A new kind of victory
Outreach efforts abound at Africa's biggest soccer tournament

By Emily Peters

KUMASI, Ghana—For three straight weeks, droves of West Africans who don't know Christ are crowding into churches across Ghana. They're cheering and dancing with vigor – but they aren't at a worship service.

They've stepped into these churches for a completely different reason.

They've come to watch their team play in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament on television, but after hearing a 15-minute gospel presentation at halftime, they are leaving each night with more to celebrate than a Black Stars' win. Dozens are celebrating victory they've found with a new life in Christ.

"One of their ministers told me today that they have been having at least 10 people pray to receive Christ each evening," reports Carolyn Houts, a Missouri native who has been an International Mission Board worker in Ghana for 30 years. "He had their names and contact information written down so they can do follow up. It's exciting."

Every two years, 16 African countries qualify to bring a team to the Africa Cup of Nations, the epic sports competition that stirs an entire continent into a spirited tizzy for three weeks. This year's tournament is in Ghana, where missionaries and local Christians are seizing the opportunity to share the Gospel with soccer fans from all over Africa.

One of the event stadiums is in Kumasi, the town where Houts lives. Soccer frenzy has transformed the streets into an electric atmosphere with vivid banners, thousands of fans sporting their country colors and street vendors selling everything from silly hats to whistles and traditional African souvenirs.

On game days, Houts, 65, ventures into the crowd around the stadium equipped with a paintbrush. She slathers some stripes on the arms of local children eager to sport the colors of their Ghanaian flag. While she paints, she shares a new meaning for the colors: Gold represents the power of God. Black is the sin that prevents us from going to heaven. Red is the blood of Jesus, white is the purity we receive after forgiveness and green is our growth in the faith.

"When it was time to go in the stadium to find our seats, there was a line of at least 10 children all asking me to paint them next," Houts said, noting she and her friends also handed out tracks and shared with fans all around her.

To ride the wake of the soccer mania, Forest Park Baptist Church of Joplin, MO sent a team to Ghana to train Ghanaian churches in sports evangelism. About 130 people came representing 21 area churches. They learned how to host friendly soccer matches and share the Gospel using balls with Ghana's colors, each color representing spiritual truths.

"God used the soccer ball to lead several to His saving grace, and not just at soccer games," reports Missouri volunteer Norma Legg. "Everywhere we went people would ask us about the balls. This is a very powerful tool!"

The volunteers from Joplin have also helped out at Kumasi's School of Theology, which is drawing many Muslim soccer fans from the north of Ghana to watch the matches.

"The first night, seventeen persons responded to the invitation, and even amidst the jubilation of the Black Stars winning they stayed after the game to talk with counselors," reports Dene Greer, an International Mission Board worker who teaches at the school. She said the seminary students and the Missouri volunteers have helped to follow up with those who wanted to follow Jesus.

And more opportunities abound as Ghana's Black Stars continue to avoid elimination and advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.

"We have been planning for this for a long time," said Greer. "We've known this would be an opportunity like we've never had before."