The “Kick Off To Hope Tour” is currently in Ngozi, the third city to be visited, and home of the Burundian president. President Pierre Nkurunziza is an active soccer player and we are scheduled for a match with his team today. Along with the matches the Surge soccer team and coaches have engaged people in three different streams of ministry in each city visited. A pastor’s seminar lead by Mark Geissbauer through Anstoss zur Hoffnung is designed to teach church leaders how to impact their communities through sport ministry. Coaches have also been engaged for training and instruction on how to coach for success. And the third tract are special meetings to facilitate spiritual healing and restoration to pastors that have faced oppression and trauma from the civil war and genocide in Burundi’s recent history.
Joining the team for the first time is Mineiro, a Brazilian superstar who not only played in the EPL with Chelsea but also scored the winning goal in the FIFA world cup club final against Liverpool while playing with Sao Paulo FC. His inspirational testimony is a fine example of how God works through sports to reach His chosen people.