Q. Who is Athletes in Action (AIA)?
A. Athletes in Action (AIA) is a Christian organization that takes Christian athletes, and shows them how to use their sport as a form of worship, and also how to use it as a platform to preach the gospel. AIA is all about building relationships and character.
Q. All this talk of ministry but all I see are dates, what do you do?
A. My roll in AIA as an affiliate staff member is twofold. My domestic ministry includes using my career as a form of worship, and platform to preach the gospel to the athletes that I work with everyday, as well as to reach out to other Christian athletic trainers in the area and show them how to use their work in worship. I do this by attending professional development conferences and representing Athletes in Action, and hosting a prayer breakfast, or social of some kind.
As an athletic trainer I have a very unique set of skills, which do not always translate into a traditional missionary roll. I am not an expert at bringing clean water to villages, planning blue prints for new churches, building homes or community planning. I can help with all these things, but my expertise is in athletic injuries and the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing that needs to occur before an athlete can be back at 100%.
The second aspect of my ministry is an international tour. My first tour with AIA was to Fiji with a track and field team, my second was to Israel with a Basketball tour, and my third will be going back to Israel with Basketball again. On all tours my goal is to make sure all the American athletes return to their schools without new injuries, or new injuries have been properly cared for (most AIA athletes are college athletes), as well as care for and educate athletes from the country we are in about their own injuries.
Q. What are the specifics for your international ministry this year?
A. The bible tour aspect of this trip is very exciting and easy to talk about, and is most likely what most people have heard about from my trip last year, but here are some specifics of my hope for this trip. This year I am returning to Israel where we will spend most of our ministry in the West Bank reaching out to Muslim communities, and reinforcing Christians in the West Bank through the local Basketball League. We split up the American athletes, and put them on teams with the Arab people to build relationships and team bonds. I will be providing medical coverage for the tournament we are playing in, as well as any practices I am requested to be at. Last year there was interest for me to teach local physical therapists and Emergency Room doctors how to treat athletic injuries so that the athletes would not have to go to the Jordan for specialized care. My goal for this year is to be able to put on at least one workshop for medical personnel, and one for coaches to understand new injury management and how it affects the total outcome and recovery of the athletes.
Q. What are you doing currently?
A. Currently I am seeking support for my upcoming events. I will be going to the District 10 Northwest Athletic Trainers Association Conference at the end of March, where I will be networking with other Athletic Trainers, talking about my ministry internationally and educating my peers about how they can use their skills in ministry.
Q. Where does my money go?
A. I have received about 8% of my annual goal, which has gone to preserving my spot on the tour to Israel.
Q. How do I donate every month?
A. Athletes in Action is a daughter organization of Campus Crusade for Christ, and they have set up a way to give online. Many ministry partners give through monthly Bank Account or Credit Card transfers at https://give.ccci.org/give/0653841.
For any other questions you may have please e-mail me at charissa.robertson@athletesinaction.org
