We hosted the Eagle's Wings Distance Retreat for male distance runners December 1-3 in Xenia at the AIA Conference and Retreat Center. World-class athlete Nick Willis from New Zealand and the University of Michigan attended and was our main speaker. He did a super job. We had bad weather yet the Lord brought whom He wanted and we saw a perfect group of guys connect well with each other and Jesus. A small accountability group of University of Dayton athletes are now meeting weekly with our intern Ben Foreman and a Cedarville athlete, Dan Campbell. I also see the Lord putting together an elite multi-event team to go to the Czech Republic this summer. I spoke briefly with World Champion Bryan Clay and his coach Kevin Reid, who are interested. This is opening doors to other elite athletes in the USA for this team.
I also was able to share at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' meeting at Lebanon (OH) High School and saw that the group has grown to 30 students meeting weekly.
--TIM E., Track and Field, Xenia, OH
I brought two Pittsburgh Steelers players with me to a Christmas celebration for those families who have lost a loved one through street violence. About 300 were there. One grandmother who was involved in the Tree of Hope ministry showed up despite being robbed that evening (they took all the presents!). Upon hearing this, James Farrior and Nate Washington (Steelers) put an envelope stuffed with cash into my hand to give to this woman. All four of us were blessed. I was given a community service award earlier in the program. The players thought I was important!
--JAY W., Pro Ministry, Pittsburgh, PA
We had a fantastic time at the Asian Games in Qatar. God took us from a totally dead vision (regarding chaplaincy) and opened a door where we had unlimited access to minister to the athletes. In fact, we've probably never had such a good situation.
--REID L., Global Events Director, Powder Springs, GA
This last semester, I was enabled to come alongside and disciple Lashawn Jones of Central State. God has been working in his life through Matt Hardy and the staff of the last two summer opportunities (L.A. & Colorado), which Lashawn attended. Having an international heart and seeing the EXTREME need outside our borders, I have been humbled to see God use me in Lashawn's life in this respect. He has begun applying for a STINT in South Africa!
--ZACHARY H., Campus Ministry, Xenia, OH
Bonnie, a freshman field hockey player, had been coming to AIA for a few weeks and volunteered to read the Christmas story at our Christmas outreach. The next day (December 5, 2006), I shared with her the rest of the story after Jesus' birth. One thing we talked about is that, "she was created with value and worth," when I told her this, she burst into tears and said, "Really?" During our time together it was amazing to see how her heart was ready and that day she gave her life to Christ.
--HANNAH D., Campus Ministry, Xenia, OH
I was able to take 12 of our CSU athletes over to the Larimer County Detention center to play volleyball and do some great evangelism, which is always a win-win situation.
--JEFF P., Campus Ministry, Ft. Collins, CO
For a Christmas Outreach, we connected with Montgomery Village, a low-income housing project. Most of our athletic teams adopted 1 or 2 kids for the Christmas season and purchased gifts from their Christmas list. We were able to provide gifts for 20 kids (middle and high schoolers). Not only that, we brought them onto campus to meet the athletes and open the gifts. Thus, there were two great touch points with the athletes, a night of wrapping the gifts as teams and then a night of opening the gifts with the kids. We had pizza with the kids, played some games, and then shared the Christmas story. It was a fun time!
--ERIC P., Campus Ministry, Knoxville, TN
I took four girls that usually do not come to AIA meetings or Bible Study to a local community center to help the children make Christmas ornaments. The girls would love to get more involved in serving opportunities like that. Hopefully it will warm them to taking steps to Christ.
--DEE H., Campus Ministry, Ann Arbor, MI