Last year I booked the first ever Canadian Extreme Tour. The Extreme Tour is a faith-based organization out of the States who seek to share the love of Christ to cross cultural youth using music and sports. I travelled along with 3 other bands through Western Canada last August. Besides putting on skate competitions and concerts for youth, we made it our focus to do everything we could to just "love" on them. Dancing with the people, playing games, doing "shout-outs" to certain individuals, we made the night all about them and not ourselves. My heart just went out to the young people we met who were thirsting for love and acceptance. What a cool opportunity to share the life-changing love of Christ!

Here we go again!

I am pleased to say that we will be back at the Canadian Extreme Tour starting in May when my husband, Michael and I will fly down to Nashville for leadership training and then we will lead a team of bands through MB, SK, AB and into the Northwest Territories. God has opened some incredible doors as I have been faithfully booking the tour and we will have the opportunity to go from small towns to cities to First Nations reserves in search of the lost and hurting. We will be on tour for June and July and absolutely covet your prayers. Many teens we will encounter are caught in addictions of all kinds. We are excited that God could use us to bring light in the darkness. This is a mission trip. No one on the team is paid to be on the team so please prayerfully consider if you can help support the tour. Michael and I will need to raise $6300 for support and another $6300 for travel expenses.

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In 2000, Harold Cooper was invited by AIA Canada to partner with Campus Crusade for Christ Zambia (CCCZ) to assist in launching their Athletes in Action ministry. That initial invitation has grown into the establishment and development of sustainable sports ministries in South East Africa. There are now AIA ministries in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Literally millions of people have been exposed to the gospel through sports outreach and discipleship events. During these 12 years, AIA ministry trainers and sports teams from around the world have partnered in the establishment these AIA SEA international ministries.

Training Symposium - This past December, AIA national staff from Zambia, Malawi, and South Africa joined Harold in facilitating training for over 50 participants attending the intensive 5-day AIA Sports Ministry Training Symposium hosted in Lusaka, Zambia. Many were pastors and lay leaders learning for the first time how to maximize the platform of sport to reach their communities, country and their national neighbors for Christ. Additionally there was a 4-day SEA Regional Summit Meetings for the AIA staff from those countries.

Youth Olympic Deveopment Centre - Determined to stay "in the race" the AIA regional staff  line-up on the track at the first of its kind, Youth Olympic Development Centre (see photo above). The YODC was completed in 2011 as an investment and commitment by the IOC to enable developing countries the opportunity to grow Olympic athletes from within their country. In the back-drop is the under construction 30,000 person sports stadium. It is the second of its kind to be built in Zambia. The world believes that sport makes a difference in individuals, communities and nations.

Come and Do - AIA ministry is a "Come and Do" strategy, not "Come and Listen." Wednesday of the Symposium was a "Do" day at the Campus Crusade office where the participants practiced the outreach activities that would happen on Thursday at the Chawama compound. Hundreds of children had a "play day" with our participants and then heard the gospel as presented by our trainees. For many, it was their first time to ever be a part of an outreach or to share the gospel with anyone. We know of over 115 that personally met and prayed with our trainees to receive Christ as their Saviour. The event was partnered with Campus Crusade staff members who attend the church located in Chawama. They will be providing the follow-up partnership!

There are too many wonderful stories to share in one article. To see Harold's complete report click here. We thank God for your interest, prayers and support!

The VTI Board is excited to approve a joint missions project with Athletes in Action Canada that will see a proposed 50 athletes, coaches, sports administrators and professionals involved in ministry training in Zambia this December. For twelve years in South East Africa AIA has developed a strategic training model of equipping national sports leaders to use the platform of sport to reach their nation for Christ (see attached letter).

The event will also involve AIA staff from 5 nations (Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia) who will attend the regional AIA Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, for leadership training, strategic  ministry planning and fellowship as they consider other unreached nations in South East Africa as their mission field through sport.

This is a joint venture with VTI, AIA and River’s Edge Camp as Harold Cooper (River’s Edge Team Leader and AIA volunteer staff) is the facilitator and trainer for this ministry project. Harold has been working in South East Africa as an AIA trainer since 2000.

The attached “MPD Give Me Africa” partnership brochure outlines how you might engage with this project in assisting in the training of African nationals to be further equipped to reach their nations through sports.

A Brazilian national soccer coach once said: “There are two languages in the world, sports and music.” He was right. Everywhere people go you hear the sound of music and see people playing sports. Both are tools that are making an impact around the world.

Consider joining with us in this new possibility for Venture Teams.

In Christ, and for His glory,

Rod Bargen
Board Chairman