Peace guys. This is Gláucio Luís writing, I'm 26 years old, and I live in Mamanguape, Paraíba, Brazil, approximately 52km from the capital city João Pessoa, Paraíba and 10km from Rio Tinto, Paraíba where the ANS Cup took place. I am a member at Time of Revival Baptist church where I serve as a praise and worship leader. Through music I give my best and heart to God.

First, I want to leave something for everyone's meditation: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and His love endures forever."

So, when the president of the All Nations Soccer Ministries, Thiago Gonçalves, launched the challenge for me to lead the ANS Cup, it was a shock to me. I couldn't believe that he was putting so much confidence and trust in me. I thought about denying it at first, but I always like challenges so I finally agreed to do my best; especially for God.

Coming up the big day of the ANS Cup with sixteen participating teams and direct elimination games, I was a little nervous about what could happen but thankfully only great things happened in that place. The word of God was preached through missionary Vilson Veiga, who came all the way from Palmas, Tocantins, in another Brazilian state just to preach the Gospel in the ANS Cup. 

While football matches were taking place there were many people with different sets of beliefs among us, especially men from the community who in any other circumstance would not dare to set a foot inside of a church building. That special night though, because of the ANS Cup, these men were hearing the word of God and the Gospel message being clearly preached by Missionary Vilson Veiga. That is a great reason for joy on our part because in that most unlikely place they were able to hear how good and perfect is the love of God for them. Everyone who was there liked the event and praised everything that happened; the games, the words shared, the praise music  and the prize giveaways.

I want to leave my eternal gratitude to my friend and president, Thiago Gonçalves, for trusting me to lead the ANS Cup and to my Pastor, Anthony Pontes, for giving me all his support.  Let more ANS Cups come our way!

"Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

Glaucio Luís,
ANS Cup Director, Paraiba Hope Tour 2023

This week was very intense with the Paraíba Hope Tour 2023.  We started with the work of the ANS Cup where we had sixteen teams involved and hundreds of people reached.

Right after the second day, we had two services where the missionary, Stephanie, ministered to all those present at the IBTA Headquarters, in the capital of Paraíba.  After the time of ministry,  we went to the second service which was 62km away inside the indigenous village Mont Mor in the city of Rio Tinto, where we could see the supernatural act of God in every detail.

On the third day of the event, we went to the city center of João Pessoa to take food to the homeless, drug addicts and people in a state of social vulnerability.  We were able to feed more than 250 people and distribute snacks to the children present, in addition to sharing the Gospel of Jesus as well as taking a moment of recreation and joy with the children present.

On the fourth day, Evangelist Thiago, together with the missionary Vilson, shared about the exercise of Spiritual Authority as well as experiences around the world with our church in the capital of Paraíba.

On the fifth day, we went once again to the indigenous village to minister on the night of revival, where people from 4 different cities were present to welcome the ANS missionaries.

The sixth day was the closing of the Hope Tour, and we were able to receive an extraordinary word from Missionary Vilson Veiga with translation into english by Evangelist Thiago Gonçalves where the theme was "The Explosive Power" of the Holy Spirit through us when we allow the Gospel of Jesus to enter our life.

Indeed, ANS has done what its motto carries, "making disciples of all nations." May God bless everyone who is part of this project and may God superabound in your lives and ministries. Continuing to ask for your prayers.

Anthony Pontes
ANS Ministries Volunteer

It had been since before the pandemic that I had been to Nepal. I was looking forward to reconnect in person and to be present at the Church Boys United F.C. very first game in the first division of Nepali Professional Football. I know this would be a very special day for Reuben and Church Boys United. I was reminding myself of my first conversation back in 2016 with Reuben when he was telling me about his dream, to one day glorify God in the biggest stage of professional soccer in Nepal. At that time it seemed like a very distant vision. Church Boys United was a weekend tournament team competing for money prizes throughout the country. The mission was already in motion, the stage was set; the soccer field, the locker room, the game environment. It was the perfect environment to prepare, equip and disciple man for Christ. But the biggest stage, Division One professional ball seemed like a far and distant dream. 

Seven years after that conversation, a perfect cycle as I like to mention, had completed. The number seven has a symbology of perfection in the Bible. In six days God created, on the seventh He rested and the first week of creation was finished. In a similar way, it had been seven years since Reuben and I had conversed about that dream. Within these seven years time, Church Boys United F.C. had gone from a weekend football club competing for money prizes, to have crowned itself champion of League C qualifier, League C champion, League B champion and now, a debut on the top tier of professional football in Nepal. A cycle had completed its course and a new one was just beginning. I felt like God was up to something big, and I had to be there.

On March 1, 2023, I took off from Dallas Fort Worth International airport accompanied by Daniel Cazola, a friend from Dallas, towards Seoul, South Korea where a lay over of approximately 16 hours separated us from an approximately nine hour flight to Katmandu, Nepal. It was 7pm of Friday of March third when we finally arrived in Katmandu and Reuben picked us up. As we drove to his house and we talked about the team. I could sense the excitement and expectation. We were just one day away from the debut of Church Boys United in A division. 

As we arrived at Reuben's house, I could meet some of the players, a few I already knew and others I was just meeting for the first time. At a walking distance from Reuben's house was the hostel where some of the staff and players were staying. We walked there to have dinner and meet the staff. The talks during dinner was on point, the opening match! There was excitement and also some anxiety. The opponent had been four times champions of the A league, respect was a common feeling among everyone but there was the unspoken question, can we win? 

