Day 12, Tuesday, June 30
Day two of the Santa Ursula and La Victoria clinics went well. Both clinics were well attended by most of the same kids and both also saw new kids join in. The coaches continue to work with the kids to help them develop their skill as well as share the love of Christ with them in their actions during the clinic. Taking time to help as many as possible, the coaches build into the lives of the kids by working with them, teaching them, and coaching them. The kids have an enjoyable time as they play the game they enjoy. The PTR team has been blessed by the half dozen or so kids who traveled over 60 minutes from the towns we were in last week to attend the clinics in both Santa Ursula and La Victoria. It is such a blessing to us to have the opportunity to continue to minster to them for more than one week and continue to build a relationship with them. This is more evidence that the love of a sport can be used to share the love of God. Lunch and team time was like yesterday and filled the time between the clinics. Much like the previous days, the lunch was very good and the team time was up-lifting. Joining us today for both lunch and team time were kids from the camps, ones who we have been ministering to over the years. They sat in on the praise and worship time as well as the testimony time. I can only imagine what they were experiencing as they sat and listened to all parts of team time, Our prayer is that gospel seeds have been planted and that at some point, they will be watered. In the La Victoria gym, the PTR boys team played a game tonight made up of a host of all-star local players. Determined to put their best foot forward, the team was tall, aggressive, and good. We were fortunate tonight once again to play against a player we named “White Lightning” when we encountered him the very first year. It was against this team that PTR took the court tonight. A nip and tuck game for most of the game, it was highlighted by one of the PTR players hitting a shot just inside of the half-court line to beat the buzzer at the half. Bucket’s shot tied the game and sent the PTR fans into a tizzy as the half-time began. For as well and as hard as the PTR team played, they were not able to keep enough points on the board by the end of the game. However, through it all of the tenseness and the desire to win, the team persevered and presented a good testimony. By God’s grace, the actions of the night were in accordance with the words during the day. Finishing the night with a meal at the church and a hot shower at their host homes, the boys and the rest of the PTR team finished the day strong and hit the sack to prepare for another day of ministry tomorrow.
For the team,
Coach Brendan