All eyes were on Anika. As a soccer standout at UCLA, she held serious “street cred” to the athletes she stood before — members of a soccer team at the University of Western Cape in South Africa. She could probably offer valuable tips about how to up their game.

But when Anika opened her mouth, she didn’t talk about offense or defense or goals. Instead, she began to share how God had changed the way she viewed her sport and the way she saw herself.

Anika talked about her season-ending injury and how she struggled to find peace because she had placed her identity in soccer. She shared how her renewed relationship with Jesus restored the peace she’d been missing — and how God’s love for her is not tied to performance but is unconditional and freely given.

When she finished, Anika invited the team members to put their trust in Christ and to consider how Athletes in Action could walk alongside them in their faith journey.

Today, 150 student-athletes are preparing to spend their spring breaks in situations similar to Anika’s in Cape Town, giving up their time away from classes to share their faith in countries like South Africa, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

Athletes will have Bibles to give away, evangelism materials and personal stories to share — it’s sure to be a spring break like no other. Pray with us that God would work through these amazing volunteers to transform lives for eternity and to raise up student-leaders abroad.