Statesboro's Fellowship of Christian Athletes, generally known as Coastal Plains FCA, contains Screven, Candler, Evans, Jenkins and Bulloch counties. It consists of highschool and school college students who meet for Bible research twice a month, generally as soon as every week.
They arrive collectively for his or her love in Christ — and sports activities. This group has been working in Bulloch County for the previous 10 years. They use the Georgia Southern campus for a few of their camps, and a few out-of-state groups like South Carolina and Florida even come right here to compete towards the Coastal Plains.
“FCA's imaginative and prescient is to see the world remodeled by Jesus Christ by means of the affect of coaches and athletes,” he stated Karen Carr, Space Director.
FCA Operations: Brazil
FCA Georgia and Brazil are working collectively to gather and ship wanted sports activities tools to their FCA Brazil teammates in September 2024. That is once more spreading the phrase internationally by means of sport and friendship. The Coastal Plains FCA is sending not solely provides but additionally trainers and volunteers down to assist.
Tom Joyner, Deputy Regional Director for Worldwide Improvement shares the story of the impression one coach had in Brazil.
In 2014 they have been in touch with one of many much less lucky areas of Brazil and other people have been reaching out to learn to play American soccer. All they knew concerning the sport was watching tutorials on YouTube.
So FCA despatched down some coaches to show the sport. One child specifically talked about how he wished to play however didn't have the cash for shoulder pads. However he additionally talked about having a gun. Effectively, one of many coaches sat down with the child and stated if he bought that gun, they may use the cash to purchase some padding. Now that child is teaching American soccer and main Bible research and now they’re disciples.
The crew will gather all donated supplies and have them shipped to Bland Farms in Vidalia, GA, the place they are going to be packaged by September sixteenth and shipped to Brazil.
“You may consider each time we go to Brazil, any person's carrying a gear bag, an additional suitcase, a leather-based bag, a bunch of various issues. And so we frequently go and herald coaches focusing on a specific sport,” Joyner stated.
Joyner additionally talked about how whereas they’ve very gifted translators to speak to the individuals of Brazil, sports activities is a common language and that's how they're related to begin doing huddles and stuff.
“We serve ourselves, we come alongside sports activities leaders who’re like us, we’ve a need to have the ability to use and share the gospel by means of sports activities.”
You may contribute to FCA's efforts by donating particular tools wanted in Brazil. Go to Operation FCA Brazil and click on on “All Sports activities” to see a listing of what’s wanted. Objects embrace balls, vests, uniforms, cones and far more.