Just days before an Athletes in Action basketball team was scheduled to leave for the Czech Republic, the tour was almost canceled. Many of the team's opponents called off scheduled games and a majority of AIA players had not raised a sufficient amount of financial support needed to travel.

Despite the trying circumstances, AIA decided the tour would still happen, and it appears they made the right decision.

At first, it seemed that only four of the twelve players would be able to make the trip, but a day later the other eight had adequate financial support, allowing them to go. The biggest puzzle piece coming together was that the team played eight contests, instead of the scheduled three when they left the U.S. for their two-week tour.

"Dealing with the issues prior to the trip was a faith-building process," says tour director Jason Stankus. "A lot of things weren't set in stone, but God provided one step at a time."

Coached by AIA staff member Morris Michalski, the squad played games against Czech club and national teams, and Nymburk, the best team in Czech's professional league. The AIA team won all but the game against Nymburk.

AIA was able to play Nymburk because of AIA Czech Republic staff member Billy Crossan's developing relationship with the team's operations director Jiri Zidek, who played basketball at UCLA and then professionally in the NBA.

"I ended up seeing or speaking with Zidek almost every day. He was very helpful to me and in the end was grateful to let us play his team," Billy says. "He has already thought of several ways we can cooperate in the future."

Both Billy and Tim Lyle, a player on the AIA squad currently serving a short-term missions assignment in the Czech Republic, were instrumental in putting the tour together. Both played a major role in its leadership once the team arrived in country.

"AIA's Czech ministry took a lot of ownership of the tour, which was a great step and something we are hoping to see more of," says Jason.

AIA hadn't sent a basketball squad to the Czech Republic since 1985, but the local residents still remembered that team. This recent trip was part of AIA Czech's focus on basketball, in hopes that the tour would lead some of the AIA players to consider playing professionally in that country.

"It was great to really build some fresh connections in the Czech basketball world and the tour really opened the door for more long-term relationships being built," says Jason. "We also hoped some long-term seeds were planted for Christian athletes to want to go to the Czech Republic to play."

The friendships formed on the team were the major highlight of the trip. Ian Hanavan, a player who plays professionally in Belgium, noticed the team's closeness and believed that Coach Michalski was a major part of it.

"It was really encouraging to see some of my teammates sacrifice for the better of the team and the camaraderie amongst the team was founded on love," Ian says. "We were told by Coach Michalski that we were to love and care about each other and that he as the leader was to love and care for us."

"The way the guys connected was phenomenal and they really made some serious steps forward in their faith," Jason says.

After the games, some of which were played at the Czech Republic Olympic Training Center, the AIA squad had dinner with their opponents and formed some relationships with them. However, it was difficult to have spiritual conversations with the Czechs.

"It was difficult soil to have spiritual conversations because the Czech Republic is an atheist country and they don't really think too much about God," Jason says.

According to the 2001 Czech Census, 58 percent of the country is atheist, an 18 percent increase from the previous census in 1991.

Despite the limited spiritual discussions, Ian felt positive about his team's interaction with a couple of the Czech players.

"Two Czech players that Tim Lyle knew practiced with us and got to see what we were all about behind the scenes," Ian says. "Praying at the beginning of practice impacted them and edifying one another with our speech impacted them."

During their time away from basketball the team went to an orphanage and visited with children at a local school. When the AIA group left the orphanage, the children chased after the bus and a couple days later some of the kids were able to attend one of the AIA games and cheer on the team.

"It was a phenomenal tour considering where we were a few days before we left," Jason says.