit pastors and key leaders to cast vision and build trust and network to see Sport  ministry more developed.

Pray for Spanish and Polish coaches going to NCAA Final 4 events with Ruben and Papi, as they will be exposed to networking with other Christian coaches and great outreaches like Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast and our Coaches Forum.

Pray for the churches training in Madrid for churches from all over Spain in April. we hope to serve well and see many more churches reaching and serving in and through sport at their communities as we have seen happen in Barcelona.

Pray for the recruitment and preparations for our camps and tours this summer all over Europe and beyond.

Pray for me and Jessie Starrenburg, the 2 Europeans part of an international team who is coaching and training invited by government hundreds of the best athletes of one of the most closed countries in South East Asia. 

Pray for Abraham Crespo and Dan Fernandez as they will be the same month of May and country, initiating a partnership with a local football project and community.

Pray for our prep and support development to go to Fuller next school year. A foundation offered $15,000 if we raised another equal amount. Praised the Lord, thanks to God and a number of you we are half way though the goal. Pray for us to complete the goal. If you want to contribute some for this, as you hear, your support will be doubled. Let us know and we will send you details on how to send your support.

Thanks for your faithful engagement, prayers and work in Europe for Jesus' followers in every team, sport, city and nation,

Ruben, Lidia, Samuel, Josue, Lucia and Azarias

February OYK

Dear Prayer warriors,

This week we have experienced as a family, and it’s far from being over yet, hopefully the beginning of break through and deliverance for a family from our church. One parent is in jail and the other and 2 kids have stayed at home with us several days. They are now hosted in a different place but we are still helping the church leadership with their support and care.

From next Sunday 8 to Saturday 14 I will be in England, traveling with our AIA Global Director Larry Thompson to different cities and events. WE are discussing and considering a potential partnership with another agency. Please, pray for safety and wisdom. Pray for Lidia as she guards the fort here (Lucia is with fewer today, Samuel with a cold). Even in good health is already a militar maneuver to deal with our 4 musketeers as you can imagine.

These coming weeks are named after Canary Islands this 2015 for us. Feb 19-22 our AIA Netherlands Total Athlete team are holding a new European Cycling Camp in Tenerife with riders from several countries, where they’ll train on wheels and our Principles for Life and Competition. Thursday 26 through Monday 1st, we have Ultimate Training Camp Europe 2015 at Gran Canaria with Dave Johns from Canada and participants from all over Europe and beyond. And then, the next weekend we’ll have a new European Sport Leadership Training (ESLT) at Tenerife again. Don’t worry we are not moving to the Fortuned Islands (unfortunately ;-). I will be a whole week there for UTC, but Abraham Crespo and other partners and local volunteers are doing an excellent work for all this. Please, keep us in your prayers.

Talking about moves. Our family will be in California from next September for a full school season. Surprised? I am starting a Masters on Theology and Ministry at Fuller Seminary and the family will be finally living as true overseas missionary family :-). There’s lots to share with you about this, and we truly need and count with your prayers and support as this is indeed a faith leap we’ll need you for. More in our next communication.

We love you and are very thankful for your friendship and kind support. In Jesus and until the nets are full,

Rubén, Lidia, Samuel, Josué, Lucía & David Azarías 

44

Next monday (28), i'll celebrate 44 Springs. Life flyes and even when we know it, it's son hard to see it happen, isn't it?

I'm on a train starting the journey once again. This time to meet tonight with AIA Global Council teammates. It's been a whole since we met and worked together  and look forward to it. We'll be at AIA USA HQ at Xenia, OH, so I'll get to see dearly fellow partners and life friends an mentors like Tom and Mary Rapp.

I'm missing Lidia and our children already. Please hold and lift then dearly in your prayers. For strenght and protection.

Abraham Crespo, has been already there for a week, as ambassador of AIA Spain and West Europe at the Spring Confenrece that gathers all AIA US staff.

Thanks for your prayers for preparations and participants for UTC EUROPE next June in Malaga.

...for the final leg of the Sports Coaching course at University of Malaga and great partnership and mission opportunities God is slowing as we do practices, presentations, networking,

...for the Pray Play Say small groups that are consolidating led by sport students in Malaga.

...for the indoor football team from Netherlands touring in Barcelona and for the different churches that keep growing sport ministries there with support of our team.

Love and best wises in Christ to you all,

Ruben

Birmingham here we go!

Changing warm and sunny Malaga with Birmingham, UK today for he while week but with a great reason.

I'll be wrestling, playing, sharing, strategically planning for ab right future of AIA UK with Agape and Athletes in Action UK leaders.

