Stephen’s role at Casa Shalom is to coach the boys in soccer and other athletic training. Despite the language barrier, Stephen works hard to use the sports time to teach valuable skills like teamwork, fairness, sportsmanship, and following directions.

Though some days can be more challenging and frustrating than others, it was clear on my second visit that the kids were engaged and pumped about the activities Stephen had planned.

Stephen recognizes the significance of what these boys are learning on the soccer field:  

“Announcers in soccer games often speak of brilliance when speaking of great plays by high level players. I speak of brilliance when kids score a goal in a drill that no one else will see.”

Coaching young boys isn’t the only way that Stephen is investing in the community. He recently joined and is playing with a local basketball team. One team member has even asked Stephen to coach him privately. Using the money he is making from coaching, Stephen is paying for Spanish lessons to increase his communication skills with the locals.  

Stephen is a living example of someone who is truly using his time, talents, and treasures for the Kingdom.