Our First Game

By God’s grace we were able to enter into the tournament called “Copa Futebol Mulher” (Women’s Soccer Cup) and now have games scheduled every Wednesday until the 15^th of July! Last Wednesday we made the trip up to Sao Paulo to play in our debut game for Eagles Brasil. We were all very excited and nervous to see how the last 3 months of training, both physically and spiritually, would pay off as we stepped onto the field representing a vision that is so much greater then ourselves.  

We praise God for the result that we had, not only in the 2-1 victory over Palmeiras, but also in bringing the light of God’s love into such dark surroundings. If you are not familiar with soccer in Brazil, the playing environment here is not at all a peaceful one. The fans, your coach, and even your own teammates, not to mention the other team, are yelling and swearing at you the entire game. The fouls are dirty, and every aspect of the game is dishonest as players and coaches try to win at all costs. These athletes grow up in this hostile environment and are taught to take dives, foul the other team, and to curse out the referees if they make a call that you don’t agree with.

For the past couple of months we have been teaching and training our girls to play in such a way that brings glory to God, which is entirely opposite of everything that they have ever learned. Breaking years of bad habits only comes as a result of a desire to change, and the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us.  It was amazing to see God’s power at work on the field last Wednesday. Our team played with a different spirit and unity that everyone present couldn’t help but notice. As a result of the way that our players conducted themselves, playing with good attitudes and Christ like character, we had the opportunity to pray with the entire Palmeiras team after the game, something that never happens here in Brazil. Because our athletes allowed God’s love to shine through them on the field, the other team was eager to hear an explanation to why we were so different, and several of the players from Palmeiras accepted Christ as their Savior!