Project Futebol or Project Soccer was orignially a pilot program that was started last spring to test the feasibility and need for a project working with the at-risk boys within the community. Although it started relatively small with around ten to fifteen regular attendants, it quickly grew, as each week a new friend or cousin had gotten word and decided to tag along and see just exactly what the project had to offer. At its height, we had anywhere from around 30-40 boys from week to week, and were forced to split the group into two equal parts based upon their ages. We met every Friday: shared a meal, had a devotional time, played soccer, and swam in the pool. Although we were able to enroll some of the participants into Project A Fonte, sadly, we are not able to accommodate all of them. We chose from them twenty of the children who showed the most need, and with whom we would have the greatest possiblity of making a difference to become of part of Project A Fonte. 

“I remember one particular day that I was walking back from playing soccer with the boys, and as I saw the look of admiration in their eyes as a young boy who was a known drug dealer passed by on a new motorcycle, I thought to myself: “I can't save them all.” I knew what those boys didn't, that it would not be long before that poor young boy's body would be found dead  laying in the streets.  I realize just how prideful and naive this sounds given the fact that it is not me who saves anyone, but in that moment I realized that I simply did not have the means to save, or to even help all of these children. That was the day I made the commitment with myself, that although I was not going to be able to include all of them in our project, I would continue meeting with them as part of Project Futebol.” -Jordan Blackmer

Project Futebol is a great opportunity for us to stay in contact with a wider range of the boys and young men in our community, and it provides them with access to A Fonte and its resources should they or their families need anything. It’s Bible study provides them with a textual based introduction to the Christian faith, which many times is sadly lacking in the contemporary evangelical approach utilized by many churches. While it’s soccer portion focuses on developing discipline, teamwork, and leadership skills that will continue to serve them on and off the field.