In just over a week, Uncommon Sports Group will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, with nine members for a ten-day short-term mission trip. Each summer, Uncommon Sports Group offers a fully-funded international trip for its members to experience life, faith, and community outside their normal context. USG members apply for international trips and are selected based on a set of criteria outlined by the USG staff.
USG has had the opportunity to serve in Kenya twice before, and we look forward to returning for a third time. This year’s team includes Christian sport industry professionals from various universities and organizations including Overtime Elite, Liberty University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Taylor University, Pro Level Sports Agency, Hofstra University, and George Fox University.
In this blog, you will get an inside look into what the group will be doing while in Kenya, as well as learn more about each participant, why they are attending the trip and their prayer requests.
What Are We Doing?
USG has two main partners in Kenya. The first partner is a Christian church and primary school located in an impoverished community within the city of Nairobi. The school provides a quality and affordable Christian education for students from preschool age until the eighth grade.
USG will be serving alongside the school during the first three days of the trip. The USG team will provide various equipment for the school including sports balls (soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, volleyballs), jump ropes, ball pumps, soccer goals, pens, and writing pads. Furthermore, the team will be serving the students through sports camps. The camps allow the students to compete with one another, develop teamwork skills, learn new sports, and practice Christ-centered principles.
Following the three days of sports camps, USG will serve alongside the school and the church through a service project and evangelism. The service project will provide a fresh coat of paint on the school and the evangelism will take place in the village surrounding the school and church.
The second partner that USG will be serving with is a local pastor and sports minister. Alongside this partner, USG will be hosting a coaches clinic for approximately sixty sports coaches across Kenya and neighboring countries. The clinic will focus on providing practical instruction for the coaches in attendance to help them become Christ-centered leaders for their athletes.
During the clinic, the coaches in attendance will hear instructional messages from three USG attendees, including one staff member. The topics that these messages will cover include “The Making of a Successful Christian Coach”, “Effective Evangelism & Discipleship in Sport Ministry”, and “Dealing with Competition in Serving Through Sport.”
The final session of the coaches clinic will be focused on team building through an interactive Scripture-based activity.
Beyond the important work that the group will be doing alongside USG's partners in Kenya, they will be doing a six-session Bible study together as a team through the book of Galatians. The group must remain grounded in the Word of God while being busy serving during the day!
Lastly, the group will have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Kenya by going on a safari at Amboseli National Park!
Who Is Attending?
USG is grateful to have nine members attending the mission trip to Kenya. Below is a short biography written by each attendee to allow you to get to know each of them better. Each of their biographies will have a prayer request that they have leading up to the trip, and we encourage you to lift those requests to the Lord in prayer!
William Bale- Graduate Assistant Equipment Manager at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Hello! My name is William Bale and I am an incoming graduate assistant for equipment room athletics at VCU. I decided to join USG on this trip as an opportunity to serve internationally and grow missionally with fellow believers in sports. Please pray for our Kenya team that we walk unified in being the hands
and feet of Jesus! Thank you.
Nathan Doremus- Assistant Director of Ticket Operations at Liberty University
Hi, my name is Nathan Doremus and I am currently one of the Assistant Directors of Ticket Operations at Liberty University. I am attending this trip to get out of my comfort zone in terms of my faith. I have always walked the walk but many times I haven’t had the words to talk the talk. I think this mission trip will help me get out of my comfort zone in that aspect. I ask for prayers for safety while we are there and during the long travel days. I also ask for prayers to give me the words and courage to touch the hearts of the children of Kenya.
Shaaliyah Lyons- Director of Basketball Operations at Hofstra University
Hello! My name is Shaaliyah Lyons and I am in my third season as the Director of Basketball Operations at Hofstra University. Throughout my career in sports, I’ve always been passionate about collegiate athletics and player development. In 2018, I had the opportunity to serve in Malawi, and upon my return to the States, I made the change to pursue a more fulfilling purpose. In my role as DOBO, I sought to provide career and professional development opportunities through workshops for student-athletes. I plan to use this opportunity to connect deeper with God and allow Him to work through me while being able to serve and plant seeds in others. My experience in Malawi is embedded into my heart and I would like to give back in the same way in Kenya. My prayer requests are travel, protection, and maturity in the faith.
