He outran his competitors in the recent Big Sky Conference track meet to win the 8K cross-country men’s championship, but University of Montana junior Jesse Barnes has a greater goal than being the first to cross the finish line. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to go to Africa to do missionary work,” Barnes said.

Last summer, he did just that. Barnes left for Johannesburg, South Africa, in mid-June as a member of Athletes For Action, an arm of Campus Crusade for Christ. Finding the money to finance the trip to South Africa was a step of faith, Barnes said, because he had only one week to pay for the plane ticket. With help from friends and family, he raised the $3,800 he needed for the journey in just over a month.

Barnes and his AFA teammates spent part of their six weeks in South Africa speaking to elementary and high school assemblies about combining athletics with faith. They helped out at church camps, and they set up a track camp in poverty-stricken Soweto. For one week, 60 kids of all ages and with no track experience enjoyed running with Barnes and learning about Christianity.

“They were grateful for American athletes to give their time and they were very open to the Gospel,” said Barnes. “It was an eye-opener for a lot of people. I saw there was a real need to tell people about Jesus. A lot of the kids knew his name but nothing about him.”

Barnes said he had no deep personal relationship with Christianity until his freshman year at UM in 1997, when he was introduced to a Bible study class by the track team captain. The following summer, he spent a week with Athletes for Action at Colorado State University, where he learned how to use athletics as a platform for sharing the Gospel.

At UM, Barnes continues his mission of sharing. He and fellow athletes D.J. Colter and Adam Boomer recently surveyed all UM athletic team members to gauge their interest in joining a Christian fellowship. As a result, the Monday night Bible study group for athletes has tripled its membership.

Though he’s active in several Christian-based activities, when he’s racing is when Barnes feels closest to God. “I pray when I’m running,” Barnes said. “I’m not praying for victory, but for strength to run well.”

Track coach Tom Raunig, who recruited him in 1997 from his Batavia, Illinois high school track team, is not surprised at Barnes’s intense commitment. “Ever since he’s been here,” said Raunig, “he’s always striven to do everything well. He’s always wanting to participate in community outreach things.”

Raunig thinks that Barnes has the potential to be a post-collegiate national track competitor, but Barnes isn’t looking too far into the future. “I want to be a missionary, and I really want to go back to Africa,” he said, “but I’ll see where God leads me.”

Add'l notes:
Jesse ran the 5K in the 11th Footlocker Nationals in San Diego, 1996, after his high school junior year.

He won the X-country Big Sky Championship at Portland State on October 30, running the 8Kon a flat course in 24:20.

Jesse: "It was a flat course at sea level [so not too hard],but I'm used to training in the mountains"

Jesse: "In the last 500 meters I made my move. There was a 15 meter gap, but the two guys running in front of me opened the way. I made my move too soon - I thought I wasn't going to cross the finish line."

D.J. Colter and Adam Boomer are UM football players.

In Johannesburg, the AFA team was housed at the Christian Fellowship Center. The host there planned their "itinerary."

In Johannesburg from June 8-July 13. AFA team composed of jesse, 3 college women athletes from AZ, NC and OH, and 2 staff.

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