Africa - Stevie Bollon
26 March 2009
Just a quick update for those interested in my journey in South Africa…
I came back here in January to start working at Victory Christian School coaching soccer and to make a mark in this ongoing excitement in the build up to the World Cup 2010. This sets a good platform to work in more rural areas of the country and help those in extreme poverty, by using available resources to train young people in sport and life management (living in the name of Christ!)
Although there was a very slow start to the year, I started coaching the kids in the beginning of March and will be entering two teams into a league in Port Elizabeth in May. Despite playing football for years, coaching is certainly a new field for me and the kids I am coaching have very little experience in soccer so prayers that we would have extreme favour in games is necessary so they don’t lose hope before end of season!
We agreed that the school would accommodate me for working at the school as I am not allowed to earn a salary here due to my visa and based on the kind of wages people make here it is not at a great loss - although a man need to eat! I would like to slip in a big thank you to all those who have supported me financially during my time in South Africa so far, I really appreciate you believing in me and it has helped loads! Please don’t forget to pray also, need a lot of spiritual riches too!
As work at the school covers 3 days of the week I have a lot of freedom to carry out other exciting activities! I have really been training hard with my running and this weekend came 2nd in the J-Bay beach marathon (18km) and won R750! This will be going towards the Two Oceans Half Marathon (21km) I will be running in April, raising money for a young man I know indirectly, who is needing R30,000 (£2500) for a bone marrow transplant after his chemotherapy for Burkitts Lymphoma. Pray this young man, Joshua King, will be touched greatly by God through his experience and be a living testimony of His great love! I’ve set up a group on facebook for sponsorship so those who can identify with his experience have an opportunity to give!
I am also facilitating soccer sessions for local guys and organising 5-a-side tournaments on weekends for the sake of relationship building and love of the game! A lot of these guys need something to keep them busy and out of trouble and with positive influence coming from those who have been gripped by the Lord, we can just trust that they will come to know God as their loving Father! I believe that evangelism can be done without a megaphone…any comments?
The Mdumbi Cup Soccer Tournament 2009 in the Transkei, a rural area in the Eastern Cape, is definitely stirring excitement in me if no-one else! I’m really hoping it will be a significant time for hope and passion to be stirred in the people in that area - there is really little for them to do there so this is big for them! A huge focus will be on the HIV/AIDS awareness program as this is an ongoing issue in the area which calls for volunteers and support, so anyone interested in getting involved then let me know! More info will come closer to the time (September is currently the event date)
Attention span is short so I’ll leave it there! Always open for comments, questions, suggestions, queries, encouragements and rebukes from those with wisdom from the Lord!
Big love and peace x
June 2009 News....
Dear supporters,
Two football coaches have joined me in the development of soccer ministry here in South Africa in the build up to the World Cup 2010 and beyond. Johan Zevenbergen from Holland and Henry Kabaghe from Zambia are also staying here as volunteers, to offer their services in various mission fields to see transformation and development in ministry through sport.
In mid June we hosted a matches, which included a team of kids who live on the streets and a team from the Jeffrey’s Bay township. It was a big deal for them to travel to the Victory field and interact with each other in a different environment than what they’re used to. From it we were able to connect with the people who look after them and have an interest in coaching football with a higher purpose…
…currently we are processing the release of a whole life coaching curriculum developed by Ubabalo e-Africa, which completes a 4 year course on life coaching through football. We are really trusting the Lord to help us identify coaches who would be appropriate candidates to adopt the curriculum - thanks for prayers regarding this.
We attended a conference hosted by ‘The Ultimate Goal’, which is an umbrella in which sports ministries and churches fall under in an attempt to unite the Church as a body and use the World Cup 2010 for an opportunity to serve in various fields sharing the love of Christ in a variety of different ways, including the arts! During the conference I experienced a big challenge in the way I think and was a huge feast that will keep me chewing for a while!
