2019 Summer MLO Blog 17

Football Camp Tour 2019 (Coach Mike Norman)  Amazing! One word that comes to mind for sure is amazing! As we prepared for our trip this summer, finding coaches to travel with us was a tough task. Several of our coaches had family situations that kept them from attending this year. Brandon Hoybach and his son Blake, and me and my son Zach took off for Novi Sad praying for a great camp experience despite our shortage of coaches! Amazing. God has provided help for us all along the way so far! In Novi Sad, we were joined by Coach Larry from Germany and Coach Srki from Serbia. What a blessed time we had! We had 30 players from Novi Sad and Bulgaria working hard at all of our practices! Vukasin and Nikola treated us to a fantastic Serbian BBQ in between practices on Saturday!  It was awesome to see flags from Serbia, Texas, HiS PRINT, Wild Dogs Football Club and HBU all hanging side by side at camp!  Our time came to an end in Novi Sad and Monday, after spending some quality time with Vukasin, we took off for Kraljevo in southern Serbia. Again, amazing! We had 5 great practices including a scrimmage on Wednesday morning, July 3rd. We had 45 players in attendance including 12 youth flag players. Once again, God provided coaches for us! Coach Aleks from Belgrade, who once played for the Royal Crowns in Kraljevo, and Coach Grayson, an American with college playing experience who now lives in Kraljevo, joined our coaching staff! God’s timing and provision are, yes, amazing!  Srdan Cosic was an excellent host, taking great care of us, showing us his city, and treating us to some wonderful food! We saw many familiar faces at the camp as well as many new players!  Now we move on to Sarajevo! More to follow!

Baseball Camp Poland (Brett Posey)  We are back at His House, it’s good to be back with the team and on a solid bed. But make no mistake, it was hard to leave Poland. To be honest, I’m not sure all of me really did. Coach Robert has become an extremely important influence in my life. He is a genuine man who hungers for a deeper understanding and love for Christ and has an unrelenting heart to share what he has found.      We completed two and a half days of camps with both the young lady’s softball team, and the younger tee ballers.  I fell in love with the tee ballers, and I’m not sure I will ever recover. The laughter and joy were rich and full of love. We shared the Gospel daily through prayer, testimony and in action.

Coach Robert two years ago impressed me with his ability and creativity in providing the coaches a skit to help us celebrate the Fourth of July, where he led his kids through a historical timeline of significant American events.  This year, his skit included a landing on the moon, but what impresses me is his ability to teach teens and their willingness to participate.

Coach Robert’s family opened their home to the coaches for two amazing breakfasts that bookend our week. The common phrase around camp was “yummy goodness” when it came to what we were eating. Monika, Coach Robert’s wife, was gentle in spirit and full of laughter, and the “apple fritter-cinnamon funnel pancake yummy goodness” was off the charts good. Coop had a great time playing with Tony, and as Robert and I have said, we pray God will allow the boys to spend a lifetime of experiences together.

This year we added English speaking sessions, beginning to build relationships not just with the baseball camp kids but connecting with the community. It is amazing to watch as God uses a platform like sports to open doors that reach further into the community.

As we return to Croatia, we have 5 days left, filled with more camps, a list of to do's and plenty of time to see God move through the team. Please don’t stop praying for God’s hand of protection over the team.  Many are traveling and many have begun their trip home. One thing that appears to be true is that as the team leaves and begins to process what has been happening and reflect on their own experience, God reveals deeper truths and begins chiseling away Satan’s lies. As much as that is a true blessing, let me say personally, it’s not an easy process to allow God’s truth to help you see what needs to be addressed.  Poland, Coach Robert, his family, and the kids at the camp hold a special place in my heart, and I am already in prayer that I will get to return next year.  My hope is to walk life with my new friends, watch them grow and share God’s grace through a lifetime of experiences and friendship.     One more note, I want to ask you for a prayer of praise for Coach Robert, Super Joe and Robert Cissell. Over the past five days I have been challenged as a father, brother in Christ and a child of God. These men loved Cooper in such a gentle and amazing way. They shared with him their passion for Christ, and planted seeds that I have no doubt will change a legacy. A special thank you to each of them, and thank you for praying and praising our God, who works through these men who are willing to serve.    One thing that keeps being brought up in conversation is how much easier it is “to do” than it is to “be.”  Please pray we don’t take the easy road...  Please keep praying:  His Print team - many have left, more are leaving, please pray for safe travels. Those who are still here are tired and still many things to do.  Coop - cooper is amazing young man and has adjusted and flexed so well. For his first trip like this, he has been amazing!! Please pray for his heart, thoughts and experience. That he would truly know God’s love for him and that this experience will help him see God’s grace and love in action.  As always, thank you to each of you for praying and supporting, I am beyond blessed to know you have been standing guard for Cooper and me as we have sought after God’s will.  In Christ  Brett