MKs In Action
Part 2 – In Their Own Words

Daniel Kelly, age 15, uses soccer as a method of "spontaneous sports evangelism" with children and youth in his neighborhood.

The whistle blew and the children's soccer league commenced. The boys, eager to get some action, ran after the ball as it was taken up field. This competition was started because of my love for children, so the children can have fun, learn to play better, and play as a team. They don't have play stations or any other electronic toys to enjoy. As a matter of fact, they have very few toys here in rural, southern Senegal.

This tournament gave me the chance to get to know the children in my neighborhood better. I had a chance to share my faith with "N," one of the players. "N" had gotten in a fight with another boy whose sloppy slide tackle had caught him in the foot, not injuring him, but making him mad. We walked over into the shade. I told him about Jesus getting beaten and crucified, and yet, Jesus didn't do anything but forgive. I told him he should forgive the boy that tackled him. "N" was called back to the game before he completely understood. Please pray for "N" and the youth of Sedhiou, Senegal to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Also please pray for my family and me to have opportunities to share our faith.

Andrew Mahoney, a freshman this year at Texas A & M University, describes some of his building outreach experiences during his high school years at Dakar Academy, an MK school in Senegal.

I was able to participate in seven evangelism/church building projects. In several villages, I helped pour foundations and make cement bricks for church buildings. When the villagers came to see what the Dakar Academy (DA) students were doing, we had opportunities to share Christ's love with them. One church that we helped build was located right across from the village mosque. The village chief told us he was really touched that a group of kids came to his village to build a church. He remarked that no one had ever come to build a mosque for them. In other villages, I helped put roofs on the church buildings. I also prayerwalked, led kids' ministry teams, sang in Gospel presentations, and helped show the "JESUS" film. In one village, I felt God telling me to reach out to a 6-year-old Muslim boy, even though I didn't speak his language. After I hung out with him over the weekend and played with him, I invited him to come to church on Sunday morning – and he came!

Going on these outreach events helped me to grow spiritually as I bonded with the believers in the villages as well as my fellow DA students. I saw and experienced the real culture of local Christian churches and witnessed God working firsthand. Everyone says it's fun, and it is, but we all know that the main purpose is to show God's love to all the villagers. Besides, I got to eat some really awesome Senegalese food!

Read more stories about how God is using MKs to minister in West Africa.