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MESSIAH UNIVERSITY FIELD HOCKEY CAMP

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14

Jun, 2023

AROMA May Trip Updates

GRANTHAM, Pa. - This past month, AROMA Sport's Ministry sent three teams out on international trips. The Messiah Field Hockey team went to Costa Rica alongside Zag Tours, the Wrestling team traveled to Guatemala with Athletes In Action, and a mixed trip of students traveled to Uganda to partner with Sports Outreach.

See below for a recap from each trip...

Field Hockey:
"This trip was the best combination of sport, adventure, and service! We were able to immerse ourselves in a different culture, support the global church, and build relationships with ZAG (our touring company) and their partners. I personally valued the concept that AROMA presented prior to our trip about reframing the "mission trip" title to be a "global church visit." It put things in perspective for me. During our trip I asked the question, "Would we do this or respond this way in the U.S.?" I asked this when the sermon was translated to English for us at the Manantailes church, when learning about the many community services/programs that the church provided, and when our bus driver, Gerardo, pulled the bus over so we could see the howler monkeys! These scenarios are examples of Costa Rica's "Pura Vida" lifestyle, which focuses on hospitality, appreciation for all things, and a slower pace that we all can value. Lastly, this trip brought the team together in new ways. We were able to overcome obstacles and discomfort, try new things, appreciate one another, and strengthen our friendships. Thank you to everyone who supported us!" - Brooke Good, Head Field Hockey Coach

AROMA FH 1

Wrestling:
"Messiah Wrestling visited Guatemala through Athletes in Action on May 22-June 4. The trip was an amazing time for our team to grow closer together, be challenged in a new culture and share how faith and sport can be used together. The bulk of our trip was spent training twice a day with around 200 athletes from 14 different countries. We forged some closer relationships with athletes from Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Jamaica, and Guatemala. We even took a bus and spent a day at the beach with the delegations from Chile and Argentina. At the end of most practices one of our athletes would share a testimony of how God has impacted their life and used athletics to draw them closer to Himself. One athlete from Argentina and another from Chile asked to share their testimony as well. At the end of the trip we competed in a two day tournament with all of the same wrestlers. We heard from our host Cristobal Chamile that numerous coaches and athletes were asking him for additional materials and support in pursuing faith alongside athletics. Several athletes from the camp signed up for Cristobal's weekly Zoom Bible study. Saying goodbye to the wrestlers and coaches that we had met truly felt like leaving new friends." - Bryan Brunk, Head Wrestling Coach

AROMA WR 1

Uganda:
"The AROMA Uganda team recently returned from a 12-day trip with long-term partner, Sports Outreach. AROMA has been sending teams to Uganda to serve with Sports Outreach since 2012, but due to COVID hadn't been since 2019. It was a huge blessing for both our team, and the Sports Outreach staff, to reconnect and continue serving together. Much of the trip was spent learning about the different aspects of the ongoing ministry and encouraging and supporting the staff and local communities. The AROMA team came alongside the existing sports ministry programs using soccer, volleyball and basketball as a way to continue to build relationships in the community. In addition, the team was able to distribute over 150 Sawyer water filters to families and community organizations in significant need of clean water. The team spent time training them how to assemble, use and maintain the filters, that if cared for properly, can last a lifetime. We were so blessed by the incredible joy and hospitality of the Ugandan people. God allowed for a beautiful mutual exchange of encouragement between brothers and sister in Christ from other sides of the world!" - Aaron Faro, Director of AROMA

"On our first full day we took a bus trip to a prison. We arrived in the middle of a church service going on inside the prison walls with hundreds of inmates. This was such an awesome and humbling experience to see all the inmates who were able to put their hope and faith in the Lord and joyfully sing his praise despite their circumstances on Earth. We had the opportunity to share a water filter demonstration with them and offer many bucket filters to the prison. The practicality of offering them clean water is great, but reminding those who already know and telling those that don't know about the hope found only in Christ, that is so much greater than anything the world offers, is what was truly amazing about that experience. After our demonstration we played a small-sided soccer match in the prison, I honestly have no idea who we were actually playing, whether they were inmates or a different group. All I know is that playing soccer in front 500ish inmates in a prison is something that I will never forget. The greatest thing about it all is the joy that it brought to the prisoners and the respect and kindness that they displayed to us." - Drew Stief, Men's Soccer Team Member

Contact

Messiah University Field Hockey Camp
University Avenue, Suite 4501
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055

Phone: 717-766-2511
Email: [email protected]

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MESSIAH UNIVERSITY FIELD HOCKEY CAMP

MESSIAH UNIVERSITY FIELD HOCKEY CAMP

News Detail

14

Jun, 2023

AROMA May Trip Updates

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