Faith & Football representatives were invited to join international evangelist Tim Hall in Serbia to offer some football coaching to young people in the Romany community as part of his crusade in Leskovac.

 

The experience was amazing and our hearts were touched by the welcome we received from the church there. We put on football sessions for three mornings with numbers increasing each day with up to 200 youths and adults on the third day. Each evening Tim preached the gospel to crowds of 3,000-4,000 with large numbers becoming Christians with many miraculous healings. We came away challenged by the faith we saw and with a determination to support them through provision of an ongoing Faith & Football Serbia programme. This is what Misha our young host and translator had to say.

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“I simply didn't know that football could have such an impact. The sense of community grew so much and now we are having people being interested in church and God (because they want some more football) but again it is an open door to the gospel. The Roma people feel much more important in life, much more valuable as human beings since you guys came in and made all of us feel this way. After a long, long time they started feeling as human beings because of your love and acceptance despite all of the discrimination that we've been through. There is a sense of love and hope again in them and I am very happy to see that happening.“