La Palmera C.C.C. | Sports Department

Gym Class

Recreation has been another key area of involvement in our community development missionary work by “La Palmera” CCC. We acknowledge that recreation is one of the most prolific activities in our human societies.

It was clear to us in the context of Latin America, that if we wanted to be taken seriously in community affairs, we also needed to earn the right to influence our neighbours and to win a few competitions proving as much fun as we were genuinely able provide in order to enjoy and share our worldview with others.

At the very beginning of our missionary work, while we were learning how to approach people, speak their own soul language, understand their moods and celebrate their achievements, we had plenty of opportunities to spend time playing games with the children, their older brothers and sisters and with their parents. All this was possible through informal and formal events sparked amongst our neighbors for many reasons: holidays, good weather, special occasions or just personal initiative.

One day in 1986, one of our Bolivian Staff members, Rufino Montenegro had the idea of starting a Football (Soccer) School for children under 10 years old as an evangelistic tool. He offered to be the coach, to produce the planning and to commit himself entirely to this work. He himself was just 15 years old!

We supported his idea, funded his activities, provided him with further education, supported his pupils games, celebrated his victories, comforted him in his defeats and we all saw Rufino taking his young players from a first game that they lost 5-12 against a team of shoeless rural boys into a the continual chain of championships that have given to La Palmera CCC hundreds of medals and trophies that now proudly adorn our offices.

(Primary 4-8) - 2005 Trinidad Champions

Parents have been reached for the Lord through the games of their children and the whole town now knows that there is a Christian Football team, PSJ-La Palmera-, that plays good football without swearing and stands for highly ethical standards of behavior on and off of the field and provides the community with a recreational agent geared to bear witness for the Lord Jesus Christ and also good entertainment for families: parents and their children.

Many young men involved in our sports activities have trusted the Lord Jesus through the years and some even have been able to succeed in the professional world of football in the country of Bolivia and now they earn a living from this developed skill. Our own youngest boys, Iain, earned a sports scholarship to play soccer in USA with “The Highlanders” of Houghton College in NY. He finished his degree in Business & Education with the full support of this scholarship.

“La Palmera” CCC teams have been amongst the winners in most categories of the local league. Our FIFA Registered “A” Division Team “PSJ-La Palmera” is amongst the most prestigious teams in the region. Our vision for other sports and activities involving women’s teams is presently on its way.