By Mauricio Zamudio, Regional Director for LAN
Today, our tennis academy has over 40 players, a waitlist, and a coach whose life has been touched by Jesus.
But it started with just three enthusiastic beginners: my son, my wife, and me.
A few years ago, my youngest son was struggling through the teenage years and a recent move to a new city. Looking for a way to spend more intentional time with him, I decided to teach him tennis. Very quickly he realized I was not much of a coach, so we hired one instead. A friend recommended Fernando (Fer), a former tennis professional who had stepped away from the sport after losing his father.
After a few months of gentle persistence, he agreed to meet. Right away he asked, “How many people do you have for the academy?”
“Three,” I answered. He thought I was joking.
A Friendship Built Through Trust
By God’s grace, he liked us anyway and agreed to start. At first, Fer was not interested in personal conversations. He stayed focused on helping us improve our level of play, but as time went on, trust grew organically. We talked about life, about who we are, what we do, and what matters most.
After a year, he began showing interest in spiritual things. That curiosity exposed a deeper struggle.
He shared that for years he had been involved in ancestral spiritual rituals that included hallucinogenic substances. He had opened many spiritual doors and was experiencing dark dreams, nightmares, images, and voices. I gave him a Bible, but he said, “It feels too heavy. I cannot bring myself to open it.”
In the middle of those struggles, God spoke: “Listen to Mauricio. Do what he tells you. He will show you what to do.”
Discovering Christ Together
We began reading the Bible together every week. We prayed for his battles, for peace, and for the healing power of Christ to break through the darkness. After reading through the Gospel of John, Fer decided to be baptized.
Today, Fer says he is living his “first love” with Jesus. He still faces spiritual battles, but they have diminished significantly and he senses the Holy Spirit in his life. “Knowing Christ personally,” he told me, “has been the greatest experience of my life.”
Fer is now reading the Bible with his mother, and his partner Chio is drawing close to God as well. Together, he and I pray for and witness to many of the players and families in the academy.
What began as a simple attempt to help my son became a friendship. And a testimony of God’s grace. And a ministry ready to multiply. And...I’m getting better at tennis.
