The South Park MB Church in Altona was filled with football fans of all ages on Oct. 25 as Winnipeg Blue Bombers wide receiver Rasheed Bailey and team chaplain Lorne Korol took the stage for a night of reflection and faith.
The Blue Bombers Faith Night was organized by chuch pastor Richard Bage, along with a group of local youth pastors.
“This was a great community event. Lorne and I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time,” Bage said. “Members of the team were in Altona years ago, and it was time to do something like this again, and the youth workers in town really got behind it. It shows what can happen when community churches work together.”
“These are guys you see on TV and on the news. To have them come to Altona and share their faith, and you realize, wow, they’re no different than us. It humanizes them in a way you don’t necessarily see when you’re watching them play. And then to see a person of faith underneath the helmet and the pads. That’s just great to see.”
Korol agrees. After ministering and guiding the team for 15 years, he says he’s seen many young players succeed because of their faith.
“We were so blessed to be able to pull this event together. I thought Rasheed was amazing. You know, the Holy Spirit was here today, in the way God is working through Rasheed, and the amazing gifts that he has, not only as a football player, but as a man of God and a speaker to convey his message.”
Bailey joined the Bombers in 2019 and helped them win the Grey Cup that season and again in 2021.
The 30-year-old player, who caught 63 passes for 729 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022, told the audience that he cries happy tears watching his teammates thrive.
“When you get the reward of all the work, persevering and fighting and leading. That’s the hardest thing in a locker room full of men, is to try to lead and still be you. And keep going even when you’re not getting what you want.
“There’s going to be times in life when you’re not gonna get what you want, but you gotta keep going. That’s what I do. And I try to put myself in positions where I’m going all out. I’m leaving it on the field. I give it all I got. Sometimes it’s just the Holy Spirit taking over, and I’m just out there moving.”
Home is Philadelphia, but Bailey says he’d love to move to Winnipeg one day. He reminded young fans in the audience that becoming a pro-athlete doesn’t just happen.
“It takes a lot of work and a lot of pride. When you put in the work, and don’t give up, it starts to show, and that feeling of gratitude is beautiful.”
Bailey said he became a football player to channel his energy.
“I wanted to be a defensive player before I was an offensive player. I like the contact. I was never scared. Because of where I’m from, football saved my life. Because it was an outlet for me to escape what was going on in the world. It saved me from not following a crowd and getting into fights. Where I’m from you have to fight to get respect.”
Football has a lot of pressure, he noted.
“People will say nasty things to you. It’s not always fun. If you don’t know who you are and people say hurtful things, it’s tough. Everything won’t always go your way. You just have to persevere and don’t give up. No matter what you’re doing. I am successful because I try to see the positive in every situation. That’s my biggest advice. Find the positive in things. In this world you have to find a positive in all things.”
He came to know Christ and was baptized at a young age.
“But I didn’t understand why to go to church. I loved the songs, but as I got older, I understood what it was. Give it a chance. Understand that great things take time and God loves you so much. You wouldn’t be here if He didn’t love you and I had to figure it out. Because I felt like I was always protected, I knew God exists. I knew He was real because He protected me through everything. Even when I didn’t understand what was going on.”
During a round of questions, one young fan wanted to know if it was tough sharing his faith with his teammates.
“I’m not afraid to show my heart. God has done so many things in my life, I need to tell people about them. I used to be afraid but now I’ve built up confidence to speak to people. I’m tough but I’m not afraid to cry. I don’t need to prove anything.
“God is important to me, and I want to talk about it, and I want you to be comfortable talking about it too. Talk about how God has blessed you. You’ll make mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. I’m not perfect but you can see the results of how God has worked in my life, you see me persevere, in spite of how the season is going.
“When you are a Christian, you will be used in so many ways. And it will look ugly and bad sometimes. But people are watching you. They need that guidance. They need that love. They need that understanding and they need to see you persevere. We have to show people the way. That’s what we’re supposed to do as Christians.”