Pray for Lidia guarding the fort and the troops (she has strong stomach ache today), and for me. I hit a finger last week an doesn't look good and I have a strong eyes infection.

We know what and whom is our warfare, isn't it? Pray for deliver emcee, health, wisdom and fullness in Him and His Victory.

Have a great week in Jesus!

Malta

Dear On Your Knees partners,

Yesterday, along with Greg Morgan (CIS) and David Guering (OM), I was in Malta representing ECSU and AIA in meetings and seminars with sport leaders to vision cast and support sport ministry development. Julian (member of a national comission for sport), Vince (business man and founder of a mushrooming football nursery -academy-), David (Olympic Committe Treasurer) did an outstanding work to align meetings, presentations, seminars, board discussions...

The walls of Mdina are so wide and invincible that even restaurants are built inside them, but I go back today with the impression we helped torpeed the island from within :-).

Thanks for your prayers for wise and insightful follow through and eternal fruit out of each potential iniciative. Pray for clear next steps and model pilot projects in the coming months/years. Chaplaincy & outreach to the U17 European Football Championships next May there, ESLT L1 training, Maltese participants to our next UTC, a Sport & Life weekend to federation and Olympic coaches & leaders...

Looking forward to serving Jesus and each of them with you,

Ruben 

Malta

On a journey to Valeta (Malta) today. 

Tomorrow, along with Greg Morgan (CIS) and David Guehring (OM), i will be representing ECSU and AIA in meetings and seminars with sport leaders from Malta. Athletes, coaches, Education Leaders, priests in charge of Sport Education...

Looking forward to serve Jesus and each of then. Thanks for your prayers 

Celebrating Jesus, Light of the World!

“but Yahweh will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory”

(Isaiah 60:19 WEB)

Celebrating Jesus,

Light of the World!, and all that happened during 2013 in His direction and provision with you. Happy Christmas & Blessed 2014!

Fearless, Faithful, Focus, Forward

These have been inspiring themes for our lives and ministry the last months. If you read the leter from apostle Paul to the Corinthians, chapters 3 to 5, you'll see why. You can watch the videos we used at the last European Christian Sport Gathering in Italy here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbJHcoXFAk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL-lTNa3JKw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEjjncJVdEQ

It's been full of everything these past weeks. ECSU Gathering was a blast for all the participants, including Abraham & Amy who came with me and served the gathering as volunteers. 

David Azarías is now 1 month. A healthy and fully awaken baby, who keeps us, and mostly his mommy quite busy. Azarías (the hebrew name of one of Daniel's friends who where faithful in Babilonia and survived being thrown to a burning oven) means God has protected, and so we feel God did with his live entrusted to us. Lucia is already at school with Josué & Samuel, and always chasing their heels in all they do.

Azarías was only 5 days when I had to fly to South Africa for Athletes in Action Global Leadership Council meetings. We had a great time with AIA leaders from that area and praying, wrestling and planning about the future of or vision and movements.

AIA GLC with AIA South Africa team @University of Johannesburg 

David, Ellen & Jessie (staff team in Barcelona) and Abraham, Pablin (just back from his honey moon) & Dan (staff team in Malaga) got together 3 days in October to pray and plan together for AIA Spain. It's thrilling to us to see this godly, young and passionated team grow as we serve and follow Jesus together and aim to see Christ followers, in every team, sport, city, Spain & beyond.

Lidia and I had the chance to spend 2 days with Javier and Gema. It was a great time to catch up and encourage each other. Even when juggling with family and a nursing baby is tuff enough for Lidia, retreating for 2 days with help of Lidia's parents was very valuable for her.

Tomorrow night I depart to join ECSU Board meeting on tuesday and join a London Lab project, sponsored by Agape UK & Agape Europe, where our AIA team there will facilitate a workshop and outreach in partnership with churches and local partners in London. There's a good chance I'll visit James & Alex Potter and Miguel Angel Gomez, a Spanish coach we have helped connect with Champions Academy UK.

November 3-8, I will travel to Waco, Texas, to be part of a task team from International Sports Coalition hosted by John and Cincy White at Baylor (they are former AIA staff and John is a professor there now). We have been asked to help build a curriculum and itinerary to help serve and develop top athletes.

November 11-15, we will have AIA European Leadership meetings and Agape Europe Leadership Forum with over 120 european leaders who meet every 2 years. We will be at Benalmádena (Málaga).

David Azarías, welcome to this world

On monday, september 16, 5:25pm, with 3830gr and 52cm, was thrown to this broken (but always hopeful in Jesus) World, David Azarías.

