Mission to Monterrey

More from Monterrey

2007-09-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

A street near our hotel

We got creative while painting the church

Gathered at the scenic flag site

We fit right in at the Tigres game

All Around Monterrey

2007-09-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

Me, Ford and Mauricio the the Caves

Gamby, David, Hunt, Mauricio, Me, and Skridge taking a break

Everyone after dinner at the Garza's home

Posing in front of a government building downtown

After the hike to the waterfall

After a delicious meal made by Andres' brother

Practice before playing Tigres 2

Zach playing against the Tigres 3

Festivities before the Tigres' season opener

Ford and I with the crazy fan

At the Orphanage

2007-09-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

We took turns with the Pinata
Ford and his new soccer buddy

Julian and the kids waiting for lunch

These two were inseperable

The cupcakes for desert were messy and delicious!

Adult City League Game

2007-09-05T19:56:00.001-07:00

Team Photo before the game

Sharing with the team after the match

Hanging out after the game

Zach and Derek showing off their medals

Team Photo after the game

Collins and Ben with kids from the game

Last Match in Monterrey

2007-08-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Picking up from the last post, we played our final soccer game against another team from the local adult league. The game was actually more wild than either game against the Tigres, which was the result of several factors. The field we played on was made of an artifical turf and we had a hard time controlling the ball on it. This resulted in some dangerous tackles and a really unpredictable game. The referee allowed a lot of fouls and the game almost got out of hand.

Although the game ended in a 3-3 tie we were disappointed with ourselves because we lacked the self-control and disipline to play through the frustration. Yet despite our failure the Lord was able to redeem it and use even our mistakes to bring Him glory. After the game both teams gathered together and Coach Miglarese gave a short testimony. He explained that while we seek to bring glory to God by the way we play, sometimes (e.g. in that game) we make mistakes and do a poor job of showing the gospel on the field. And that knowing we have failed, the Lord still loves us and forgives us even though we don't deserve it.

Coach then let me share a quick personal testimony after which we exchanged trophies and medals. We even got to trade jerseys with the other team (This is a gesture of mutual respect and goodwill often done after an international match). We all shared a snack and got to hang out and talk to eachother for a while. We made it a point to try to connect our friends from the church with the players who were not believers. Overall, I feel like we as a team were humbled by our mistakes yet encouraged by the Lord's faithfulness. It is amazing to see the Lord working in the midst of our weakness; I think that in this way His glory is seen ever clearer when juxtaposed with our mistakes.

Noticias de Monterrey - Saturday thru Monday

2007-08-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been an incredible blur. This whole trip seems somewhat surreal. Since we arrived on Friday we have played a lot of soccer, gotten a taste of life in Monterrey, met a lot of people, and really gotten to know each other a whole lot better. In the midst of it all, the Lord has clearly been working in and around us.

On Saturday we drove about an hour from downtown to the Tigres' training facility which they nicknamed the 'Tiger's Cage'. We played a game against "Tigres 3" which is one of theTigres' youth teams. During halftime, I met a player from "Tigres 2" named Marco and he informed me that we would play each other later in the week. After the game, which ended 1-1, the players quickly left and besides some short conversations on the pitch, we only had a chance to speak briefly. Later in the day we went to watch the Tigres play an exhibition match in front of thousands of fans. The atmosphere was indescribable and the fans were absolutely crazy. They even had a section fenced off for the most extreme ones who never stopped chanting the entire match. Ford Quarterman and I went over and one of the fans let us beat one of the drums he was pounding.

Sunday was incredible. We went to church at "Encuentro Con Dios" with Andres and got to spend some time getting to know some of the members afterwards. The service was beautiful and I was able to understand most of it with the help of my newfound friend Mauricio. We met after Sunday school and sat together during the service. Over the past few days we have had a chance to get to know one another better. Neither one of us can communicate that well in each other's language, but we have been helping one another out.

