International Tours and Training
MAI is uniquely equipped and positioned to share the good news of Jesus Christ around the world, including several regions restricted to traditional efforts. Since its inception, MAI has partnered with like-minded churches and organizations across the globe to create soccer ministry opportunities for hundreds of coaches and teams, and thousands of players. These opportunities include Coaches Trainings and Short-term trips, or tours, for players. We train these coaches and players by combining excellence in soccer, authentic community and our own unique sports ministry training curriculum. This is done in a context that encourages and serves ongoing overseas sports ministry initiatives. Through our international tours and training, MAI desires to generate teams of influential coaches and players who impact lives and inspire people to flourish in and for Christ wherever they are planted.
The Christian Union Sports Club (CUSC) (in Colombia known as the “Social and Sport Corporation of Colombia”–COSDECOL), officially founded in 1991 in Medellín, evolved out of a neighborhood soccer tournament that was organized as a way to reach out to young men who were being recruited into the life of violence and crime spawned by the Medellín Drug Cartel. Mark Wittig, an American who arrived in Medellín in 1986 with his family to teach at a university/seminary, founded the tournament along with other local friends.