Do you believe teenagers can make a positive difference? If you have doubts, keep reading.

This summer Athletes in Action took a team of 22 high school soccer players and 10 adult leaders to Germany and Albania. The team had four goals to accomplish: to see each boy grow in his faith, to play competitive soccer, to serve AIA’s national leaders in each country, and to win people to Christ. At the conclusion of the tour, all four were accomplished.

The AIA boys were well received in Albania, a country of three million people and only 15,000 known Christians.

Formally under Communist rule for 50 years, 1991 marked the end of this form of government. As a Communist country, Albania was an official atheist country.

However, before the start of Communism, the country was under Turkish rule for 500 years. Because of this history, a majority of Albanians today say they are Muslims even if they don’t practice the faith; thus, this is the environment in which the gospel is attempting to be told. And the reason why there are so few Christians in the country.

AIA played the best four teams in Albania (16-18 year olds), beating the Albanian U-16/18 Team, 3-0.

Sixteen-year-old Robbie Householder of Loveland, Ohio, was a member of the AIA team. Although Robbie had traveled on two mission trips before (both to West Africa), he felt God was leading him to go on this particular trip.

“I loved the idea of taking a high school soccer team to Europe and sharing the gospel with other teenage soccer players,” says Robbie.

After playing a game, the AIA team socialized with the opposing team. During this time, a player from the team would tell his personal faith story of how God had changed his life.

“Their response to our sharing was overwhelming,” says Robbie. “After we shared we would get pounded with spiritual questions and also questions about life in America.”

Zef Vata was one of those players who responded positively after hearing the gospel. At the end of an AIA game played against Zef’s team, he prayed to receive Christ. His dream has always been to become the goalie for the Albanian National Team. However, now Zef desires to love Jesus more.

The AIA team not only competed but took with them 20 boxes (1,000 pounds) of school supplies, sports equipment and humanitarian aid for Albanians. Some of these supplies were used for a prison outreach involving soccer and some were given to kids in attendance at a sports camp.

Perhaps the highlight of the tour was a “rally” put together by Petrit Lleshi, AIA staff in Albania. Petrit invited teams to come to the Campus Crusade for Christ office to watch Brazil and Ghana compete in the World Cup. AIA also gave away gifts (Nike soccer gear and University of Arizona baseball caps), provided snacks and showed ten minutes of The Prize in Albanian.

The National Director of Campus Crusade in Albania also gave the gospel message. In all, 170 coaches, players and siblings of the players came to the rally. It is recorded that during the week four Albanian players indicated making a decision to follow Christ.

While in Germany, the team also had the opportunity to attend a World Cup soccer game, as well as tour Dachau, a World War II concentration camp.