Family Day at Busch
Stadium
By
Norman Baxter
Lovers of baseball and Jesus found plenty to
celebrate Saturday, June 23, at the 17th annual Christian Family Day at Busch
Stadium. Perhaps as many as 18,000
people watched the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Philadelphia Phillies and stayed to hear testimonies from some of the
home team’s best-known players.
Just as the game ended, a generous shower cooled
the stadium and doused up-turned seats and many milling fans but the rain
seemed to end providentially just as it was time for the post-game festivities.
Sprinkles did later punctuate parts of the afternoon but failed to discourage a
single believer or seeker.
Favorites such as Albert Pujols,
So Taguchi, Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper talked
about their own conversion experiences and urged all unsaved listeners to
make the same commitment to 
Christ.
“The Lord continues to bless us in miraculous
ways and we are delighted with the outcome of this year’s program,” said Judy
Boen, founder and director of Christian Family Day.
“It is truly a team event. With a committee of 20 and many volunteers,
we work an entire year to make this happen. It’s really never over.” Boen
and her group have already begun preparations for next year’s program.
The red-clad spectators at the 2007 event were
treated to the energetic rhythms and profound lyrics of the Christian contemporary
rock band, Mercy Me. Tony Nolan, a
popular young evangelist from Georgia, urged the audience to search their
lives and publicly declare what the Lord had revealed to them in their private
prayers. Hundreds stood with their hands raised to the overcast sky.
McGraw Milhaven of
Radio Station KTRS emceed the program and greeted active players, their wives
and broadcaster and former Cardinal pitcher Ricky Horton. The crowd roared its
welcome to Jennifer Wainwright, Shannon Looper,
Deidre Pujols and Emiko Taguchi. Emiko, a former
famous media personality in Japan, translated her husband’s testimony into
English as So spoke in his native tongue.
Before the game, Boen’s
young volunteers distributed more than 90,000 Christian Family Day baseball
cards, mostly to people outside the stadium.
The front side of each card featured a popular Cardinal. On the back was
that player’s testimony.
For example, Yadier
Molina’s card had this to say: “Growing up in Puerto Rico, I lived to play
baseball. I made my major league debut in 2004 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Last season my teammate, Albert Pujols, invited me to
chapel led by Cardinal broadcaster and former Cardinal player,
Rick Horton.
“I began searching for something beyond
myself. I attended several Bible studies. My teammates and my wife
Wanda often told me about Jesus’ love for me.
I could see their lives had meaning and purpose. Just recently, on a charter flight from San
Diego, I was sitting with Rick and Albert on the plane and we began talking
about a relationship with Jesus. I came to a point in my life where I could no
longer live without Him. I bowed my head and prayed a prayer like this: ‘Lord
Jesus, thank You for loving me. I know
that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I know that You died
on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I want to turn from my sins
and give You control of my life. Please come into my
life right now. Lord, help me to follow You always.
Amen.’”
Thousands of baseball fans will collect
these cards and read about the players’ love for their Savior. “We know that God will use these simple cards
to change lives,” said Boen.
Boen downplays her
own inspirational and tireless work in making Christian Family Day at Busch
Stadium one of the largest and best known Christian events in the metropolitan
area. But people who know her well know that it was her faith and tenacity that
broke down a wall of resistance within the Cardinal organization in the early
90’s.
At first, Cardinal management turned her
down cold but she continued to press and pray. Finally she obtained permission
to proceed and a St. Louis tradition was born. Now, she says, the top folks in
the baseball organization joke about her success because the Cardinals are 15-2
at Christian Family Day outings. Just coincidence? “Now they’d like for us to be here for every
game,” she laughs.
Plans are already under way for next year’s
event so you might want to keep checking their website at www.christianfamilyday.com
for announcements.
