Vikings' Cam Bynum uses off-season to fuel football passion in the Philippines

(FOX 9) - Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum is proud of his Filipino heritage. He recently launched the Bynum Faith Foundation to help underprivileged communities across the United States and the Philippines. During the off-season, Bynum lives in the Philippines full-time to make sports like football more accessible for people of all ages.

"I bring NFL players there like my teammates from college who are in the NFL now, my trainers who have trained me since I was a kid. They come out there and help coach, so we’re really bringing top-tier football knowledge and talent over there to go play, compete, and teach the game," said Bynum. 

He adds that given how eager the people in the Philippines are to learn the sport, he can see these athletes advancing to play at the professional level in the future. Bynum said he recently hosted two big camps in the Philippines, where more than 250 athletes participated.

Bynum works with a team of people who are just as passionate about his mission, including his wife, who some may remember Bynum talking about from a video that went viral after a win against the San Francisco 49ers when he asked for help on expediting his wife’s visa approval. After almost two years of denials and with the help of people from around the world, Bynum’s wife obtained a U.S. visa and found a home away from home in Minnesota.

Not long after, the couple found their way to the local Filipino community. A prime example is when Bynum was asked to come over for a homemade Filipino dinner by a fan. He didn’t even think twice. 

"They asked if I wanted to eat some food, and I’m like, ‘yeah.’ They thought I was joking, you know the small talk with fans, but he DM’d me on Instagram, and I was like ‘Yeah, I’ll come tomorrow,’" said Bynum.

From one dinner invite to routine gatherings, Bynum now considers them family.

"My wife has gone to their house without me, my mom, she’s my aunt at this point, and everyone has become family. My friends and people from the Philippines here for a game go to their house, and they cook us Filipino food every week. It’s a family party after every home game," said Bynum.

Bynum tells FOX 9 he has grown so close with that family that they’ll be traveling to the Philippines together in June. He even admits he hopes to live there after retiring from his football career, but until then, Bynum is staying true to his mission. 

"I want to build a football empire out there. I want to make the Philippines the hub of football for Asia," said Bynum.

To support Bynum’s mission and efforts to grow football in the Philippines, visit the website here.