A group of 12 year olds were wandering around their home area in Ghana looking for something to do. They were just ordinary kids and they weren't looking to make trouble. They just had a lot of Cme with nothing to do. Then one of them remembered that there was a small area of land next to the Beloved Missionary school which could be used for football. It was rough land, with no goals or marked pitch, but the owners of the school were very happy for them to use it.

They rushed off to the land, but it was very wet. They saw some tree branches laying around so they used them too brush away the water. Their shoes were goal posts and for the next hour they did what they liked to do – they played football. Word soon got around that the land had been cleared of water, and another group of older children arrived. It wasn't long before the younger ones became the fans, siMng on the wall while the older ones played.

The matches went on all afternoon as different groups appeared to play. In late afternoon the heavy clouds came back, and eventually everyone were rained off. But everyone was happy. It had been a good afternoon.

At the same time another sequence of events was taking place, of which the children could know nothing but which would have an enormous effect on them and their football.

Some years previously I was sitting in a cafe in the city of Kumasi which is in central Ghana. At the next table there was a football coach - Danny - and we got talking. “You know Danny” I said “I believe football can be a great help to young people. They may not become footballers, but they can learn discipline, teamwork and have fun.” Then told me about a friend of his who had a foundation for doing just that. His name was Tariq Lamptey and he played for Brighton and Hove Albion football club. Being a football fan myself I was interested in what Tariq was doing. It sounded good. We said goodbye and I didn't expect to meet him again.

One day I was working on my Mission base in Ghana, where the Beloved missionary school has been built. Paul, the team leader came into my office and said “Danny has been on the phone. Tariq is running one of his training days in accra and wants to invite you, as you are a Brighton and Hove Albion season Ticket holder!” The training morning was based on a very large school in Accra which had an AstroTurf pitch next to it built by the government. Like me the Ghana government sees sport as a way of helping young people develop and so the Astroturf pitches have been laid in different parts of the city. So we both agreed to go as we are both football crazy!

We arrived at a very large secondary school right next door to a public football park with astroturf laid by the government. There were flags and banners and thousands of children standing around outside the fence. Inside 60 children boys and girls I've been chosen to be part of the training morning. They were going to do training routines and then have a very simple 5A side tournament. 5 or 6 of Tariq’s team came to meet us, and we began to talk football. “You're a Brighton and Hove Albion season Ccket holder” one of them asked. “What was your favourite game this year?” “ When we be arsenal three nil at Highbury and stop them becoming champions of England.” I replied. Then he said to me “Oh dear I'm an Arsenal supporter!” We all fell about laughing and it became obvious that we were all football men.

As honoured guests we sat under the awning and soon Tariq arrived to general cheering and waving. The day started and the 60 pupils practiced their football routines and then played their tournament. I asked Tariq why he was doing this. “I'm a Ghanaian” he replied, “and I want to do something for the young people of my land. I believe football can give them discipline and a sense of purpose. They can take these feelings into their future lives as they live and work in Ghana. I hope it will liN them up.”

It did. Not only did they have a fantastic day, and get football shirts as their reward, but the whole school was filled with pride that they had been chosen for this event. The head teacher in his welcome said “Tariq, you have given us all hope for a better future.”

Tariq was photographed a 1000 Times and I'm sure these pictures are now all around the rooms of Accra! He also gave the school 1000 exercise books, pens and other things to help them along. It was an inspirational day by a very humble man who, having achieved a lot through the Premier League in England had not forgotten his nation or its children.

I believe his idea is right. Sport, and on this occasion, football gives young people direction, discipline, and a feeling of being part of something bigger. Few of these young people will become professional sports people, but Tariq’s hope is that they will remember that they are special and that they can contribute to the bigger picture.

Paul, the leader of our work in Ghana and myself were greatly enjoying this day. But both of us were having a similar thought although we did not know it at the time. This was mine. “Why don't we do something like this for the young people of our valley? We have many young people and there was little for them to do. Ghana is not a wealthy nation, and our sports facilities are few and far between. Why didn't we lay in AstroTurf pitch?”

On the way home we found we had both been thinking the same thing. I said to Paul “if we can build the pitch, we could run the league in the valley. We could run a cup competition and a 5-a- side competition. We could employ a sports teacher who could do training routines both on our pitch and around the schools. This would be good for the children but also for the whole valley community, who would see that we care and are willing to help.”

There and then we committed ourselves to what we eventually called the “Beloved football Academy” and the “Faith stadium.” “Beloved” is the name of the school we are building on our base so that made sense. Faith is a young child in our church, who a few years ago, when she was a baby drank kerosene by mistake and nearly died. The church prayed passionately for her, and she lived and now one of our most regular members – with her mum of course. We felt her name was just the right one for the stadium.

But how to go about it? We turned for help to Danny - who was the trainer with Tariq, who had invited us to the training day. He brought an Astro turf company to meet us. When they saw what we were doing, they offered to half the price of their commercial rate for us. It was a great beginning. Then the mission I work for received a legacy, and we knew then that we would be able to buy the land for our stadium. We began to understand what we would have to build. A full-sized pitch, a small train changing room, a wall and floodlights. We wanted night-time football because that's when so many of our young people have nothing to do.

The vision began to grow and as we shared it everyone that heard about it was excited. I began to wonder how we would find the funding for this work, and I felt very strongly that some of it would come from young people in the West. Some of them would see what we were trying to do for young people in Ghana and want to help.