I am raising financial support full-time until I am at 100% because I have been operating at 77% for a year now. I will not begin on campus this fall until I am at 100%. I am trusting God that this will cause students to step up and lead because they see the need now that I am not on campus. Already Kate, a junior on the track team, has been telling me ideas that she has for reaching out to her teammates-hosting Bible study at her house, having meals at her house for her teammates, etc. She has caught a vision for telling her teammates about Jesus. She has also been faithful to come to our prayer times that we've had as we lay the foundation for our upcoming year on campus.

-Denise H., Campus, University of Michigan

I'm excited to have the opportunity to write a column for Sports Spectrum this year, with the first column appearing in the August/September issue. After some discussion, we decided on "The Coaching Zone," a column for coaches at any level. The articles give coaches insight on building relationships with players, parents and the community as well as on areas of personal growth. It's another way for me to minister to coaches.

-Stephanie Z., Women's Ministry, Xenia , Ohio

I have been blown away at the response from team meetings (means by which we tell student-athletes about AIA) on campus. So far I have done a total of 10 meetings out of 16 varsity sports at Kansas . I have 13 athletes who want to know what a relationship with God looks like, and 63 athletes indicated they would like to be involved in Bible study. I am going to campus and attending games and practices, which reminds me that if I am faithful in doing the small things, God will have bigger opportunities for me.

-Jeff S., Campus, University of Kansas

We have been serving the fall sports teams with watermelon after practice and it has opened doors and begun relationships with some that wouldn't even talk to us before. They don't care about what you know until they know you care. Also, on my first day on campus, I had the opportunity to tell a softball player about Christ and she prayed and received Him! Now, two of her teammates will do follow-up meetings with her.

-Nichole W., Campus, Virginia Tech University

Mike B., AIA's Western Regional Campus Director, and I led a team of 11 (eight adults and three boys, including two of the boys' dads) to partner with Kasa El Dobara Church in Cairo , Egypt . We coached seven different sports at their Wadi Sports Camp, August 18-26. My church, Bel Air Presbyterian, has formed a partnership with the church in Cairo , and when the head pastor visited Los Angeles in December, he brought his pastor of sports ministry with him. When they explained their vision to reach the children in the Middle East through sports we were very intrigued and decided to try and cover their coaching needs for one week of the camp. Clint M. and Jason S. from AIA Basketball also went with us and their international travel experience proved invaluable. We coached seven major sports for two hours each morning in the desert heat, refereed their different sports competitions each afternoon, and studied the AIA Principles (how to relate to God in competitive sport) in order to teach the athletes one each day. We kept drinking lots of water and taking a plunge in the pool each day to keep cool (with temperatures in the high 90's-low 100's) . The 220 campers were mainly upper-society kids from nominal Christian households. Over 50 kids prayed to receive Christ and 50 more re-dedicated their lives to follow Jesus!

-Ray C., Pro, Los Angeles

Full names of Athletes in Action staff members have been withheld to protect those serving in religious-sensitive countries.