The Basketball Tour Begins

The pantry is full; the apartment is clean; the spaghetti is on the stove... we are READY. We've spent the last two weeks making a schedule, editing the schedule, and editing the schedule some more. These next two weeks Athletes in Action here in Mexico will be hosting a basketball tour from the States. There are four girls coming down. This blog will be written from the AIA-Mexico staff/intern perspective.

The focus of this tour will be as an outreach to the basketball girls at three universities here in the state of Puebla--UDLAP, Tec, and UMAD. AIA has been working with the teams at UDLAP and Tec for the past two years. This tour will be using basketball as a platform to develop relationships with the ultimate goal of sharing the Gospel.

The days will be full. There will be basketball practice, preparing for the tournament at the end of next week. Our basketball team consists of Karli, Amelia, Shelley (our director who will be playing when needed), the AIA STINTers (Marnie, Katie, Erica), and possibly two Mexican players. Throughout the week we will be having team talks, learning about the AIA Principles that take the Gospel and apply it to sports. Outreach events and community service will involve the university basketball girls and help build relationships that we pray will lead to the sharing of the Gospel.

This blog invites you to join us on this tour as we share different stories (struggles and triumphs). Also, we'd really appreciate you lifting up these prayer requests with us:

• That athletes would catch the vision of what Athletes in Action means/stands for and would want to be involved in some way
• Safe travels for the AIA team coming from the States (flying into the airport and bus/taxi to our house)
• Getting to know the athletes at Tec and UDLAP (building new and strengthening relationships already in place)
• That our team would be good ambassadors for Christ
• That the Mexican girls who may play with us would be drawn to Christ, and that we would be examples to them
• That we would be bold in sharing during the multiple outreach times that are set-up throughout the next two weeks

- Mandi (summer intern with AIA)