I also got the chance to visit the Transkei with 3 ladies from the new mum and baby clinic, which opened in the Jeffrey’s Bay township in February 2009. They did some research while I enjoyed the beauty of Transkei with some of the main leaders of the local football teams and planned the 3rd Mdumbi Cup Soccer Tournament being held in August/September this year…
…the purpose of the tournament is to hold an HIV/AIDS awareness program delivered by a non-profit organisation called Transcape. All funding comes from outside sources and there is always need for extra equipment and prizes to make the tournament reach a higher level than what they’re used to. A donation of 50 t-shirts has come from a clothing brand in the UK called Subliminal and will be a great blessing to the teams who are entering. Support for volunteers and tournament supporters is also needed, so anyone who feel in their heart to give can either deposit into my personal account at the bottom of this newsletter or can visit Transcape on their website @ www.transcape.org and give to them directly labelling the donation as ‘Mdumbi Cup Soccer Tournament 2009’.
On a personal note, I’m still running and training for marathons and travelled to Cape Town in April with a few sisters to hit a 21km…
…unfortunately, missing out on a 42km I entered in Knysna due to the Billabong Pro being on at the same time! Still getting time to surf and play footy as well as serving at the youth ministry on a Friday night at Victory. Missing my flat mate who left for Norway but enjoying the company of an old, dutch brother who’s doing voluntary work here until August.
Enjoyed my 22nd Birthday at the conference with a big-screen showing of USA Vs Spain! The church who hosted the big-screen event invited a nearby settlement, who turned up in full force with over 400 xhosa/sowetho-speaking men, all raising their hands to accept Christ (probably for the 5 times already!) and enjoying the very warm hospitality…hoping there will be a follow-up on all those precious souls!
Finally, the Victory School Squad who I’ve been coaching have finished all their games in the league in Port Elizabeth. The first games were successful but after playing against the more experienced teams there were no more wins to celebrate! The kids enjoyed playing football competitively and now that we have approached the other schools in the area, they will have games for the whole of next term without having to travel so far!
You are welcome to see the pictures of all that’s happening here on my facebook account but please send messages to my email address ONLY! Thanks again to all those who support me financially and with prayer, as I need it just as much as anyone else!
Please keep me updated with news from England – I still love my country! Contact me further if you wish to get involved by volunteering, supporting financially or with prayer and don’t hesitate to ask for more information on the different projects taking place in Jeffrey’s Bay, Transkei and the World Cup 2010!
Love and blessings
Stevie Bollon
August 09
The Mdumbi Cup Soccer Tournament 7-8 August 2009 at Mdumbi News letter
Unit 2 Albatross,
7 Flame Crescent,
Jeffrey’s Bay,
6330
South Africa
SM Bollon
Barclays Bank, Bitterne
Account no: 70766976
Sort code: 20-79-29
January 2010 News...
I’m back in South Africa safe and sound after being caught in a nice thunderstorm on my flight from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth!
Surf Masters Orientation...
The first week back I spent with the new Surf Masters students on their orientation in Jeffreys Bay. Unfortunately, I had to leave early to get to the Transkei and was sad to leave. It’s always a life-changing experience for them and a privilege to be part of – a really special group of students again this year!
Group Stages of the Transkei Soccer...
Without a chance to get settled in at the backpackers, we were on the road early morning for the first tournament of the Group Stages of the Transcape Rural Soccer World Cup 2010. The day was successful and 68 people were tested for HIV/AIDS, 15 of which were positive. Although the percentage is not a positive one, there are many support groups being established for those who are infected to get the help they need – so we are very excited about the year ahead!
Settling into Mdumbi Backpackers...
I’m currently living in a tent until further notice but am being looked after well at the backpackers and have a strong team of people I’m working with. The beach and mountains are stunning and make up for the leaks in the kitchen and unreliable internet!
Church life...
