Reaching Children Through Sports

June 8, 2015 • Haiti
Reaching Children Through Sports

A program in Haiti aims to keep kids healthy physically and spiritually

Solaïda Toussaint is a 10-year-old girl who lives in Haiti with her cousin. She recently participated in a Samaritan’s Purse sports program that aimed to decrease fighting among children while increasing the number of children who heard the Gospel message. Ninety percent of the children who participated accepted Christ and began actively sharing the Gospel.

The sports program has made a significant impact on my life. After the first lesson, I learned that I could be a blessing to my family if I was obedient. Since then, I’ve chosen to become a better child by doing what I am asked to do with the right attitude. I don’t complain or get angry when I’m asked to help with something. I know it’s a way to help me become more responsible.

I’m more polite, and don’t curse like I used to when my cousin sends me to get water. In the past, when somebody cursed at me, I would seek revenge because I didn’t control my feelings or my actions. Now I’m able to control my feelings, and I always try to answer with love when people hurt me. In the lesson about love, I learned that I can’t say I love God if I don’t love my neighbors. I also learned that respecting and loving others means respecting and loving myself because we’re all created in God’s image.

Reaching Children Through Sports

I also have a clearer understanding on how to give. I used to think that I should only give to people who have given to me something first. Now I know that when I give, it’s God who will ultimately reward me.

I love the flashcards with the memory verses because they have encouraged me to spend more time studying the word of God. Now I know a lot of Bible verses!

Listing everything this program has done in my life would take an eternity. So I’ll finish by saying that the program has really changed my life and has been a great blessing to me. I never had a chance to play soccer before, although I loved it and always had a desire to play. The program gave me an opportunity to play and have fun with my friends. I feel blessed because while I was having fun, I was also staying healthy physically and spiritually.

That’s why I want to thank God for Samaritan’s Purse and everyone who contributed to making this program possible.

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