By Kevin Kihlstrom
Sports Information Intern

Despite the fears of many of their parents, the Westmont Women’s Soccer team will be traveling to three countries over the summer. They will be the first women’s team to make a missionary trip to Africa through the Sports Outreach Institute. The team will also play in some games including one against the Rwanda Women’s national team.

“Our main concern is safety and that’s what we are going to be watching out for all the time,” Head Coach Rebecca Mouw said. Much of the concern comes from the parents of the team. Mouw however, has much faith in the trip’s organizer Russ Carr. Carr used to coach for Westmont from 1966-1982. He is the leader of the Sports Outreach Institute. Mouw said, “He has been to Africa many times and the people we are going to be with are workers for the organization from Africa. They know what is safe and what is not safe.”

The focus of the team is on God first. In fact the main purpose of the trip is to share the gospel with the Africans. Mouw added, “Our main goal is to bring people to Christ and through that we are going to see a lot of growth.” Playing soccer is their secondary goal for the trip, but that’s not to say that they won’t enjoy the matches that they get to play.

While In Africa, the Lady Warriors will be working with the Good News Team — a group of Rwandan nationals who work for the Sports Outreach Institute. They play soccer and share the gospel. In addition to working with them the women will visit and minister to refuge camps, churches, hospitals and prisons. They will also try to rebuild towns that have been broken, due to a civil war.

“The team is very excited about the trip. There are some girls who are going that have not left the state of California,” said Rebecca Mouw. If you’re looking for a lack of enthusiasm for the trip, you are not going to find it. Anna Gropp added, “I expect to be changed and stretched in tough ways.” She also added, when asked whether the trip would bring the team together, “When you get twenty-five girls together your going to bond whether you like it or not.”