On Monday we played a game against a local adult league. Andres told us that the team was mainly unbelievers and hoped that we could share the gospel and establish some relationships with the players. After the game Allen Eskridge gave a short testimony in which he shared the gospel. Then we shared a small meal and got to know a few of the other players. It was a great time for both teams and a good way for Andres and the people from the church to reach out into the community. Please pray that the Lord would continue to work in their lives and that the seeds which were planted will result in many new relationships with Christ.

Also, please pray for me as I will be sharing my testimony with the team we play tonight. I pray that the words I say and the way we play would be filled with the gospel. I know that the Lord is working in us and through us and I pray that we'd be examples of Christ's love.

Noticias de Monterrey - Friday

2007-07-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

Good news, we arrived safe and sound in Monterrey on Friday night. The trip went smoothly despite barely making our connecting flight in Houston. And we made it through customs without too much hassle (From our entire team of suspicious looking guys, only Meredith, our trainer, and Gambrell, our assistant coach, were stopped and searched).

Andrés Garza met us at the airport and took us by bus to our hotel in downtown Monterrey. El Gran Paso Inn is on one of the main streets of Monterrey. I could spend hours describing the beautiful mountains which surround the city and reach with jagged peaks into the belly of the sky. The summits of a few are rarely visible because they are hidden in the clouds! Meanwhile, the bright colors which decorate many of the buildings and the countless advertisements pasted on every square inch of the buildings themselves are mesmerizing. And at night the entire horizon is dotted with lights which also reach partway up the mountainsides.

I was personally intrigued by the monumental sculptures that are prominently placed along the main roadways and at every major intersection. The styles range from bronze figurative works done in a baroque manner to some rather abstract contemporary pieces made with various industrial materials like steel and concrete.

As our first day in Monterrey came to an end, I relaxed in our hotel room watching a local television station on which a mariachi band was playing. It took me a while to fall asleep because I was so excited about playing our first game and getting to know some of the people we'll be spending time with....

....Coming up in the next 'Noticias de Monterrey' Saturday edition, I'll tell you about our game with the Tigres, my interesting encounter with a die-hard Tigres fan, and a few more highlights of the day. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we seek to worship the Lord in everything; while playing soccer, hanging out with the teams, or having a meal with the local church. It is my prayer that the Lord would overcome the language barrier and that the Gospel would be spread as much by our actions as by our words. Praise the Lord for our safe travel thus far, and may His name be glorified in Mexico!

Ready or Not, Here We Go!

2007-07-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

We are so close I can already feel it...and it is really hot! ;-)

Seriously though, I am packing today and trying to make sure I don't forget anything too important. All the guys are going to arrive in Chattanooga tomorrow. We'll spend the night at Covenant and then fly out in the afternoon. In case you are interested, here is our schedule for the next two days:

Thursday, July 26
2:00 PM – Arrive at Ashe Gym
2:30 PM – Move in to Mac
3:15 PM – Trip Briefing
4:00 PM – Equipment
4:45 PM – Dinner in Great Hall
7:00 PM – Training Session @ Highlands

Friday, July 27
7:30 AM – Breakfast in Mac Lobby
9:00 AM – Training Session @ Highlands
11:30 AM – Lunch
12:30 PM – Move out of Mac
1:00 PM – Load vans for Airport
1:15 PM – Depart for Chattanooga Airport
3:55 PM – Flight to Houston

As you can see, we are almost ready to go. I am so pumped about the trip, it is crazy to think that it is almost here. As we get closer and closer to kick-off, please remember to keep us in your prayers. I feel as prepared as I'll ever be, but I know from past experience how wild things can become. Just pray that no matter how hectic things get we will be able to trust the Lord. It is so easy to get flustered over some (un)important detail or change in plans. But I truly believe that God is more visible when our plans fall apart. Hopefully, things will go smoothly as we travel, but may we praise God in the craziness too.

Thank You Supporters!!!

2007-07-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed beyond my expectations with the tremendous support from friends and family and am happy to report that all my financial support has been raised!!!

To those of you who have taken advantage of this opportunity to support me, I want to express my sincere gratitude. Your words of encouragement, commitments of prayer, and financial support are such a huge blessing. Although you cannot all travel with us to Moneterrey, you truly have come alongside our team. I pray that the Lord will use our hands and feet to spread the Gospel as we seek to be a tangible evidence of His love. Without your support this mission trip could not happen.

