Sending Forth...

Many years have passed since my dad signed me up for youth soccer at Eden Christian Academy. It was then, in kindergarten that I first put on a soccer jersey. I played for about 5 years after that and then hung up my cleats to retire from the game and try baseball then basketball, golf, football and then track and field. Now some 16 years later I have found myself back on the soccer field playing alongside a group of junior professionals that are called the “bad boys” or their official team name “Gabby Stars”. The “bad boys” have an interesting history in regards to how they came out of their former street lives to use their soccer skills and be taught the word of God. One man, David Audu (a former professional player in Europe) saw the need in his community to reach out to the “bad boys”. The bad boys were notorious for doing bad things and the community was very corrupted because of their influence. David, a big strong and scary man, began to approach them and tell them he wanted them to change and he offered to help them change their lives and he gave them an opportunity to play the game all Nigerians love. The bad boys began to come to training and he would challenge them and preach to them and urge them to stop living the lives they were and to come to Christ. Many, if not all, responded. Today there is now about 30 current players while many others have been changed and gone on to other careers having a relationship with Christ and no longer living for the Devil. I have had the privilege since May to be the official team “chaplain” as I have been given the opportunity to teach and pray with the players…sometimes I even laced up my cleats and trained with them. Sometimes I would be very humbled but during one practice I actually scored a goal and the onlookers went wild. I’ve quite enjoyed the opportunity to be around them and learned their broken English and just get to know Africa, Nigeria and them all better. Now that I am planning on leaving soon they decided to have a send forth game in my honor and give me the captains arm band for the match. They tried as hard as they could to let me score a goal and even the referee purposively called a penalty kick so that I could have a chance to score. I told them I did not want any handouts and I even declined the kick but we still went on to win the game 3-2. After the match I gave my shoes to the coach (picture below) and although he won’t fit them he may take them and sell them so he can have a nice pair of his own.

The pictures here are of the match. The picture of me with #5 is my best friend here, his name is Wasiu and he is an extremely good soccer player. He is also one of the first boys rescued from the streets where he once lived for 6 years. Today he is a mature young man and he wants to use soccer to minister to his own people and one day he hops to help street children in Brazil. The first picture (above) is of my last night worshiping with the boys that I’ve grown to love and cherish. In the picture the boys are dancing and singing to their African songs. Nigeria has been great and it’s getting harder each day to say goodbye.

Another Day

 Another day

Or so it seemed

When I heard the words

I would’ve never dreamed

 

“He didn’t live”

Were the words I heard

They pierced my heart

Like a two-edged sword

 

I remember that day,

The smell of the air,

The weight of my heart,

The overwhelming despair

 

Trying to move on

Were the difficult years

For often my eyes

Would swell up with tears

 

The seasons were the worst

Because he was no longer there

The hardest part…

Seeing my mother in despair

 

Six feet under

But close to the heart

Memories of my brother

Never depart

 

The months began to pass

But him I would not let go

Until reality set in

And I realized it was so

 

Emotions still linger

As the years pass by

The pain grows stronger

Under the October sky

 

Sometimes my dreams

Try to bring him back

But when I awake

His presence I lack

 

Hundreds of thoughts

Often flood my mind

He was my brother, my friend,

One of a kind

 

And though his death

I will never forget

I believe in heaven

With him I will sit

 

It hurts, I won’t lie

When I think of his life

But I look to tomorrow

And the end of this strife

 

As I stay

Upon this earth of old

Memories of him

Will never grow cold

 

I often think of him

With whom I once played

My memories of him

Will never fade

 

On that day

When we meet again

We will dance for the Lord

And feed from his hand

 

But for now

As the years go by

In my heart

You will never die

 

O God why?

Is often the cry in my pain

But then I look at the cross

And see His Son slain

 

My brother?, Christ?

On a cross for us all?

Absurd! Insane!

Yet redeemed from the fall!

 

My brother Jesus

What a perfect loss

For His life was given

To bring me to His cross

 

I once lost a brother

Better than them all

I then found Christ

My All in All

 

“It pleased the Lord to crush Him”

That’s what the prophet said

Now I’ll live again

Even after I’m dead

 

Though it hurts

To wallow in pain

For the price of my sin

His own Son was slain

 

Believe on Christ

And you too will live

The blessings of salvation

To all He will give

 

The choice is yours

He is the One Who can save

Flee to Him

Before you reach your grave

 

A perfect gift

Is awaiting you

Run to Jesus

And be made new

 

It was foolish to question You

But now I know why

You opened my eyes

You allowed him to die

 

When we meet again

No one can say

For now I wait

For another day

In memory of Ricky, my brother and my friend.

July 18, 1981---October 6, 1999