Arménio & Elizabeth Anjos, USA
Arménio was a middle-distance runner and always had a passion for sports. For the past 25 years, Arménio and Elizabeth have been involved in sports ministry in Portugal, USA and Globally.
He has served as an official sports chaplain at the Olympic Games, European and World Championships in Athletics as well as the All African Games.
Arménio is the President of International Sports Ministries and serves on the board of Major Sports Events Chaplaincy Commission. He is also a licensed Track and Field coach.
Arménio and Elizabeth studied at Word of Life Bible Institute. He received his BA from Liberty University and his MA on Sports Chaplaincy from Truett/Baylor University.
After completing his engineer degree in Topography from Ecole National d’Ingenieurs in Bamako, Mali, Yazi Adamou served as Director and Host for US based nonprofit organizations for more than 24 years covering the Sahel and Sahara area.
Yazi field of expertise includes but not limited to personal development, coaching, mentoring and transformational leadership. He is also a volunteer mobilizer as evidenced by the faith-based coordination effort around the 2005 francophone games hosted by Niger where he mobilized more than 500 Volunteers from 10 countries.
Yazi is a certified sports minister from the International Sports Leadership School (2003), South Africa. He co-founded the Niger YMCA and sits on many local nonprofit organizations. Yazi is married to Hadjara and they have two boys Josias and Jonas! On Belbin Yazi is a pioneer, implementer, and coordinator.
Hadjara & Yazi Adamou, Niger
Julio & Graciela Bautista, Argentina
Julio was born and grew up in Guatemala and Graciela was born and grew up in Argentina. They have a son (Joaquin).
As a basketball player and later a coach, Julio understood the real importance that Christianity can have on sportspeople. Julio has been involved, as a sports chaplain, in several major events and as a trainer in many of the Central and South American countries.
Graciela is an important element in their ministry and uses her passion for gymnastics and crafts among the unchurched.
In 2014, Lucas Daniel Seixas Jorge concluded his degree in Sports Sciences, majoring in Sports management, at the University of Porto, Portugal. He still needs to present his thesis to finish his Masters on Sports Management. Lucas and his wife Soraia moved to Waco, Texas in 2017. Lucas is currently studying at Truett Seminary/Baylor University doing a Master of Divinity, with a concentration in Sports Ministries.
Lucas’ desire is to love God above all things and show His unconditional love to all around him, through a ministry of presence, self-awareness, transformation, and spiritual growth and maturity. He has been involved in ministry with youth in Portugal and mission work in other countries. Lucas had the opportunity to minister as a sports chaplain at major events in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Currently, Lucas is a Sports Chaplain for the Baylor Rowing Team.
Lucas and Soraia were married in June 2017 and as a couple, they seek to continue the development of Sports Chaplaincy in Portugal, by serving the sports people with compassion as they share the Gospel.
Lucas & Soraia Jorge, Portugal
Jairo & Doris Nino, Colombia
Jairo and Doris Nino met the Lord in a university student group and later served with them as volunteer workers for five years.
They studied theology at the All Nations Christian College in England. When they were done with school they went to Portugal and served among students and professional athletes.
In 1994 they returned to Colombia where they begin a local community church. A good part of their work has been related to sports ministry as a sports chaplain to players and coaches, particularly to the professional soccer teams, Quindío Sports and Independent Sports Medellín.
Jairo plays an important role on the development of sports ministry in Colombia. Jairo and Doris have four children and live in the city of Armenia in Colombia.
Jorge and Alice were both born and raised in Portugal where they finish high school and Bible Institute.
While in Portugal, they were involved in church leadership and youth ministry, through camps, sports ministries, and volunteer work. They moved to Mozambique in 2007 after feeling God’s calling to serve the Portuguese speaking country in Africa.
Jorge is involved with Bible teaching and children/youth ministries using sports and creative tools for disciple making, as well helping Christian agencies to translate and publish teaching materials.
Alice’s focus is in social work as she provides for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of children. Jorge is the founder and president of the sports ministry in Mozambique.
Jorge & Alice Pratas, Mozambique
Michael & Nina Schaafsma, Italy
Michael and Nina are excited to be serving the Lord in the high-growth Metropolitan city of Milan whose residents come from the many nations of the world. Their love for people and for sharing the good news of abundant life in Jesus Christ motivates them in all they do. Their desire is to introduce people to the saving life of Christ and see them grow spiritually in a local church.
After graduating from Wheaton College, they lived in Alaska where Michael was a US Army officer and Nina an elementary school teacher. Since 1993 they have been serving in church planting in Milan where Michael is the founding pastor of the Punto Luce (Point of Light) church. Together they serve their community through preaching, teaching, worship, youth events, family ministry, and friendship as well as various outreaches through dinners and sporting events. Michael is an athlete that has enjoyed parachuting, cross-country and track, sports fishing, soccer, and mountain climbing. He is a certified team handball coach. They love reaching out through open doors that come in the sports world!
Throughout the years their ministry has varied from water project development in Honduras, to church planting, earthquake relief in Pakistan, sports outreach, Christian radio, and leadership development of European church planters.
Max was born in the states and raised in Milan, Italy in a church planting family; he has been an athlete from the time he could hold a ball. As a certified Team Handball coach, he loves both playing and coaching various sports. With a true love for anything sports related he has enjoyed water sports, sport fishing, mountain climbing, lacrosse, soccer, track and handball. Having grown up in Milan he has especially enjoyed great soccer, high mountain peaks, and most of all European Team Handball. A childhood dream has come true as he has competed internationally and represented Team USA playing team handball in Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Columbia.
Even greater than his love for sports is his love for Jesus. His life experience has taught him that the Word of God is full of useful lessons and helps for living the joyful and abundant life that Jesus offers through salvation in Him. Max actively uses his gifts both in his community and local church in leadership, teaching, preaching and evangelism. Investing his life expanding the Gospel in serving athletes and the community with a desire to introduce people to Jesus is what matters most to him! He is excited to develop community events, sports events, and after school programs.
Max Schaafsma, Italy
Graciano & Elizabeth Villiengue, Angola
Graciano accepted Christ as Lord and Savior at age 14 and soon became involved at a local church. In 1993, he felt a call from God to be involved in His kingdom and joined Youth for Christ.
For the past 24 years, Graciano, has been involved in the organization of youth camps and church tournaments, first as a volunteer and later as the national director. Graciano also worked as a human rights activist, for children, at a non-profit organization. Graciano is a certified sports minister from the International Sports Leadership School (2010), South Africa.
Graciano married Elizabeth who is currently teaching at ISTEL (Theological Seminary of Lubango). Graciano is the founder of MDI Angola (ISM) and devotes most of his time to sports’ work with children and sports chaplaincy with youth and adults.
As a teenager, Javier played soccer. He stopped playing to pursue a career with the government and computer programing. Javier comes from a sports family: his father, uncle and cousin were all international soccer players. Sports are in his blood.
Javier and Raquel founded the sports ministry in Paraguay and have been serving sportspeople for the past 13 years. Javier served as a chaplain at the Athens Olympic Games, in 2004. They both run a sports academy in Encarnatión. Javier is the president of the ministry in Paraguay.
Javier and Raquel studied theology at the Mennonite University in Assunción. He studied System Analysis and is currently finishing his masters on sports Training and Management, while Raquel studied Psychology.
