Most times, competitive sport events are like a biscuit. You can’t always predict how it will crack when you break it.
This year’s Marathon which was postponed to the 12th of October, was for good reasons. An all schools National sports event clashed with our earlier date in June. The delay should have afforded prior registered racers ample opportunity to prepare, or so we thought.
To my utter amazement, many did not prepare.
The school that won the Commissioner’s Trophy last year came with a large squad of 75 registered runners but only one was among the first 10 girls.
This blog is about the golden discoveries of this year’s marathon and the lessons we are learning from them.
Edina Singajo is a 22year old first year student of Yei Public Secondary School. She got married at age 17, while in primary 5 and had her first baby in 2010.
Her diminutive physical appearance completely betrays her incredible talent. She came first, arriving several seconds before the second winner.
Her schoolmates who know her story could not believe it. Even her sports master was shocked at her and the performance of his students. Their school, Yei Public Secondary School, won the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Edina said, “I’ve never run a race like this, in fact, I’ve never done sports in school but our games master asked me to register and run. He forced me to do this and now, I’m a winner.”
And there was also Grace Bangu, a 17year old second year student from the same school. She came in 3rd last year, but 4th this year. “Just like last year, I didn’t prepare… I think I would have come first if I prepared.” Was her candid confession.
I’d spent hours in the various schools, emphasizing the importance of adequate preparation as a prerequisite for glory and greatness. The race of life demands this. But these unknown and “unprepared” girls emerged as winners of the Race of Life Marathon 2013.
God, what is the lesson here?
When men operate in the area of their primary gifting, engaging the essence of their existence by the mercies of God, uncommon grace flows effortlessly to and from them. Truly, a man’s gift (ability) will make room for him and set him before great men. (Prov 18:16)
Others may struggle and strive, but the call, laden with its necessary grace, makes the difference. This, certainly does not understate the need for preparation.
In this year’s marathon, raw talent underscored enabling grace and we watched in awe, learning Kingdom lessons.
This was the same story for 8 other boys and girls who came-in among the first 10. None of them had ever run a race of this distance before, neither did they prepare for it as was required.
I’m overwhelmed at the abundance of gifted sports boys and girls in this new Nation South Sudan. Many more are waiting to be discovered and displayed on the world stage for God’s name sake.
We are in this all the way. Praying to find them, to disciple them, to expose them and unleash them to sound the fame of our Lord who has graced them.
But we need help.
As I congratulated the 20 winners during Winners’ Party the next day, I wished it was someone else giving the charge and motivating them. Someone who has been in the sports arena at the highest level and knows the joys of winning and the pains of defeat. Someone who could take these twenty lads from our hands and lead them to a great future that may be theirs in sports.
Nevertheless, these overjoyed youngsters heard our vision for a Christian sports club and bought into the idea immediately.
They knew our promise to pay their school tuition fees in the coming academic year would not fail, God helping us. But more than that, they understood we were pressing for something beyond scholarships. We are longing for lasting relationships with them, that would have eternal benefits.
As we continue to pray for sponsors for this vision, we’ll be patient until the God ordained partners appear, and take this event and its products to the next level.
There’s gold among the ruins in this land. Come and access the open shallow mines here and you’d be awed like we are, what you’d find.
Kingdom Exploits With Uche 