In August, the Brigham Young University football team organized a Zoom call with BYU–Pathway Worldwide students in Africa.
The Cougars were thrilled when hundreds joined the call. Technology limited the number to 300, but more wanted to join. The students shared stories with the team about overcoming adversity through teamwork, discipline and humility.
BYU safety Tanner Wall called it an “amazing event,” according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“The Lord was definitely here with us during that meeting,” he said.
The call was part of an effort by BYU football players — under the direction of head coach Kalani Sitake — to mentor BYU–Pathway Worldwide students, foster global connections and fulfill the university’s motto, “The World Is Our Campus.”
“If [the world] is our campus, then we should be connected with students from BYU all over the world. My goal is to get our guys connected with everyone in the world, to do whatever we can do to help,” Sitake said. “This will enhance their experience and give them more to be proud of when they take the field. It will also help them realize they’ve been blessed and have a lot of people who support them.”
BYU–Pathway Worldwide, which provides an inexpensive option for higher education and online degrees, has more than 74,000 students in over 180 countries worldwide. In addition to Africa, the BYU football team has also connected with BYU–Pathway students in South America and the South Pacific.
Sitake said these interactions have helped alleviate players’ anxiety and stress and foster a sense of gratitude and appreciation. The Cougars are 6-0 going into a game with Oklahoma State on Friday, Oct. 18.
“There are a lot of people on the other side of the world that need our fellowship. And what I realize is that we need theirs too,” the football coach said. “We get to work and help serve others, and then they serve you in return. And that’s what the gospel is all about.”
BYU football players say the connections they have made with BYU–Pathway Worldwide students in Africa has changed their perspective on and off the field. BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts said learning about the sacrifices the students are making to get an education helps him and his teammates better appreciate their own blessings.
“They really do put their all into everything that they do,” Roberts said. “We need to put in as much effort as they do, because they’re waking at 4 a.m. and they’re grinding. We complain sometimes that we don’t have it good. But looking at their lives and what they have been through and how much faith they have gives us a perspective that we can also take it a step further and be better.”
During the call with African students, defensive end Carson Tujague reconnected with Kakooza Richard of Uganda, a former mission companion in Botswana and Namibia.
“[Richard] helped me become a lot better of a man,” Tujague said. “Just being able to see him brought back a lot of the memories that I had made with him while I was on my mission. He had talked to me about BYU–Pathway before and the great connection and resources that it can give someone. What I love the most about BYU–Pathway is it helps you have family all around the world. No matter where you are, you have family.”
The call led to Faith Kisakye offering a prerecorded prayer from her home in Uganda that was shown before a BYU football game against Kansas State in September.
“I was just spreading the goodness and the love of Jesus Christ to the world,” Kisakye said. “The glory of the Lord is just moving like wind. It’s really a blessing, and I just cried after that interaction. I feel happy and blessed to be part of the workers working in a vineyard to bring souls back to Heavenly Father.”
