Roman, I'm so impressed with your ministry and eager for our friends to hear about Revival Sport in Houston.
“Houston is one of the most interesting places around the world. I moved here when I was 12 as a refugee from Uzbekistan, and I expected to see cowboys and cows walking around a desert. But when I arrived, I saw people from all over the world, from different cultures and nations. Houston now is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with over 145 languages being spoken.
“God began to pull at my family's heart to serve immigrants that moved to Houston, because we also came here as refugees. While our family was blessed to be welcomed by many churches, we realized that other refugees don’t have the same opportunity due to language and cultural barriers.
“So, we began to pray about the best way to connect with refugees, and we discovered that sport and fitness is an incredible platform. Sports like soccer are an international language, so we created soccer clubs where immigrants can play together, practice together, and compete against other teams. And through soccer we're able to teach leadership lessons and Bible stories.
“For example, when we teach the soccer skill of ‘heading the ball’ we connect it to the importance of being courageous. We remind them how courage is important in starting a new life in the US, and then we connect it to a Bible story like David and Goliath. We also have kids’ programs for those who want to have fun together, but not through competitive sports.
“We also run ‘Cup of Nations,’ a tournament modeled after the World Cup, where people from each nation form a team to play against each other. This allows Houston area churches and ministries to reach out to immigrant families. We also have educational programs, tutoring assistance, and study skill camps like the computer coding camps for Afghan refugees we launched this year.
“We also realized that many Muslim women would love to work out, but their culture does not allow for exercise in a conventional gym with so many men present. So, we created safe spaces for women to work out and build relationships with Christian women. So, sport and fitness is an effective tool to build relationships with our neighbors from other parts of the world.”
Thanks for all you're doing for the Kingdom.
