There’s a field on the other side of the street in Rio I. For the most part, it’s been vacant. The only sign of life has been the layer of weeds sprouting up. After the rainy season the ground covering becomes so thick that sexual predators have been known to hide there to prey on children. The recent hot weather has caused the weeds to become dry and brittle, making them much easier to pull.
A short-term mission team from Cincinnati came up with the idea of converting the land into a soccer field complete with goals. The group and the local children worked hard side-by-side to clear the field. After finishing the project, the day ended with a rousing soccer match. The celebration of their efforts was the culmination of a day of difficult work. As I watched, I was reminded of the verse at the end of Joshua’s story found in Genesis 50:20. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” While some people had used this field for evil, God will now use it for good. Praise God for the many ways He chooses to work to display His redemptive power.
The mission team pulling weeds as they prepare the land to be converted to a soccer field
Excited for his first game on the new soccer field
Two neighborhood boys admiring the new soccer net