So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Jaco van der Westhuyzen is widely acknowledged as one of the most exciting talents to have emerged in South African Rugby in recent years. He started his career in Natal, but later moved North to the Pumas.

After a successful season under the expert eye of former Springbok Danie Gerber, Jaco moved on to the Blue Bulls where he helped them win the Vodacom Cup in 2001. Jaco has brilliant vision and skills which, combined with his kicking boot, resulted in him being part of the successful SA U21 squad that won Sanzar title in Argentina in 1999, and earned him two Test caps for the Springboks in 2000. A debilitating knee injury cut short his Springbok ambitions, but he made a successful return during 2003 and was a key member of the squad that went to the World Cup in Australia. Jaco was part of the Blue Bulls team that won the Currie Cup in 2002. He scored his debut international try against Samoa in Brisbane in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, after he was called into the South African Squad as a late replacement. A South African team has only managed to win the Super 12 or Super 14 title once and that happened in 2007. Afterwards, Jaco van der Westhuyzen proudly displayed a “Jesus is King” T–shirt to commemorate this special moment, and his hat–trick of special titles. Ask about his decision to display the godly message after the Super 14 final, Jaco, substitute fullback of the Bulls, said, “It is not something I decided a week before the match. I was obedient. It was something the Lord wanted. This morning of the match, I sensed Him saying, ‘Today is your day to do something for Me.’ “Jaco negotiated an early release from his Japanese Club NEC and returned to South Africa at the beginning of 2008 to help the Bulls with their Super 14 campaign. Jaco was a product of Ben Viljoen School in Groblersdal and grew up in a Christian home. “I called myself a Christian, but only knew the Lord on Sunday mornings, and remembered a few bible verses at night. It was pathetic, to say the least. My relationship with God was purely superficial.

“After debuting against the All Blacks in 2000, I injured my knee ligaments in a game for the Pumas againstthe Western Province. I wanted a quick fix because I really wanted to join the springbok tour at the end of 2000. So I went to the faith healer T.B. Joshua and after a week, in the Sunday, he prayed for me. He told me to take off the knee guard and run. I did that and felt no pain. The sonar that I took before I went to Nigeria showed a tear of the knee. I sonar after the visit did not detect any tear. The Lord healed my knee and I didn’t need an operation. My faith was greatly strengthened and I learned to walk by faith and not by sight. “I was also born again on that tour. I met the Lord. My priorities changed; my outlook on life was completely transformed.”

Asked what his advice would be to people who are broken and are seeking to get quickfixes to joy and happiness through drugs, alcohol or earthly riches, Jaco says, “Jesus has given me love and peace. I you want permanent peace and fulfillment, you must follow Jesus.”

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4'1'3 Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, simply known to soccer fans around the world as KAKÁ, is a Brazilian footballer who pays as a midfielder for Brazil and the Series A club AC Milan. He inherited his nickname “Kaká” from his younger brother Rodrigo who was enable to pronounce “Ricardo”, and called his older brother “Caca” which later changed to “Kaká”. At the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career–threatening spine fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. As a born–again Christian Kaká believes that Jesus allowed him to recover and become the successful footballer that he is now.

Kaká began his soccerplaying career with the Brazilian club São Paulo at the tender age of eight and by the time he was 15 he had signed a contract and soon attracted the interest of AC Milan, who secured his service for a mere $8.5 million (US), which in hindsight was a huge bargain.

As FIFA says, “Kaká fails to fit the Brazilian stereotype of a kid from the favela who first played the game in the street with a ball made from rags. “Coming from a comfortable and cultured family, Kaká kept up his studies for as long as they were compatible with his profession. In 2000 Kaká was champion of the Junior championships in São Paulo. In 2001 he became a professional footballer; his first match was on 2 February, and his first goal on 5 February. In the high profile Rio– São Tournament, Kaká scored the two goals that gave the title to São Paulo over Botafogo. In 2002, Kaká played for Brazil in the Soccer World Cup.

In 2006/07 season Kaká became the focal point of Milan’s offence as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006/07 season with 10 goals, which proved to be a catalyst in steering Milan back to European success. Following the convincing 3–0 second–leg defeat at the San Siro that knocked out the English champions, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, declared that Kaká was one of the best two players in the world, alongside his charge Cristiano Ronaldo. The previous month, a panel of experts set up by Italian publication Gazette dello Sport proclaimed Kaká to be the world’s best footballer. Kaká added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeated Liverpool 2–1 in Athens on 23 May 2007. For his stellar play throughout the competition, he was voted the Vodafone Fans’ Player of the Season in a poll of over 100 000 UEFS.com visitors. In June 2007, German football publication Kicker named him the world’s best player, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho finishing second and third respectively. He was also given this honour by UK publication The Times. On 30 August, Kaká was named by

UEFA as both top forward of the 2006/07 Champions League season and Club Footballer of

the year. Kaká became a committed follower of Jesus at the age of 12, “I learned that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not.” He removed his jersey to reveal his “I Belong To Jesus” shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Milan’s 2007 Champions League triumph. Kaká previously sported the same shirt after Brazil’s defeat of

Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, and had the same phrase, along with “God is Faithful”,

stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the postmatch celebration following Brazil’s 4–1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup Final he and several of his teammates wore shirts with “Jesus Loves You” printed on them in various languages. Kaká is a member of the sports ministry organization Atletas de Cristo (“Athletes of Christ”) Capey’s Book of the Month Ricardo Kaká Words taken from: Champions for Christ by Nico Bougas and Fanie Heyns in association with Sports Outreach Africa Publisher: Christian Art Publishers