Teaching, coaching and sharing Jesus – all in a day's work for Dave

“Guys here often stay up late, so the sessions might not start until 9 or even 10pm and last two hours or more. I do all the coaching in Arabic now and it’s all about trying to build relationships with the guys.” 

Dave has been coaching a few years now and players come and go, but one of the most joyous for him was when a guy from a Christian family turned up. 

Dave said: “He had pretty much turned his back on his faith but, over time, we were able to talk things through and he started to re-connect. And then I heard he had given a team-mate a lift and had been sharing the gospel with him. That was incredible!” 

“To be honest, my life here isn’t all that different to what it would have been had I stayed back home.”

Generally, Dave tries to model what being a Christian is to his players. He doesn’t use bad language, he encourages respect for opponents and would not countenance any form of cheating. He can also use biblical stories to make his points during team talks. 

He is blessed to be in a part of the Middle East where Christianity is at least tolerated. He and his family go to church and they are able to be part of small group Bible studies, although Dave studies with the men and his wife with the women. 

“I do all the coaching in Arabic now and it’s all about trying to build relationships with the guys.”

He said: “To be honest, my life here isn’t all that different to what it would have been had I stayed back home. The school I work in probably has less discipline problems than a school in the US and, because it is a Christian school, we are very free to share our faith and teach from a Christian perspective. 

“The coaching is just as much fun as it would be back home and it’s great pouring into these guys. One of them told me that he loved American Football because it’s so democratic – he meant that guys of all shapes and sizes can play, even those who are less suited to soccer. 

“And, of course, we are part of a local church and have built friendships with people from all backgrounds.” 

“It’s amazing how God has worked things out for me.”

Almost every country in the Middle East has more than its fair share of refugees and/or migrant workers. They are often marginalised by the host communities and give workers like Dave a great opportunity to share their faith. Many of those who go to his church are migrants. 

Dave has no doubt that God has called him to the Middle East and called him to use his gifts of teaching and sports coaching to bring more people into his Kingdom.  

*Names have been changed.