West Africa Sports Ministry Reaching Youth in Mali
A message from one of our West Africa representatives…
“I’m one of the youth leaders in my region here in San Pedro [Ivory Coast]. The Lord allowed me to be in contact with pastor Jimmy [Breakaway Outreach] and by the grace of God, last year in November, the pastor invited me to Ghana, Accra, to be part of the team to really learn through the ministry of sport. It is my first time to see that putting youth together to play sport, we can share the gospel with them. I [also] noticed through the sport, we can be in contact with Muslim youth and share the gospel with them. I have a colleague in Mali. Mali is one of the countries here in West Africa, but Mali is Muslim country [95% Muslim]. The brother in Mali really appreciated the idea, and invited me to be in Mali to have five or six days with them, pulling the youth for sport activity, and sharing the great love of Jesus. I want for you to pray for our countries here, especially in Africa, where a lot of youth, they love sport and I believe through the ministry of sport, we can win many souls to the kingdom of God. That’s the reason I’m very, very happy. Every day I’m telling the Lord, thank you for the contact He gave me through pastor Jimmy, and I’m learning from him to also apply the same ministry here in my country, Ivory Coast, and also in Mali and different countries. By the grace of God, we’ll see many youth be connected to the kingdom of God. Pray for our country. Pray for our youth. Thank you very much. May God bless you.”
Vova grew up in an orphanage in Ukraine. He was adopted and brought to America when he was 15-years old. In 2021, he had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where he shared his testimony at an orphanage and worked with a sports ministry for underserved children. That experience captured Vova’s heart for the Dominican people and he’s never been the same since. On another visit to the DR, Vova asked God for a vision of how he can help give opportunities to less fortunate children in the region. The D.R.E.A.M. initiative was born as an answer to Vova’s prayer.
