Over spring break, the Cairn University men’s soccer team traveled to Pucallpa, Peru, for a student-led mission trip centered on sharing the gospel through soccer.
The trip was spearheaded by team captain, Aaron Babyak ‘26, whose initiative carried the effort from early planning to execution. After proposing the trip, he spent the following months coordinating with South American Mission (SAM) to finalize logistics and develop a plan for the week. He shared “I had questions about whether it would really end up working out. But in the end it went better than we could have ever thought.”
Throughout the week, the team hosted daily soccer camps for more than 200 boys and girls in Pucallpa. Each session combined soccer skill development with devotionals, using translators to communicate the message of Jesus Christ. “We used soccer as a door to share the good news of Jesus with them every day,” Aaron said.
While language barriers and the heat presented challenges, the team rose to the occasion. Soccer became a common language as the student-athletes formed trust and connection with the kids they served. Spanish-speaking students led in translating for the rest of the team, while some led devotionals, and others served in the background by handling equipment.
One of the most meaningful moments came at the end of the week. In the early days of the week, campers seldom celebrated exciting moments on the field. By the end of the week, that hesitation was gone. Aaron shared, “People who did not know each other’s names a couple of days ago were screaming in celebration and running around. All of a sudden, no one was too cool to celebrate anymore.”
By the end of the trip, more than 200 children had heard the gospel, and the team was able to donate equipment and soccer gear to the community in Pucallpa. Head Coach Luke Gibson highlighted the impact of Aaron’s leadership: “Aaron took full ownership of the vision and brought it to life through intentional planning, strong communication, and meaningful relationship-building with our hosts,” Gibson said. “His work was foundational to everything we experienced.”
This mission trip to Peru is an encouragement, seeing how Cairn University students are purposefully using their unique gifts and talents to make a lasting impact through global missions.
