“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
–John 13:34-35

In July and August the May Sports and Fitness DTS carried this commandment to South America for their outreach portion. The team of six started in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where they showed love through evangelism at the World Cup Finals. They had the opportunity to share the love of God to people from all over the world as they evangelized outside the stadium. They built relationships with the members of a local church, encouraging them to grow in evangelism and missions.

From Brazil they traveled to Bolivia, where they worked with Operation Restoration, a ministry that works with street youth. Operation Restoration takes in youth from the streets, offering them an education, food, and most importantly, the gospel. The team worked closely with the ministry, and was able to meet youth in each stage of the ministry. They spent time playing soccer with kids in the streets, where they saw the way they lived before entering the homes, then worked in the homes where they could see the ministry in action. Finally they spent some time working in Torre Fuerte, a home for older boys who want to receive higher education. The team was able to see growth in the youth who had dedicated to change. The team worked closely with Roger, founder of Operation Restoration. God called him from the U.K. to start this ministry twenty-four years ago. For three years Roger had wanted to fill in a swimming pool on the property, as they couldn’t afford to maintain it. When the team came they were able to complete the project, giving the base extra space. God often asks us to do things that seem strange and we don’t understand, but He has a plan. When we are obedient He uses our work to do mighty things for His kingdom.

Back in Brazil the team had the opportunity to show love in a practical way by building water filters for seven different families living in the Pantanal-the largest tropical wetland area in the world. Filters in this area are incredibly important because the water is so bad. The team was able to share the families’ joy when clean water became available to them for the first time.

The team worked with Los Precisos, an orphanage that takes in children with handicaps and diseases, showing love to the forgotten children of Bolivia. They did sports ministries with local kids and blessed local YWAM bases with prayer as well as construction and maintenance. They visited churches, sharing their testimonies and preaching. Everywhere they went the team built relationships with those they met, being blessed even as they blessed through service.

God delights in our service and obedience. He is full of love, constantly pouring it out on His children. His love is the same for every people and every nation, and so is His commandment to share that love. Thank you, May DTS, for your obedience in sharing His great love with the people of Brazil and Bolivia.