MISSION STATEMENT
To communicate the good news of Jesus to all people through football.
Ambassadors Football is a vision for reaching out to the ends of the world with the Gospel, fulfilling what Jesus told us to do. Part of the DNA of Ambassadors Football is that
wherever we start ministries around the world we believe there are people beyond our reach that need to hear about Jesus. So when Phil and Paula Cabildo started an Ambassadors ministry in Puebla, Mexico they also made a decision to partner with a small church in a town 4 hours into the Chicontla mountain range. As a result, the leaders of this church established a visionary football club called the“Cafetaleros FC”. Not only does this club play football, conduct Bible studies,clean the streets, and feed the homeless, they also take the Good News to other towns! This is a good example of Ambassador’s ministry of multiplication.
Since the inception of Ambassadors Football, 2 Timothy 2:2 has described our strategy for reaching the world through football ministry:“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”(NIV)
This strategy was clearly communicated in our first 8-week training Institute where 12 key leaders were trained in all aspects of football ministry and have since started new works in 6 countries. In addition, our week-long training for coaches (TREC) was held in 9 countries with 337 coaches trained. All these leaders are encouraged to go out and find a “Timothy”to invest into multiply their ministry. The stories in this year’s annual report tell of leaders who are multiplyingthemselves by making disciples and then sending them off to train others. Please pray with us this year as we seek to partner with several organizations and denominations to spread football ministry from the smallest villages in Mexico to millions in Rwanda.
TRANSFORMATION
AND RESULTS
Transformation of individuals and communities through indigenous football outreach.
Football: We participate in football at all levels with passion, excellence and respect.
Church: We uphold the long-term, transformative role of the Church in the world.
Team: We identify and collaborate with others in the pursuit of shared goals.
Service: We follow the example of Jesus by leading through service and prioritizing the marginalized.
Innovation: Visionary spirit of looking to develop something new, take risks and pioneers who step out in faith.
In 1990 Ambassadors Football began as Ambassadors In Sport (AIS) in Bolton, England. They continued as AIS until the current name was adopted in 2013. The ministry was founded by a group called Missionary Athletes International focused from the beginning to partner with churches and Christian organizations to develop grass roots football ministry.
To this day the work continues on through football camps, clinics, prison ministry, school ministry, men’s and women’s teams, international tours and major event ministries at the World Cup and Olympics Games.
Ambassadors Football now has offices around the world and through diligent prayer, calling, and research continues to expand each year according to the Lord’s will.
FINANCIALS
Ambassadors Football is firmly committed to good stewardship of funds entrusted to us by our friends and donors. We promise to use your gifts wisely and effectively to reach the world for Christ.
We are a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) which helps us to ensure our financial accountability to you, our donors. We fully support the purpose and goals of ECFA and display its seal proudly to reflect our compliance with its membership standards.
OPERATIONS
Jon Ortlip-President
Richard B. Chelko-USA
President of The Chelko Consulting Group, President of EdisonHealth Network, LLC and Co-President of World- wide Employee Benefits Network. He is also a board member of the Christian Business Owners Fellowship and a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for the In His Steps Foundation. Rich formerly served as the board chair for the Cleveland Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the John Carroll Entrepreneurs Association.
David A. Cook-USA
David has a consulting practice serving entrepreneurial companies and non-profit organizations. He serves as a Senior Advisor to SDG, Inc., a drug development company at the Cleveland Clinic, and Choice Cabinet, a manufacturer of fine wood cabinetry. In the non-profit area, he advises Parkside Church, Truth for Life and Ambassadors Football. David was formerly the CFO of Matrix Essentials, Inc., a manufacturer of salon products founded by the Miller family and sold to Bristol Myers Squibb. He also established Symax Ltd., the Miller family office which managed investments and started several family enterprises. David began his career as a CPA with Arthur Andersen & Co. after graduating from Case Western Reserve University. David serves on various charitable and civic boards including The Entrepreneurs EDGE, NEO Leadership Foundation, Lifework Leadership, NEO Pinnacle Forum and Parkside Church.
Andy Lim—Singapore
Andy is a Trainer and Life-Coach. Andy is also a Board member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore (EFOS), Church Resource Ministries Singapore (CRMS), Evangelism Equipping Singapore (EE Spore), YouthWorks & Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
Julie C.M. Matiba-Wahome
Julie Wahome is a hospitality professional with a BS degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. She has also completed a post graduate certificate program from the Victoria University of Manchester, Institute of Development Policy and Management, in Manchester UK, and from Cornell University specializing in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management. She is currently a director at Kenedco; a company which has various interests in Real Estate, Education, Hospitality and Agriculture.
She also currently sits on the board of the Pan African Leadership Foundation – an organization that seeks to transform our society by nurturing young leaders; The Cluster Foundation – an organization which raises awareness about and advocates for respect for the rights and dignity of persons living with spinal cord injury.
Eric Peiffer-USA
Eric is the Managing Director of the Investment Banking Division at KeyBanc Capital Markets in Cleveland, Ohio. He received his B.S. Business (Finance, Accounting) from Miami University (Ohio) and his M.B.A. from Harvard University. His prior work experience includes both Deloitte and J.P. Morgan
Guilherme Thomé – Brazil
Guilherme is the Managing Director of WGT Incorp, a real estate and construction company headed in São Paulo, and founder of Brazil Sports Network, a sport company focused on exporting Brazilian football overseas. He also serves as leader at IBNU (Igreja Batista Nações Unidas) in São Paulo. He received his B.B.A. from USP – Universidade de São Paulo and M.Div. from Servo de Cristo (SP).
Wayne Walker – USA
NOTE: USA board members are serving on the International Board because the operations of Ambassadors Football are based in the USA at this time.