The activity around the church here seems a lot more vibrant than when I’ve visited here in previous years. A conference was held on the weekend and I got the chance to meet the missionary family who have taken over the couple who started the mission base here 40 years ago. We connected really well and were excited to talk about what God is doing in this area. There are many young local people who have a deep desire to see God’s Kingdom advance and grow here and I can see this being a big year for change.
Media and International Relations...
We are still working hard to get international teams here for our tournament in August and getting ready for a press release soon. We recently had interviews with a couple from BBC Brazil and have some donors from the Danish Embassy visiting this weekend to observe our Group C tournament.
Challenges...
As many of the people attending the awareness days are already sexually active, promotion of condoms is a high priority for Transcape. We know however, that abstinence until marriage and faithfulness is the best way to control mass spread of the disease and I believe is what God wants for these young people. This is almost impossible for those who don’t know the Lord, so I continue to pray for this message to make the most impact.
Prayer...
Please agree in prayer for a strong unity for all of us working here for Transcape and Mdumbi. That we would have the same purpose and focus and that God would use us in any way He needs to, so that people are transformed and lives are changed.
Thank you for all your prayers and continued support. I appreciate news from that side also, so let me know some!
Steve Bollon
April 2010
    
Dear Stakeholders and friends,
We are experiencing great success with our soccer event called the ‘TransCape Rural Soccer World Cup 2010’. As you know, it has been running since January 2010 as part of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Program which draws hundreds of people, predominantly men aged from 14-25, to hear the current HIV/AIDS and other health issues within the Ngqeleni District and ways in which to fight against them.
Until the current day, we have held 9 Group Stage soccer tournaments in the following villages: Nqanda/a, Lujizweni, Mthokwane, Nomagolo, Canzibe, Thafeni, Unbhabha, Ntsimbini, Mankosi. Over these tournaments we have tested over 750 people and in one of our recent tournaments we reached a record of 122 being tested in one day. These 9 teams and the other 3 who have yet to qualify will play in a Semi-Final Knockout Tournament at Mdumbi Backpackers Soccer Field on the weekend of 22-23May10. We hope to test a record number of people over this weekend and have maximum attendance possible.
Once these teams have competed in the Semi-Final Knockout, 6 of them will qualify for the International Final on the weekend of 7-8Aug10. Once again, we hope to have maximum attendance and people tested over this time. These teams will also be visited by the TransCape team to prepare them for the tournament by receiving appropriate support and training.
So far, we have confirmed a team from Holland who are being sent by our donors Kwasa. We are very excited to have them join us for this event, which will be a major mark in the history of this part of the Eastern Cape! There are still discussions with our other donors 25:40 and the Danish Embassy, who are also working hard at getting players from America and Denmark to join us for the tournament. We have also started discussions with a team from England - very exciting!
There is still an open invitation for other international teams to join us and with ‘The Soccer Travel Route’, creating a way for teams to not only come to Mdumbi Backpackers but other lodges on this coast, we are hopeful that more will take an interest in our program. We are also currently looking for volunteers who will help us in the tournaments in May and August.
We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved in the event so far and the greater work that is happening in this part of the Eastern Cape. We hope to continue working in unity and changing many lives! Any questions and comments you have will be appreciated and please visit http://trscpsoccer.blogspot.com to read the blogs from the Group Stage Tournaments of the ‘TransCape Rural Soccer World Cup 2010’.
Attached you will find a few photos from our most recent tournament, which was held in our host venue for our tournaments in May and August, Mankosi Village.
Kind regards,
Steve Bollon
Website: www.transcape.org
For my latest newsletter - Please click here
Hi everyone,
Please find attachment (Click HERE) for the launch of our International Finals Tournament in August. Thank you to all those who are still working hard towards making this tournament a success. We've had an amazing time during the past 8 months and look forward to an exciting finish!
Steve Bollon
Soccer Co-ordinator, Transcape NPO
Personal: 071 563 8923 Office: 083 458 0424
Email address: stevebollon@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.transcape.org
|