Elijah McKim- IHSAA Basketball Official
Hello! My name is Elijah McKim. I am currently working as a basketball official for the IHSAA. I believe this is a chance to push myself and my faith in a new environment that I have never experienced before. Also, I believe that God is calling me to use my talents to serve His Kingdom on this trip! Something that I could use prayer for is energy on this trip as I won’t have much time to rest before leaving.
Luke McKnight- Facilities Coordinator at Liberty University
Hey! I’m Luke McKnight! I currently work at Liberty University in their Campus Recreation department. My reason for attending this trip is to be able to be a witness for the Lord and have those Gospel conversations with any and all the individuals we run across. It can be hard going to a foreign country with a different language. I’d love to be able to take any learning experiences from this trip and be able to translate it to a lost and broken world that we all live in, whether it’s stateside, or across the world. A prayer request I have for this trip is for every individual on this trip to be intentional with their time, words, and actions because we are going to represent Christ.
Jacob Neu- Resident Hall Director at Taylor University
I just finished up at LeTourneau University as a Graduate Assistant in Athletic Communications and will transition into a Resident Hall director role at Taylor University this summer. I am so excited for the opportunity to serve in a setting that involves sports. I believe that sports are a great way to break down barriers and share the gospel which is the love of Christ. A prayer request for me is that I will see the opportunities to share the gospel.
Natalie Osborne- Doctoral Student at George Fox University & Events Coordinator at MindReady
My name is Natalie Osborne and I recently graduated from Grand Canyon University with my B.S. in Performance and Sport Psychology. I am now starting my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) at George Fox University. I own an athletic consulting company called Authentic Performance and also work as the Events Coordinator for MindReady, a sports psychology coaching company. I had the opportunity to participate in a Disciple Making Team (DMT) with USG last year and it shifted my heart, giving me a new perspective and desire to pray for the lost and serve the nations. When I found out about USG's trip to Kenya, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to act on the changes the Lord has been making in my heart. I am fully surrendering this trip to the Lord, and know that He will move in the hearts of those we serve and our whole team. One prayer request I have is that we would all be filled and rejuvenated by the Holy Spirit, especially after long days of service, to keep giving our very best to the people of Kenya. I pray that the Lord will guide our conversations by His Spirit and encourage each of us to be bold in sharing our faith.
Ezrick Sanders- Pro Football Scout at Pro Level Sports Agency LLC
Hello! My name is Ezrick Sanders. I am currently working as a football scout at Pro Level Sports Agency LLC. I have a strong desire to attend this trip to contribute to the fulfillment of the Great Commission and serve alongside a group of like-minded believers! Please pray for my grandparents with their health declining, my mother for strength to care for them, my siblings' mental fortitude, and for God to continue directing my life.
Erin Weiss- Uncommon Sports Group Staff Member
My name is Erin Weiss. I’m excited to have this unique opportunity to serve the Lord and His people in a different country. I’m looking forward to seeing how God is working and moving in that part of the world. My prayer request is that I would see and love the people of Kenya like Jesus does and to be fully present during our time there.
Noah Weiss- Uncommon Sports Group Staff Member
My name is Noah Weiss. I’m excited to attend this summer’s trip to Kenya because it will be my second time serving with our partners and leading a group! It is always such a blessing to see how the Lord moves through each participant and uses them to advance the kingdom mission in Kenya. A prayer request from me would be safe travels and physical health throughout our time there!
Justin Wrenn- Data Scientist at Overtime Elite Basketball
My name is Justin Wrenn, I am a Data Scientist with Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia. I wanted to attend this trip to stretch myself spiritually and have an opportunity to serve in a new place through our common love of sports! Please pray that our team would have a servant's heart toward each other and those we interact with and for the Holy Spirit to move boldly through us.
Conclusion
USG is grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Lord in Kenya alongside a group of Christ-centered sport industry professionals. A special thank you to every supporter of Uncommon Sports Group, specifically those who have donated to the Clean Out For A Cause funding operation. Without your prayerful and financial support, trips such as there would not be possible!
If you are interested in keeping up with USG’s activities in Kenya, be sure to follow our social media pages or subscribe to our newsletter so you can see what we are up to!
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