This new baby of His, it's a content and awaken share from Our Father which malks the delights, as you can imagine, from his brothers, sister and his parents.

Lidia labored as a crowned andmaster  champion and both are already home, doing all of us our best for their welcoming and sound recovery.

Why a blessing from Above are His children trusted to us. Thank you Jesus. Fill us with your power and wisdom to raise them fearful, lovers and followers of Thy.

On my way to Johannesburg to AIA GLC Meetings

AIA’s Global Leadership Council meets twice a year, face to face. This picture is from last April when we met in Istanbul. I have served on this leadership team for about 12 years and deeply value the days we spend TOGETHER. We live in 8 different cities around the world so being together is valuable as we evaluate, pray and plan for the future of AIA globally!
We will gather this weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa. We will share some time with the national AIA team of South Africa as well as our team’s time together. Thank you for praying for these days together! 

Ultimate Training Camp Europe 2013
April 4-7, Benalmádena (Spain)
www.athletesinaction.eu/UTC

Over 40 participants from Spain and many other European countries have registered already for UTC (. Pray with us for those traveling from afar, for safety, for mind, body and soul best preparation and for profitable time in Benalmadena for all of us. UTC, where God, Life and Sport unite.

Ultimate Training Camp is a high intensity sports camp that helps athletes and coaches to understand how to blend faith and sport together on the field of competition. There will be Bible studies mixed with active sports training to help sportsmen to understand how the gospel impacts their sport and life.

ECSU Gathering

The ECSU Board is happy to invite you to the
ECSU GATHERING 2013
August 22-25
Forterocca, Torino (Italy)

We would love to see people involved in the work of sports mission from all 44 countries of the ECSU represented at the Gathering.

Do also feel free to pass the documents on to anyone else you know who is involved in the work of sports mission who would benefit from attending the Gathering. In the meantime, if you have any specific questions about the conference, please contact us:
cjung@srsonline.de
www.ecsu.eu

ECSU Gathering 2013: Registration Form

Please fill in the registration form and send it via email to Claudia Jung. cjung@srsonline.de

Name:
Address:
Work Telephone Number:
Mobile/Cell Phone Number:
E-Mail Address:
Gender: Male/Female (delete as appropriate)
Date of Birth:
If relevant, name of sports ministry organisation that you represent:
Current sports ministry involvement:

I am willing to support another ECSU Gathering participant by contributing €

 — en www.ecsu.eu.

Busy Baltics

Do you think you are busy? We live on a fast and furious world isn't it? I hope you remember who and why are you in the planet in the midst of all the hecktiness ;-).

In this post I wanted to encourage you to pray for our teams and volunteers in the Baltics, along with the Agape leaders around them, and our European leaders along side with them like Wouter de Vos (Netherlands) and Brad Bratz (AIA West Europe). They have a crazy timing ahead (check by yourself below). Pray all this comes out the best, and "shows the money" with Christ followers, in every team, every sport, every nation...

Baltics - March-September 2013

March 10-15      
Hockey - Liberty University – Latvia

April 3-7              
AIA Ultimate Training Camp – Malaga, Spain

May 11-23          
Hockey - AIA Hockey  – Estonia, Latvia

May 24-26          
SELL Games – Riga, Latvia

June 1-2 or 8-9 
Basketball Coaches Clinic – Riga, Latvia

June 2                  
Cycling - Riga GP – Riga, Latvia

June 3-7              
Basketball Camp – Vilnius, Lithuania

June 7                  
Cycling - Riga-Ventspils – Latvia

June 8                  
Cycling - Ventspils-Jurmla – Latvia

June 9                  
Cycling - Jurmla GP – Latvia

July 1-4                
Basketball Camp – Tartu, Estonia

July 5-8                
Basketball Camp – Tallinn, Estonia

July 6-17              
World University Games – Kazan, Russia

August 10-18     
World Athletics Championship – Moscow, Russia

August 11-18     
Basketball – AIA/Mercer University – Lithuania

August 24-25     
Estonian Athletic Championships - Estonia

September        
Runner’s Camp - Estonia

AIA Estonia Facebook

AIA Latvia Facebook

@Ohio freezing, without snow, but happy

Greetings from Xenia, Ohio. I arrived last thursday. I've been visiting life partners and friends @Mason, OH (Tom & Mary Rapp), and @Plymouth, MI (Ross & Karen Fichtner). Snow fluring although weather's miserable for a Malagueño who was with 20ºC before coming here :-). Tomorrow and the rest of the week our meetings are scheduled from 8.30am-9.00pm so there will be long days.  There is much to discuss and plan as we evaluate last year and look toward the future together with other key AIA leaders from around the world.  Pray for unity, clear communication, and wisdom as we seek God's direction. Pray for Lidia and the kids while I am away. All of them have Hand, foot and mouth disease. It will be a long two weeks for them, and may be longer if I get it when I return at the end of the week. Tom was our leader with AIA Spain 1987-1997. He now teaches Spanish & is the Head Coach for Mason Comets men Cross Country team. He has been selected as coach of the State of Ohio for the second time this year.  Since he arrived, the program has won several State awards. Tom & Mary have been always a great example and consistent friends and partners through out all these years.

