Playing to a Tough Crowd

Missions team uses sports camp to reach Guatemalan boys

By Russ Dilday
Buckner International

Ask any missions team, and they’ll tell you: the older boys and teens living in San Gabriel Boys’ Home can be tough to handle. Those same teams also will tell you there’s one way to get their attention. Play hard.

During a sports camp in February, a mission team from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas did just that, holding a sports camp for the boys that included games, crafts and worship tailored to a very active crowd.

The orphanage is home to special needs residents and street-tough boys who’ve experienced difficult situations in life, a life that’s no easier once they enter San Gabriel’s gates.

“These kids don’t laugh,” said team member Al Childs. “These kids are serious. They don’t have a lot to laugh about. They don’t experience a lot of joy. They are busy protecting themselves, the little possessions they have, even their food.”

By holding the sports camp, he said, “It’s fun because we’re doing things they normally don’t do. We’ve played basketball, American football and “blind” volleyball. They have a tough life, but this week they’ve been full of joy. I pray that the Lord helps break the cycle they’re in.”

For some team members who’ve been on other trips, this one was especially difficult. “I think the sadness hit me more this time than last time,” said Ginger Cunningham. “There’s a heaviness here this time. This trip brought out my own inadequacies to meet their needs. I have to impart the hope of Christ.”

Suzzi Perry agreed. “There are so many hurt, lost boys here. They’ve lost the twinkle in their eyes. Here at the boys’ home there seems to be fewer and fewer (mainstream) boys and more and more special needs and older juveniles. But they’re just boys. They need to be loved on.”

Her husband, Randy Perry, noted what it took to establish a relationship with the hard-to-reach group of boys. “It takes at least the first day to get to know the kids and break the ice. On the second day, you’re showing them you’re committed to them and will be back. By the third day, we’re playing. For the brief time we’re here, we want to love them and show them we came a long way to insure they are loved. The rest of it is just playing.”

Several team members came in family groups. Becky and Dwight Shewchuk brought sons John, 16, and Charles, 14, on their second and third mission trips to “change the way they look at the world,” said Becky. “We want them to have a heart for the Lord and a heart for children and missions. You can’t teach that at home. You have to go.”

Park Cities Pastor of Worship Miller Cunningham said that reaching the boys through high-energy activity led to reaching them one-on-one for Christ.

“I just finished praying with a young man who just received Christ – Rejinaldo,” he said. “I think he’s heard the gospel before, but has never had anyone sit down with him with a Bible and explain it.”

Cunningham explained that Rejinaldo, who’s 16, needed to know encouragement as well as to know Christ. “His mother is not alive and his father is gone a great deal of the time, so he’s been in this home for the last four months.

“I told him that the Lord has made him a leader and He’s going to do something special in his life,” he said. “It’s made a good impact on him. I think the Lord is going to rescue Rejinaldo. I pray he won’t be forgotten and he doesn’t fall into a crack somewhere in life.”