Young people held 12-hour football tournament to raise money for church trip to Rwanda

Two young people from a Glasgow church organised a 12-hour football tournament to fund a "once in a lifetime" missionary trip to Rwanda.

Luke Anderson and Adam Herbert of Sandyhills Parish Church persuaded around 60 people of all ages to take part in the all night, five-aside tournament at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell.

Teams from Sandyhills Parish Church, other congregations and a variety of different groups took part and played games between 7am and 7pm.

Luke, 17, and Adam, 18, have raised around £1,800 to fund their two-week trip to the Bisesero region of Rwanda with 13 other volunteers from Sandyhills Parish Church next summer.

Their "outstanding efforts" have been recognised in the Scottish Parliament after Clare Adamson, SNP MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, lodged a motion which has been signed by cross-party members.

Rev Norman Afrin, minister of Sandyhills Parish Church, said the football tournament on 2 November was a "huge success" and described Luke and Adam as "remarkable" young people.

He said they were part of a large group of "incredible" young people at the church who are an inspiration to the congregation as a whole.

Luke, a student of Sports Business Management at the University of Stirling, explained: "Adam and I are going on a missionary trip of a lifetime to Rwanda next summer with the church and we were kicking around ideas about how to raise money to pay for it.

"We are both massive football fans so we decided holding a 12-hour football game would be a good idea.

"It was Team Luke versus Team Adam and we organised different teams to play for us and folk from all walks of life got involved.

"We had a parents' game, walking football, a homeless team and guys playing under the banner of professional football clubs.

"It was a great experience and I ended up winning.

"But the score was not for anything, it was just a bit of a laugh, and we have raised around £1,800 so far which is brilliant."

The group from Sandyhills Parish Church, aged between 16 and their 70s, are going to Rwanda with Comfort International, a Scottish charity that works in five central African countries to rebuild lives devastated by poverty, genocide and conflict.

The volunteers will be engaging with different projects the charity is involved in such as supporting street kids, mother and baby groups and widows' groups and will also help people who work in pineapple fields.

Sandyhills Parish Church has had a longstanding connection with Rwanda for many years and a huge part of the trip will be continuing to develop existing relationships and friendships.

Luke said: "I am really looking forward to it and I am going with an open heart and open mind to see what unfolds.

"We will be doing a lot of missionary work, playing football with kids, farm work and embracing the local culture and spreading the love of God, which is the most important thing."

Mr Afrin took part in the football tournament as did his two sons, Joel, 8, and Malachi, 5.

"A good number of folk from the church were involved and Luke and Adam raised an incredible amount of money, it was a huge success," he added.

"I hadn't played football in about nine years and don't know how much use I was, or how often I touched the ball actually, but it was a lot of fun and was great to be able to support the guys in their fundraiser.

"Luke and Adam are really excited about going to Rwanda and both very passionate about football so it was a good way to put the two things together.

"They are both remarkable young people, they have a strong faith and a real love for Jesus and are really involved in the church in a variety of different ways."

Mr Afrin said "God has really blessed" Sandyhills Parish Church with the number of young people who attend.

"The young folk going to Rwanda are really excited and they do not expect a handout to fund the trip and are taking the initiative to raise money themselves, which is great because it suggests they have bought into the vision of what we are doing."

For more information about the trip to Rwanda and to support the Sandyhills Parish Church group, email Rev Norman Afrin on nafrin@churchofscotland.org.uk.