One of the world largest football tournaments was due to take place in South America, becoming the focal point for entire continent for just under a month. Salvation Army leaders were conscious that this could be an excellent opportunity to engage with the community. They were also aware that much planning and preparation needed to be done in order to respond in the best way to use the opportunity.

A number of Salvationists – officers and soldiers – based in the nearby areas were called together to discuss what could be done. Those who were interested in football were excited that the Army wanted to respond and already had ideas of what their corps was going to do. Unanimously they decided that big events have a short lifespan – the tournament was only a month long so visitors to the area would be leaving as soon as it ended – but that it was also important to focus attention on the communities that would be there before, during and after the event. The group decided that a big event like this should be used as a catalyst for the ministries of the corps and centres and that to be effective they would need to share in the effort. As the event approached a team of volunteers and Salvation Army leaders met to go through what had been planned. The volunteers were mainly young people from the corps who were interested in sport, but the team also included people to cook meals and meet parents. The planning group had arranged eight soccer clinics for children from the low-income areas the corps were located in. These children were very unlikely to have any other summer activities and if their mothers were working they would have to take unpaid leave over the holidays to look after them.

Volunteers were generally assigned to work in their own corps as it was felt that relationships that built over the month could be sustained in this way. The younger, sportier volunteers were to run the clinics, training the children and organising matches. Before the event officers provided a weekend seminar on Christian coaching – how to teach sport in a Christian environment. Other volunteers prepared breakfast and lunch for the children attending the clinic.

As the tournament arrived the area was bustling with people. A small group of volunteers were by the stadiums with water bottles and War Cry magazines. Salvation Army branded footballs were handed out, but the bulk of the volunteer’s energy was put into the clinics. Some 10,000 young people attended the eight main clinics and the smaller clubs run at other corps. Good relationships were built and the children spent time learning about Jesus, some of them for the first time. At the end of the event more than 1,300 teenagers had become Christians.

The planning group had also realised that one group that would possibly feel particularly isolated at this time would be prisoners. Very little prison ministry had been done in the area, but the tournament provided an ideal opportunity to meet with prisoners.

The success of the Salvation Army’s response was its sustainability. Volunteers still run football teams and regularly meet other teams for matches and fellowship. The huge increase in young people led to the creation of music and dance groups alongside the sports groups and many are involving their non-Christian friend. The same volunteers are still visiting the prisoners they met during the competition. Many are praying that seeds planted during this tournament continue to grow.