MAI in Pisek, Czech Republic

Suzie, Hannah, Stevie, Steve and  Caleb

Steve and Suzie Mattocks
Jaromira Maleho 2046

Pisek 39701

Czech Republic

011 420 382 224 034

If you would like to donate to the ministry of Steve and Suzie Mattocks with Missionary Athletes International you can send donations to*:

Missionary Athletes International

PO Box 1889

La Mirada, CA 90637-1889

*Make a notation that the donation is for the Mattocks Family.  All donations for the Mattocks’ ministry in the Czech Republic are tax deductible and are under the complete control of the organization for use in communicating the message of Jesus Christ through the environment of soccer.

Go to:  2007 Summer Camps :: Men's Open Tour :: Fall '07 Plans :: Summer '08 Plans :: Furlough

Vision of MAI Czech: To see God glorified, Czech lives changed and a national movement of reproductive evangelistic sports ministry resulting in Czech nationals ministering cross-culturally.

Mission statement: To communicate the message of Jesus Christ to the people of the Czech Republic through the environment of soccer.  This will be accomplished by assisting national churches and para-church organizations with sports ministry strategies, training in sports ministry, and reproducing sports ministers.
 

Permanent objectives:
1.  Assist national churches with sports ministry strategies.
2.  Assist para-church organizations with sports ministry strategies.
3. Train Czech churches and para-church organizations in sports ministry.
4.  Reproduce Czech sports ministers.
 

2007 Summer camps-Soccer camp ministry continues to grow!

We kicked off our camp ministry five years ago with two camps. Since then, the ministry has grown.

During July and August we conducted 4 camps-one residential camp and 3 day-camps. This summer’s line-up featured camps in Veselicko, Hodonin, Dubnany and Breclav. At each location we partnered with local congregations.   Close to 150 children heard the Gospel, and many responded to the invitation to follow Christ.

Throughout the summer, the Lord Lord gave us a number of reasons to praise Him.

*Forty boys (37 Czechs and 3 Americans) attended our residential camp in Veselicko. This total made it our largest residential camp ever.

*More than half of the campers live in Pisek or play for Steve’s club. Because they live so close, Steve and other believers from the Elim Church can have regular contact with them.

   
*Pat Stewart, MAI’s president, visited the Veselicko camp and witnessed the work of MAI-Czech.  He brought his wife and two sons, and his boys had the opportunity to experience foreign missions.

*Hodonin’s local newspaper and TV station reported on the Hodonin/Dubnany day camps. They interviewed Steve,Bohus Cupal (pastor of the Apostolic Church in Hodonin), and some of the campers. The newspaper story praised the camp. The media coverage also gave the church greater visibility in the community.

*The Breclav newspaper also did a positive article on the Breclav day camp. Jakub Porsky, a  13-year-old camper, said, “I’ve been here at camp several times. I like it alot. I learn new things, and I’m much better in my technique.”

*More Czech churches want to get involved. Viktor Balaz, assistant pastor at another Apostolic Church, helped with the Breclav camp. He now hopes to do a similar outreach with his church. Jirka Stanislav, leader of a prominent Czech sports ministry, has asked for MAI’s help with camps next summer. Jirka visited the Veselicko camp and spent hours talking with Pat Stewart (MAI’s president) and Steve. They discussed ways for MAI to partner with Jirka’s ministry.

2007 MENS OPEN TOUR POINTS TO THE “GLORY ROAD.”

For the second straight year, MAI’s Charlotte assisted with the summer outreaches. The US office recruited and sent out a mens open team.

The players, 8 total, served at the Veselicko and Hodonin/Dubnany camps. They coached the skills sessions, refereed games, and played matches against local clubs.  They also taught the camp Bible times.

Last year’s theme was “Glory.” This summer we built on that theme with “Glory Road.” We focused on the concept of life as a “journey.” During this journey God calls to us and invites to follow His Son.

The players used a variety of skits to illustrate the theme. After the skits, the Eagles gave short talks highlighting the main points. The Czech helpers followed up in the evening by leading small groups.

Because of the team’s lack of players, a number of Czech Christians joined the team for games against local teams.  This gave the Czechs an opportunity to experience other facets of sports ministry. One of those aspects was post-match ministry.  After each contest, the squad shared a short presentation and a personal testimony with their opponents.

One player who boldly proclaimed the work of Christ in his life was one of our Czech translators, Dave Ellmrich. Dave, who has helped at camp for the past 3 years, talked to the Veselicko team. He related how Christ led him out of a past full of drugs, occult practices, and criminal activities to new life. Several Veselicko players stopped to chat with him after his talk.

On the field,  the Eagles battled hard and finished the trip with a 5-2 record. Both losses came on penalty kicks.

Near the end of the trip, the Eagles partnered with the Uhersky Brod Apostolic Church for a one-day tournament. 

Pastor Rosta Siska, the church’s pastor and former professional player, had long dreamed of using sport for ministry. The Eagles team gave him an opportunity to do it.  He mobilized his church to organize and staff the event. He also invites city officials and many of his long-time contacts to the event.

Afterwards, he was pleased with the outcome. “Ten years ago we were considered a cult, and we wouldn’t have been able to do something like this,” he said. “Now, we had the chance to do it, and the city officials came...and they heard an appropriate testimony and message.”

FALL 07 PLANS...

After a short family vacation to Crete, Steve returned to coaching TJ Hradiste’s “mladsi zaci” (U-12) team. The team plays in the 2^nd tier regional league. They practice three times a week and play a match on the weekend. Steve has now coached some of these boys for nearly two years.

Steve plans on running the indoor soccer/Bible club during the season’s winter break. The off-season lasts from December until March. This will be the Bible club’s fourth year, and like the camp ministry, it has grown each year.

Jirka Stanislav (who met with Steve and Pat Stewart in the summer) has asked Steve to do some seminars on sports ministry for a group in Vsetin. The Vsetin church is already “doing” sports ministry and is interested in broadening their understanding and “know-how.”

When healthy, Steve is playing for TJ Hradiste’s B team.

SUMMER PLANS...

Next summer is still far away, but the calendar is already filling up. Several churches have already scheduled camps, and others are in the process of deciding. It promises to be a packed summer.

One large Christian school from Colorado plans to send its varsity team to help with several camps. MAI’s offices are also discussing sending another mens open team.

FURLOUGH...