Mission Houston Newsletter

Kids Have First Soccer Experience at Chambers Elementary

From Our Chairman of the Board, Jim Herrington

March, 2009



On April 17, 24, and 25 kids at Chambers Elementary School will participate in a second annual soccer clinic and tournament. This clinic is taking place because in a moment in time, a soccer coach from Nigeria, a group of students from Houston Christian High School, a team of folks from Grace Presbyterian Church, and a Faithwalker came together to provide a fun learning experience for a group of at risk kids at Chambers Elementary in the Alief School district.

It's one great example of how the Body of Christ is coming together in commitment to raising a generation of Whole and Healthy Children.

In September 2007, Terry Richter attended the very first Faithwalking retreat. Terry is the co-owner of Unified Resources, Inc. a Houston-based marketing firm. At the retreat he made a pledge to mobilize some part of the Body of Christ in his world to advance the Kingdom of God. God used several experiences to bring Terry to the place where he served as a catalyst for this project.

Two years ago Grace Presbyterian Church did a massive makeover at Chambers Elementary. Terry volunteered for that project. Staff member Bryan Wilson led the project and when it was complete, he asked then principal, Mary Hodges, how people could serve beyond the weekend project. She expressed to him the desire for a soccer program for the children in her school - most of whom are in the high risk category.

Several weeks later, Terry was in a worship service at Grace Presbyterian and had the clear impression that God was calling him to start a soccer club at Chambers. He didn't know about Bryan Wilson's conversation with Mary Hodges. Imagine his surprise when Terry told Bryan what he thought God was calling him to do.

Terry's son Matthew attends Houston Christian High School and is on the soccer team. The coach, Nigerian-born Ade Adeniran, a former Olympic and World Cup athlete, trains and runs a soccer club in Houston. Ade, who is dedicated to working with at-risk kids, many of whom are sponsored in his club, agreed to work with Terry to oversee the project. Players from the high school boys and girls soccer team and volunteers from the Youth Group at Grace Presbyterian Church served as coaches for the clinic.

In 2008 one hundred 1st - 4th graders from Chambers Elementary participated. They were divided into eight teams, and thirty-five volunteers, mostly high schoolers, ran the clinic. Then on Saturday an all-day tournament with uniforms, free hot dogs and free sodas gave these kids an experience of a lifetime. The Saturday tournament had a carnival atmosphere and many additional volunteers came out to love on the families of these kids. During the awards ceremony at the end, the love of Jesus was presented in English and Spanish.

One could say that the program was about the children at Chamber's Elementary School. While that is absolutely correct, the high school students, as well as other volunteers, got much more than they bargained for. One volunteer simply told Terry, "Thank you... thank you... thank you... I was not sure what to expect, but what I received was so much more." At the beginning of the 2008/09 school year, students began asking about the soccer program before planning began. When asked about goals, Richter said: "Initially, we want to develop and grow this program so that high school kids run the program and develop ongoing, long-term relationships with the kids. We want this to become who they are, not something they simply do."

Ultimately, the long-term goal for this program is to provide a program in the Alief community that enhances a child's education through soccer. Since we launched the program in 2008, Ade has moved his training facilities from Bellaire into the heart of Alief, working in partnership with KIPP Academy. As the club grows, the relationship with the school continues, and they believe long-term progress can be made. Funding, facilities, volunteers continue to be the primary challenges that face this initiative.

For more information go to Faithwalking

Jim Herrington
Chairman of the Board