SAN DIEGO - Eleven-year-old Forrest Clark jumps around excitedly in front of the video camera, hoisting a bright green basketball and circling his twin sister Alyson, who's patiently explaining each step in a brochure that unfolds in the shape of a cross.

They are two of the last to leave Mt. Miguel High School on  the final day of a sports camp sponsored by Zion Christian Fellowship and New Seasons Church, two congregations in San Diego's Spring Valley neighborhood. The twins are telling a videographer all about the sports camp, in hopes that more kids might participate next year.

For four days at the end of July, Alyson and Forrest joined nearly 180 others for training in sports and life skills, culminating in a celebration for parents complete with cheerleading routines, basketball demonstrations, pizza and a presentation of the gospel.

It was all part of a partnership between the churches and Upward Unlimited and Athletes for Education (AFE), two organizations dedicated to using athletics to encourage kids to develop discipline, respect, patience and kindness. Forrest echoed these values as he shared a cardinal rule of the camp:

"You can be a cheerleader, you can play basketball, you can do anything you want at this camp. Except hitting people - no hitting!"

During the week, volunteers from Zion and New Seasons worked with 23 others from Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana, along with several San Diego-area athletes representing AFE. The result was two separate camps: one hosted by Upward for first-through-sixth-graders, and a second AFE camp for older students.

The partnership was beneficial not only for the kids at the camp, but also for the volunteers, said Brian Hendry, a pastor at Zion.

"It was great to see the teamwork, and for everyone involved to be able to see what Kingdom work really looks like," Hendry declared. "It was the church being the church, serving the community."

At the end of the week, more than 20 children had made professions of faith in Christ; Zion and New Seasons are following up with each decision, reaching out to the families and inviting them to become more connected with the churches. Hendry said the camp has served as a forum to deepen relationships that already existed in the community, and to begin new ones.

The July camp served as a pilot project co-sponsored by Vision San Diego, part of the North American Mission Board's Strategic Focus Cities initiative. Along with the Spring Valley event, Vision San Diego coordinated a camp with New Hope Church in San Diego's Rancho Penasquitos area the following week. The camp, planned by Upward volunteers from Texas and Georgia working with New Hope members and staff, hosted more than 60 elementary school students.

Over the next several years, Vision San Diego will work with Upward as well as other organizations and churches to connect families with congregations all over San Diego County. In 2008, Upward plans to coordinate 20 camps in the greater San Diego area as part of their partnership with NAMB and Strategic Focus Cities.

Anne Decker, Vision's director of partnership and mobilization, emphasized the importance of working together to see San Diego transformed by the gospel: "We're so glad to partner with Upward and other ministries in this effort. They're at the top of what they do, and the chance to work with people who are experts in sports ministry is something we know will be instrumental in seeing children and families come to know Christ."

For more information on Vision San Diego initiatives visit www.visionsandiego.com or call 877-817-4777.