We are the champions!

Jacob Jones Rando, Ellen Michelle Quarles, Abraham Crespo & myself joined team #2 yellow for the Ultimate Challenge in Holland. We decided to go and bought our tickets and arranged to go into the far dutch country side inn East Holland only thursday for this event starting on friday afternoon (that's Spanish spontaneity :-).

We 4 joined another 5 Dutchies, 2 of the ones ended injured at the beginning of the UC. This Orange/red conection, with the 2 oldest participabts in the history of UC :-), won on Sunday over other 22 teams! ¡Toma ya!

Great atmosphere, over 200 enthusiastic and very young participants, an over 40 staff crew which worked as a well oiled orange machine, Wouter back to leading worship (amazing! ;-), and lots of participants challenged and boosted in their faith.

I'm sore and feeling muscles I had forgotten I had.  Back home with the family and without time to celebrate this much, but very happy we didi this.

We had some debriefing with Wouter, Michael and one other staff about our impressions and evaluation and felt heard. Looking forward to have a number of these Dutchies on the European UTC in April in Malaga.

Ultimate Challenge 2012

This weekend, Ellen Michelle Quarles, Abraham Crespo, Jacob Jones Rando & myself, we fly from Malaga & Barcelona on our way to http://www.dekroezedanne.nl/, in Holland, to be part of the Ultimate Challenge 2012 from AIA Holland. 

Thanks a lot for your support & prayers. This leadership learning experience combined with an extreme sports marathon, is the Dutch version of UTC, which we hope to have for European Athletes in Malaga, next April 4-7. 

Thanks to my awesome wife whom stays in Malaga guarding the fort with the 3 mosqueteres ;-)

Serving as a Chaplain at the Olympics

All things change; nothing abides. Into the same river, one cannot step twice. Heraclitus

This past September during our Global Leadership Council director, Ben, announced his transition. Ben has been journeying this year with his dear wife, Susie, in her battle against a cancerous brain tumor. Her treatment has gone super, she delivered a beautiful baby girl, Annie, in July and they need more time together as a family! Change is never easy but under Ben’s leadership, our team has grown tremendously in our relationships, processes and priorities. We are in a good place at this time of change!


The process was begun this summer to seek the Lord to give a new leader to our Global Leadership Council. Enter Larry and Debby Thompson! Larry and Debby joined Campus Crusade staff in the early 1970's after graduating from Mississippi State University. Little did they know at the time that Larry's experience on the football team and Debby's experience as a cheerleader would prepare them for an Athletes in Action assignment!

AIA Global Leadership Council celebrating at the Thomas' home

The Lord has used them greatly in His kingdom work. In 1977 the Thompsons went with their infant daughter to live in Poland behind the Iron Curtain and minister there in the midst of the Cold War. From 1977 through 2009, the Thompsons served in various leadership capacities related to Eastern Europe and Russia. In 1992, Larry was named the Director of Affairs for Eastern Europe and Russia, with the responsibility of building and leading national ministries in this part of the world. 

They lived in Poland, West Germany and Hungary during those years. After 33 years, as they transitioned the Director role to national leadership in 2009, the Lord had raised up 1,200 staff members in 20 countries during their watch, significantly using the Thompsons in the process. Pray for our team in these days of transition and change. Ben and Susie will be seeking the Lord for their next AIA assignment. We are thrilled to have them to lead our team and know that our vision to see Christ followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation is still our north star! They will transition to Ohio hopefully before April 2013.

Much love and appreciation, 

Daddy, will I eat all the ice-cream I want?

Josue went to the hospital this evening and will go through tonsils surgery tomorrow morning God willing.

Lidia is with him and Lucia, Samuel and I are missing them already. Josue has really struggled with those big balls bothering him to breath & swallow. We hope and pray everything goes well and the only thing he remembers is all the ice-cream he'll be eating the next few days.

Thanks for your prayers!

Ruben