Today we started the day at Sports Outreach doing morning devotions with the staff. Lydia spoke more about how to approach the trails in our lives. After she shared we had an awesome time of talking through some difficult questions as a group of believers. So many people shared the way that they saw God working through trials in their lives and how it has shapes their faith and understanding. After devotions we got to play soccer one more time with the Good News team. We split into four teams mixing our Messiah group and Good News team on each team. We got to bond with the players even more today and it was wonderful to play the sport we love with each other. Special shout out to the people in our group who aren't normally soccer players but did a great job playing with us today. We are so encouraged by the work that God is doing through the people on the Good News team. It has been incredible to hear their stories and the way Jesus has changed their lives. We find that we can relate in many ways even though we lived in different parts of the world for all our lives. We also got a tour of the Sports Outreach head quarters and learned what their amazing plans are for the future. Following that, we had to say good bye to our new friends because we will be traveling to Gulu tomorrow. We then headed off to separate slums for the afternoon activities. Half the group went to Chubuli and upon arriving there, we found we had four soccer balls and a whole lot of children. This was not a problem, we brainstormed and then split into two groups and did drills and played some pick up soccer. But most importantly, after soccer Aaron Faro brought the word! He shared with the kids in a creative and relatable way that God wants to give them purpose and fill them up just like a soccer ball filled with air has more purpose then a deflated soccer ball. By the grace of God one boy in this predominantly Muslim village accepted Christ after hearing the good news of Jesus Christ (Tony). Also, we got the pleasure of meeting the cutest little boy in the universe, sporting Crocs, a button down shirt and a never ending supply of laughter.

The other half of the group went to Katwe. Here they saw firsthand the chess ministry that we heard and read so much about. This is the place where the Queen of Katwe took place, which was a book we all read and a movie that Disney has made that comes out in the fall. They heard stories from some students of the Chess Academy. Then they split the younger and older groups. Sweets Dakota and Madi shared a testimony with the younger group. Simultaneously, the older chess prodigies of Katwe played some of our Messiah try hards in chess and it is safe to say they showed them how it's done (But Zeb kinda held his own). Then Kayla got to share part of her testimony with the older group and Robert, the director of the chess Academy shared as well.
All in all it was a great day and we will really miss our Sports Outreach Kampala friends. Please keep them in your prayers. We have connected so quickly with them in just a short number of days. Also pray for our travels tomorrow. Pray for our group harmony as we get to spend so much time bonding on the bus tomorrow.
Love Uganda 2016 (Nikki)