"Train a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old he will not turn from it." - Proverbs 22:6

I want to introduce you to a man who is training children on a daily basis so that when they grow into men, they will be leaders in their families, communities, churches and on the field. Jose Luis is the leader of our baseball ministry here in the Dominican Republic. He was on the brink of making it to the big leagues, but "just couldn't catch a break" (as he puts it). The dream of every boy growing up in the D.R. is to one day play in the MLB (major league baseball). For Jose Luis, when his heart and his life changed after meeting Jesus, his dream changed as well. Every day he practices baseball with kids of all ages from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. He leads them in devotions, drills and coaches them in games. He is a man of God helping the young men of this country chase their dream.......the right way. Because of Jose Luis's testimony, his players know that baseball is a platform, not a way of life. Jose Luis is living his dream now; preaching, teaching and loving the kids who are in his life. The picture above describes him perfectly. He has his arms around these kids as he teaches them to allow God to guide them and he's training them to become Fishers of Men.

We praise God every day that He has allowed us to work with someone like Jose Luis. The purpose of G.O. Ministries is to get behind the work of the Dominicans and Haitians and support them. Supporting this man and working with him is easy because his heart is so pure. God is using Jose Luis, so please continue to pray for him.

Last week, we had the opportunity to see some fruit beared within the ministry. A group of 17 people from Kansas City Baptist Temple came down to put on a baseball clinic and play in a softball tournament at night. The group was outstanding as they brought so much energy. Their love for Jesus poured out of them and their love for the game of baseball was as strong as any baseball fan we've met. The clinic they held consisted of 60 kids from the surrounding area. After many chapels, teaching fundamentals, testing skills and playing games, every person involved in the camp left with a heart filled with joy. Many kids came forward during an altar call seeking to know more about Jesus. This is where the bearing of fruit began.



The kids in the camp came both from the school where our friend Pedro works and from the group that Jose Luis works with every day. We've never had a camp where kids were so cooperative and solid. God gave us a glimpse of what He is doing through Pedro and Jose Luis. These kids are responding to what they are teaching. Praise God for their patience and extraordinary big hearts.

When the camp ended, we gathered with the kids and went to their homes to evangelize. We split up into groups and visited with their parents so we could inform them of what we taught their kids all week. Everyone was so inviting and many of them were seeking Jesus as well. We then had an awards ceremony where 59 of the 60 kids showed up along with some parents (which is unusual here). The top of our dormitory was packed. Once again, God brought the people and delivered a message through us. We are now starting a Bible study with these kids on Thursday nights. Please pray that this will be a God-led study and these kids will be encouraged in their journey.

We are beside ourselves with what God is doing down here with sports ministry. Every day He opens a new door and allows us to take a peak at what He's working on. We ask that you pray that it continues. We're finally getting to the heart of our mission...discipleship. Thank you for allowing us to get here. You will continue to be updated on what our (yours and ours) ministry is doing.

"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all it's truth." - Colossians 1:6

Other Prayer Requests:

• There is a group from Indiana working in Haiti right now. Pray for protection and production.
• Pray for the groups that are preparing to come, that they will allow God to just use them.
• Pray for our staff as ministry opportunities are arising every day.

We love you guys and we love sharing this part of the world with you. Please keep in touch. Enjoy the pictures below.

Dios les bendiga

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Will and Audrey

Kansas City Baptist Temple

G.O. Missionaries watching softball Softball tournament trophy ceremony

"If God is for us, then who can be against us."

Romans 8:31

As the Sports Outreach team of G.O. Ministries, we have spent a lot of time praying about where God wants us to go. As a whole, G.O. partners with a large number of churches and pastors in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Because there are so many, it has taken some time to make our way around to meet everyone, but it was definitely weighing heavy on our hearts to find a way to get involved with these churches. As many of us know, pastors need constant encouragement because doing ministry isn't always made up of miracle moments and mountain top experiences. This is where we are trying to move forward with our ministry, and so far, things are looking good.

This past Monday, we went to our church in The Hole (Hoyo de Bartola) to meet with Pastor Felix Abreu. Felix has kids flooding the doors of the church and they are all filled with energy. Like most places in the world, we try to find ways for children and teenagers to use this energy and channel it in a way that will better their lives and the lives of those that surround them. Once again, this is where God has blessed us by never having to go and search for kids that want to play sports. Because of their desire to get out and compete in a game of some sort, this presents the perfect opportunity for sharing the love of Jesus.

Felix agreed to bring around 25 girls from his church/community to a volleyball court just outside The Hole. For 5 or so hours, we had the privilege of getting to know these girls through conversation, prayer time, devotions and the game of volleyball. God wants us so bad to form relationships with other people. It's amazing how you can become so fond of 25 people in such a short amount of time. The truth is, when God opens the doors of communication, you will be shocked at how many people have something to share. We learned so much about these girls (about their families, education, spiritual life, past, dreams, passions) and they are all precious in their own way. After reading that part in the book "Velvet Elvis", our eyes have been opened to where Christ is in each person, and we're just trying to point Him out.



One of our plans for Sports Ministry is to visit the churches that are established here on this island and encourage the pastors by taking the youth and providing activities for them. Many churches here only have one person on staff....the pastor; and it defines the term "full-time job". Please pray that this plan is also God's plan and the youth of these communities will open up and let us in. We are excited about where this is leading and the response that we've received thus far.

Other prayer requests and information:
Our biggest need right now is a mode of transportation. In order for us to travel around and expand the ministry, we need a mini-bus. Many of our churches don't have sports facilities near their community, so we need to pick these kids up and drive them to the clinics and camps. Please pray that God will continue to show His miracles through provision as He has so many times.

Audrey is taking on a new role with our G.O. Kids program. She is now the G.O. Kids representative on the field. This program presents the opportunity for people to sponsor kids in our school and feeding centers. There are many hungry children on this island; for food, education and hope. This is an opportunity to respond to Matthew 25:35-36. You can contact her at audrey.partin@go-ministries.org for more information.



Please take a moment to watch the video on the right hand side of our blog called "La Mosca Video" (just click on it). This was a video we made about a partnership between a church in Louisville, Ky and a pastor of one of our churches/feeding centers here in the Dominican.

We pray that all is well with you and that your ministries are in full force as well!

Con el amor de Cristo,

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Will and Audrey