As the trip rapidly approaches, please continue to cover us in your prayers. Specifically, that the Lord would work in my heart and in the hearts of my teammates; transforming our passion for soccer into a genuine care for the people we will be serving. It is my prayer that soccer would be only significant as a tool for sharing Christ's love. While we will be doing a lot of soccer stuff, my hope is that our focus would be on the bigger picture.

Also, please be in prayer for the church plant in Monterrey and the people in the community where we are serving. Our impact, although hopefully profound, will be limited by the short amount of time we'll be spending there. Please pray that the Lord would continue to spread the Gospel throughout the city of Monterrey and the nation of Mexico too!

Updated Trip Details

2007-06-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Monterrey, Mexico is the strategic center of Northern Mexico for the church-planting movement. God's work in this city is led by a team of Mexican leaders and MTW missionaries, who are working together in a great vision to reach this vast region of the country. God has opened up opportunities to work in established churches as well as in new church-planting projects.

In addition to the great opportunities for the soccer teams to train with and compete against Mexican teams, the group will be able to participate in God’s mission to expand his Kingdom to all Nations. Participants will meet and interact with local believers and missionaries, learn about what God is doing in Mexico, experience Mexican culture, and get a glimpse of what cross-cultural ministry is all about.

Also, the gifts and talents of Covenant’s group will be used to help reach and impact people living in this city. Relationships with locals will be made while playing matches against organized teams as well as pick up games with local kids. The group will also have the chance to lead clinics with young players and participate in service projects to assist the needs of the local ministries. The group will be able to connect those they meet with believers from the local church who will be able to follow up with the great things that are begun.

There is an excellent sports complex that the team will be using for some practices and games. Current plans include a practice every morning and games every other day with teams from the regional adult league as well as a game against a semi-pro team. The team will also have a chance to visit a practice and meet the players from the city’s pro team, the Tigres.

Every player should be prepared to share a brief testimony about what the good news of the Gospel means to you personally. There will be chances to share with the teams that you will play as well as with kids you will be interacting with.

Mission Statement

2007-02-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

The main purpose of this trip is for the Covenant College men's soccer team to serve the MTW team in Monterrey and the PCA church plants in the area.

Our service will include manual labor, soccer clinics for children, evangelism, VBS, and any other needs. We have a connection with the Monterrey professional team who will set up about five matches against professional, semi-professional, and reserve teams.

We will also have a field to train on each day. We will train each morning, serve MTW during the day, and play our matches in the evening.

Financial Support - Check Guidlines

2007-02-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

If you would like to support the Mission to Monterey trip, here are some guidelines for writing checks:

Make support checks payable to: Mission to the World (MTW)
Note the appropriate project account on the memo line: EV0930

You may send the checks directly Jason Lehn who is the coordinator of our trip. They may be mailed to:

Jason Lehn Missions Administrator
Covenant College 14049
Scenic Hwy Lookout Mountain, GA 30750

Support Letter

2007-02-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to you about an awesome opportunity I have this summer. I have always had a love for people, the Gospel and soccer. This summer I have the opportunity to engage all of these passions.

The soccer team from Covenant College is going to Monterey, Mexico to share our faith through soccer. We will develop relationships while playing soccer with some local teams and share our testimony while we work in the community. I am excited to see how the Lord will use the game of soccer to spread the love of Christ.

Please pray that the Lord will prepare the hearts of those whom we meet. Also please lift up my teammates and I. Pray that the Lord would unite us, giving us humble hearts and an attitude of selflessness as we seek to share Christ’s love.

I also invite you to come alongside us through financially supporting our trip. The total cost is $1,500 per person including transportation, food and lodging. I have committed to raising this money by the beginning of July. If you would like to contribute then please let me know. I am really pumped about this opportunity and I cannot wait to see the Lord work in us and through us.

If you would like any more information, please e-mail me at AlecWaller@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your prayer and support, I am eternally grateful.

Yours,

Alec Waller IV