GRANTHAM, Pa. - AROMA (A Revolution of Missional Athletes), sent out three teams on international trips this past month. An all-female mixed trip traveled to Uganda for a global church visit with long time partner, Sports Outreach. Along with the mixed trip, AROMA sent out two team trips. The women's basketball team headed to the Dominican Republic with SCORE International, while the men's soccer team returned to Colombia to serve with COSDECOL.

See below for recaps and personal testimonies from the trips.

Mixed Trip to Uganda
The first-ever all-female AROMA mixed trip traveled to Uganda this past month. The team served alongside long-term partner Sports Outreach in Kampala and Gulu. While in Uganda, the ladies were able to join Sports Outreach Ministry in their day-to-day programming and visiting their local communities. They had the opportunity to distribute over 100 Sawyer water filters along with providing education and training on how to use and care for the filters. The ladies also were able to join SOM in their sport clinics, prison ministry, home visits, gardening and spending time with the girls at Christine's house.

"Looking back, the day that stands out the most to me is when we went to the prison. This was an incredibly unique experience that is hard to even articulate. I sat under a tent in a courtyard surrounded by hundreds of Ugandan male prisoners, with barbed wire fences lining the perimeter, and watched my teammate share the gospel with the water filter demonstration. As the translator emphasized how Jesus makes us clean and no one is too dirty to be purified by him, many of the men began to clap and cheer. I realized in that moment that I'd never seen a group of people receive the gospel with so much excitement. This reality that I often take for granted was visibly celebrated and the only thing that gives these men hope in the midst of their sentence. These inmates who I was unsure about being around, have a better picture of grace and forgiveness than I can claim. 

I've reflected a lot on this excitement for the gospel. I've found that it's really easy to be bold and have meaningful experiences with people when I'm on a trip like this. But all the goodness we have in Jesus is something to be celebrated all the time. As I adjust back to the routines of normal life, I want to remember this good news that I have and seek opportunities to share it with others. The Christians we spent time with in Uganda were so inspiring. No aspect of their faith is lukewarm. They live it out in everything they do. We were welcomed into their homes and church before they knew anything about us. The first morning we arrived, they asked us to lead them in a praise song. At church, they handed us microphones and asked us to lead worship and give a word of encouragement. They jump around and praise the Lord and center their lives around his promises. I was so encouraged both by the evidence of their faith, and their representation of the body of Christ. Our differences didn't matter at all, they welcomed us immediately as brothers and sisters." - Kerrigan Lebo
  "There were so many impactful moments from this trip, but one that stood out to me the most was when we visited a church called Pasitos de Jesus. We were able to hand out food, some of my teammates shared their testimonies and we prayed over the church and its members. We arrived at the church right at the end of the service and were able to hear the end of worship. It was incredible to hear and witness the church's passion for the Lord and to feel His presence right as we stepped through the door. Immediately I felt the power of the Holy Spirit and I was on the verge of tears the whole time we were there. When my teammates shared their testimonies, watching and hearing the reaction of the church was a really special moment, you can tell that their stories were resonating with them. Then we prayed over the food before we handed it out and we were able to then pray individually with the families. This was the first time that I got to do something like that and I'm really glad that I was challenged in that way. I didn't know anything about these people and they didn't understand what I was praying for but, I knew that God heard every word. I believed that even though I didn't know exactly what they needed, God knew, and He would provide for them like the good Father He is.

Once the food was all handed out and everyone left, the church leaders asked to pray over us. So, we gathered in a circle held hands, closed our eyes, and bowed our heads. Everyone in the circle started praying at once in their own language. The sound it made was unexplainable and the presence of the Holy Spirit in that moment was undeniable. The whole time I couldn't stop myself from crying because of how powerful His presence was. I just knew in that moment God was there and He was smiling down on us. I'll never forget that experience for the rest of my life and I'm grateful that I was able to share it with my teammates and coaches.

This whole trip was an answer to prayer and God showed me more and more throughout my time in the DR that He is all we need. 2 Peter 1:3 says; "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness". I was encouraged by the community at this church, to see them praising God even when they didn't know where there next meal was coming from. It shows that it doesn't matter what we have, but as long as we have Him, our life has purpose. There is nothing this world can give us that will bring satisfaction, but when we follow Jesus we can have fullness of life because we're living for something greater than ourselves. This truth was evident in the people that we were able to interact with throughout the trip. I continue to pray that this experience have an everlasting impact on me and help me to grow closer to God." - Liv Monturo

"The Lord used this trip to remind me of the importance of sharing the love of Christ through loving and serving others, in whatever capacity He places in front of us. As student athletes we have goals, both on and off the court, that we desire to strive towards. As amazing and important that those goals are, they can never fill you up the way the freedom we receive from Christ does. I was reminded of this over and over again as we spent most of our time in the DR connecting and playing with children, who so evidently displayed the joyful, child-like faith that the Lord calls us to have in our everyday lives. It doesn't matter what our circumstances may look like, or if we fail or succeed in our daily tasks. The Lord calls us to use the gifts and resources that we've been given, to do our very best, to give the glory back to the One who deserves it all. It's amazing to see what God can do not just in your life, but in the lives of those you interact with, when we lay down control and let Him use us and our gifts for His purposes alone." - Charlotte Milanesi

 

Men's Soccer Trip to Colombia:
"While we were in Colombia, I was impacted by the joy of the children we helped coach and their gratitude for being able to play the game of soccer. Even though most of us didn't speak Spanish, these kids were eager to learn our names, favorite players, and where we were from. This sort of friendliness was on full display while they played too; kids celebrated goals with us Messiah players like they had just won the World Cup. The conditions some of these kids played in made their passion even more inspiring. We saw plenty of dirt fields, patches of torn-apart turf, make-shift balls, and ripped nets. These children demonstrated that playing soccer with joy is really all about enjoying the people around you and the game itself – not conditions or results. Medellin is obviously a lot different than Messiah, but in both places I've witnessed what a source of joy and unity sports can be. When the soccer season begins this fall, I'll be thinking of these kids I helped coach, hoping to show just a shadow of their joy and gratitude for the game of soccer." - Jordan Gilman

"Our soccer team had an incredible opportunity to partner with COSDECOL on a global church visit to Colombia. We had an impactful time at the headquarters in Medellin and were the first team to travel to Santa Marta. It truly was an eye-opening experience filled with relationships, spiritual growth, and service. The most impactful moment for me was witnessing the unwavering faith of all the staff members at COSDECOL. Due to their commitment to their work, they clearly demonstrated their trust for the Lord in all aspects of ministry and their life. They showed me that true dependence on the Lord isn't about having all the answers but rather living faithfully when the path is unclear. Through the staff I was able to see the Lord's faithfulness, as He provided resources, opportunity, and open hearts exactly where they were needed." - Davis Rody