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

Every - everywhere, everyone - every!

This is a word that we think, talk & pray about A LOT! We believe that sports is a language understood everywhere! We believe that we can share the good news of God’s love through sport with everyone: every team of every sport in every nation!

Every is one of the compelling reasons to be at events like the Olympics. 205 nations are represented with the best of their best athletes! The Lord allowed us to help fund and have 38 countries represented by our staff.

Back home, with lots to share with you!

I am home!

Serving as a chaplain at the London Olympics was an exciting and humbling opportunity. God allowed me to minister to athletes from around the world. I will be writing a newsletter soon to share some of the highlights. In the meantime I thought you might enjoy watching a video clip  from the inaugural Legacy Breakfast sponsored by Athletes in Action. Bryan Clay and Debbie Flood received the Eric Liddell Award.

Thank you for helping to make this possible through your prayers and financial support. 

Below too, a note by one of the athletes whom we have had the priviledge to minister to and encourage, sent by one of my fellow chaplains:

"PLEASE tell every one of the Chaplain's that i will miss them all and that i absolutely loved getting to meet and spend time with them. The Faith Center was the highlight of my Olympic experience. I will always remember how God worked through us all to share and experience His many blessings. I will miss sitting in a circle and hearing accents from all over the world talking about Jesus and His love. It was magical."

Legacy of sport influencers after Eric Liddell

For the last few years I have been dreaming to see Olympians of outstanding character be honored as they honor Jesus. Yesterday morning in London, their dream came true in a gold-medal way! The AIA team, was simply fantastic.  Their hard work, dedication and teamwork over the last several months was outstanding. With no full-time staff members on the ground with AIA in Great Britain, they relied heavily on our partners with Agape UK & More Than Gold. MTG provided valuable resources such as credibility, introductions, networking and encouragement to keep going when it was really tough and table sales were lacking, and, for months, non-existent. The vision for the More than Gold Legacy Breakfast is to help extend the legacy of Eric Liddell, the winner of the gold and bronze medals for Great Britain at the 1924 Paris Olympics. The Eric Liddell Award honors one male and one female Olympian who display outstanding character at home, in their community and on the field of competition. Liddell is best known for the portrayal of his Olympic experience in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.     Powerful story from Stephanie Reid The two award winners, Debbie Flood and Bryan Clay, are outstanding recipients for the inaugural award.  Flood, a three-time Olympian and two-time silver medalist in rowing from Great Britain, devotes countless hours with organizations committed to helping transform disadvantaged youth into positive leaders. Clay, a gold-medal decathlete from the USA in the 2008 Beijing Games, leads a foundation that encourages young athletes to develop into total athletes -- physically, mentally and spiritually. Thank you Debbie and Bryan, for sharing your lives and faith stories in such a real and compelling way! Two of Eric's daughters, Heather Ingham and Patricia Russell, were on hand to present the awards, and both spoke in such endearing terms of their father's commitment to faith, sportsmanship, mission and service to others.  So, as the Games come to a close this weekend in London, be encouraged as the gospel was on display in front of 550 influential people and many media outlets, including athletes, coaches and officials from the Olympic Village. And, the display was inviting and compelling! All for Him,

His mercies endureth forever!

Last night I facilitated a Bible study in the Village with athletes and coaches from several nations and chaplains from our shift. We shared on Luke 17. It was a great time of deepening in the word through our mutual discernment and experiences and taking it in prayer to the Lord. We prayed for each others prayer request as well.

Right before that I was able to listen and encourage two athletes. Their personal and mutual journeys have been really tuff from childhood and even on the way to be here. We read at Psalm 23 together, prayed for them, and their competition coming up soon, and encouraged them to stick to whom they are in Jesus.

He is good all the time, and His mercies endureth forever!

Eternal Triumph project marching on

160 delegates from the whole globe are already at full speed in London. I was with them on saturday and today again as they gathered at All Souls church Club House (John & Kathy Horne from Agape London explained to the group that the club was founded by John Stott to serve and reach the community in 1949). Great training and vision casting time by Dave Johns, Billy Crossan, Mark Householder, Reid Lamphere, along with testimonies and interviews to others.

Great to see and hang out with our european leaders & rookies involved (Brad, Wouter, Mihail, Chris, Ellen, Abraham, Taavet...). All of them go to different parts of the city every day to put into practice what they have learnt as they meet with athletes they know or try to stablish meaningful conversations with them.

Only 3 days to the Legacy Breakfast. Pray for the final push on selling the tables and inviting Olympians to join us.

Susie Thomas has started her quimiotherapy treatment today. It will be a long two months for her and the family. Lift her and them up to Jesus ever

Pray for Reid, Dave, Billy & Brad to lead well the training and mentoring of the group.
Pray for fruitful harvest.
Pray for all of them building self confidence, understanding and heart to go back home and develop solid service and ministry to top sportspeople.
Pray for a great Legacy Breakfast next friday.
Please pray for Susie, and for Ben and the family.

Praise be to the King!

Greetings from London mates,

We had a wonderful Sunday service in the Village yesterday morning. Over 60 athletes, coaches & officials from 25 nations came together for worship. Many shared testimonies about God’s work in their life. The message reminded them that their identify was in Christ and not in a medal or a certificate of participation. That the "I belong to Jesus", well can be displayed in their faces and shirts when they win, but when they loose as well.

I feel the weight of two weeks of active service here just after our camp big basketball camp in Malaga. I miss Lidia and the kids and sometimes that puts me a bit down. Thanks for your prayers so I can finish well and strong here. One week to go!

Please pray:

that I will be able to meet and connect with those still in the village.

that I will use my time wisely and rest well. 

that God will use this experience to draw many to Himself.

Thanks so much,

To Caesar what's from Caesar, to God what's from God

One of my collegues put it this way, "Working as an official sports mentor/chaplain in the Olympic Village is somewhat like working in a closed countries. There are a lot of official boundaries put on what you can and cannot do. Every day they are reminding you not to..." 

Not taking pictures of athletes or any delegates, not take pictures of their residences. Not speak about operations, names or details of our work here. We must wait to be asked for a bible or other material. We are not permitted to offer it to them! The list goes on but there are ways around most of the policies and procedures. We just need to be creative.

Interaction with most of the faiths chaplains is going great. I really like Tom, our shift Catholic priest who's invited me to open the word on his services when there are many Spanish speaking participants who don't speak English. He's a gentle, soft spirit, hard worker man.

We have been working in the village for over 10 days already. Even before most delegations where here we have good attendance to bible studies, Olympians who come to the prayer room just for quite time, informal times of worship and reading and sharing, one on one times, and even a good size Sunday Services. 

Most of the delegates are in now, and many of them have started to compete. Looking forward to the next 17 days and what the Lord has prepared. 

I am off to the village shortly. Please pray for

• Pray that we are respectful of the boundaries and rules on our role. Pray we feel freedom in the Lord to know He was before, during and after where we are, and we enjoy freedom in Him and we have a broad scope perspective and hope in how He acts in and through us all the time.
• Divine appointments and creativity in me. Some days we work for 12-14 hours.
• God’s Spirit to lead me in what I do and what I say at any given moment.
• Pray for Cesar. He's starting his competition on the 31st, and Cristobal, Ingrid and I are meeting with him every day when his work out is finished.
• Pray for participants at Eternal Triumph 2012 project. About 40, of the 140 are already here, and preparing the way for everybody to start on the 3rd.
• Pray for Lidia and Samuel. They have one more full blast day in Tallinn. They will return to Malaga where Josue and Lucia wait for them.

Thank you so much,

Ruben