Game day, Saturday March 2, the morning started early. Reuben's church had gone without a building location since the pandemic and the services were happening at his home until another meeting location could be found. There were church members, soccer players, team staff, Nepal football federation representatives walking in and out of his living room all at the same time. His house was literally his church and soccer club house, all at once. Needless to say, I was right at home! The night before Reuben had asked that I would share a word with the church during the service and later a word with the players during pre game. I only had one word in my heart, "What is impossible for man Is possible for God." The miracle of Church Boys United making it to A division was an inspiration to us all. Truly God can do great things through His people! 

The game kicked off later that afternoon and there was expectation by the players and staff. A few fans gathered in the stadium, mostly from the opposing team. Church Boys fan base, the local churches and very few club affiliates, had yet to capture the vision of the A league and learn to support their team. Something had to be done to call out the fan base to support the team but the first step would be to win the first game. Perhaps there was suspicion whether the team could be successful at that level. The first game was also the first test; could Church Boys United win at tat level?  

It wasn't until the end of the first half that Church Boys opened the score board with a  beautiful right foot goal by left winger, Ashish Chaudhary. During half time I joined the team in the locker room and confidence was on the rise. Goal keeper coach, Mihir Sawant, gave an inspiring speech and at the conclusion he recited Psalm 23,
 

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and staff,
they confront me."   

As the athletes walked out of the locker room for the second half of the game they were ready to seal the first A league victory for Church Boys United. Around the sixtieth minute of the game a penalty was called for Church Boys United. Franklin Talla, a center back from Cameroon, picked up the ball carefully placed it on the penalty mark and with finesse sealed the 2x0 victory. The first game and first win of the season had become a reality, and I was overjoyed to be there to witness it first hand. 

The next day, Sunday March 4, started very early. At 6:30 in the morning, I was up for tea and prayer meeting with Reuben and goal keeper coach, Mihir. Coach Mihir, who is originally from India, had become a believer in Jesus Christ just a few years back, and his passion is contagious. Before we prayed we had Ilam tea, of which I learned that it isn't just a tasty warm drink but also a great source of national pride for the Nepali people. We prayed for the Church in Nepal, we prayed for each other, for ANS Ministries and Church Boys United. Reuben emphasized, "We pray for CBU but not for the win but rather that the name of Jesus be glorified on the pitch!" Minutes after our prayer meeting was over, the players began to arrive at Reubens house, as they finished the tasty Ilam team and ate all the cookies left they also talked about that morning's Newspaper sports headline: "Church Boys United win over four times "A league" champions..." The first step was completed but there was no time for rest. The players were to have practice in just two hours. The work had just started and Church Boys United were on a fast track to make history in Nepal professional football. 

Later that afternoon I had the honor to invite the entire staff off CBU to dinner and spend some quality time encouraging, inspiring and casting vision for success on them. The next day I was to already be traveling back home. I plan on going back at the conclusion of the season and serve Church Boys United as an encouragement, vision casting and support in whatever way I am able.  I want to thank you faithful ANS Ministries partner who pray and support us. This work of influencing, inspiring and serving in Nepal is possible through your encouragement, prayer and financial support. Our goal is to Make Disciples of All Nations and soccer is our God given platform. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless you abundantly for what you give to keep this work going. God bless you on behalf of ANS Ministries world wide. 

Thiago Goncalves
ANS Ministries President

Over the week of Brazilian carnaval, the youth of Awakening Baptist Church took off on a retreat. Approximately 50 youth decided to leave their families and friends behind to go lock themselves into a public school for five days in order to learn and grow in their relationship with Jesus. I arrived on Monday, February 20 afternoon and was assigned to speak to the youth on that same evening. Before we headed to the youth camp site, we went to a lunch meeting with the owner of the turf soccer field facility where the ANS Cup will take place in March. Felipe, the proprietor of Centro Recreativo Eulina Nobrega, greeted myself and the team with a delicious lunch meeting with foods characteristic of the region.  Our time was very pleasant and the food was absolutely delicious. After our lunch meeting, Felipe took our team on a tour of the soccer facilities, and I was able to visualize the ANS Cup as the local leaders had been explaining it to me. I am very much looking forward to the ANS Cup happening on March 11. There are 18 teams signed up and the community of Rio Tinto, Paraiba, Brazil has embraced the tournament. I believe that the tournament will be a total success and the youth will be impacted with the powerful message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

During the evening service I was caught by surprise with the attendance. There were a lot more people present than the youth. I noticed the parents and relatives were also in attendance. It was a full house! I preached the Gospel, the veil of separation between man and God was shattered from top to bottom because of Jesus' death on the cross. No longer was there a separation caused by sin, man had full access to God through the blood of Jesus atoned in exchange for the sins of man. The message was powerful, and the response of the attendees was also powerful. There were people recommitting themselves to a life with Christ and there were people accepting the Gospel for themselves for the first time. There were also people being set free from demonic influence. That is normal in the culture of the Kingdom. When the Kingdom comes with power the outcome will always be impactful and memorable for those who experience it. 

I finished my participation in the retreat and returned back to the USA the very next day. The ground work was laid down for the ANS Cup in March and the youth was impacted. I felt very honored by the opportunity to add to the work already being done so well by Pastor Pontes and IBTA church. I pray for them and expect much more to be done when we come back in March for the Brasil Hope Tour project. 

Thiago Goncalves
ANS Ministries Pres.