Sports Ministry
FOYA
In the remote village of Foya, located hours away from Monrovia in Liberia, Beyond the Bricks, partnered with Samaritan’s Purse to construct and equip a basketball court and playground for the community. Local pastors, and community leaders were involved in the project as well. We spent a week, building forms, pouring cement, welding pipes, and always under the watchful eyes of the hundreds of children who would get to play here. The end result…..lots of smiles, laughter, and a fun way to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the children and families of Foya.
Kenya Sports Camp
In December 2022, while spending time at the Open Arms Village, near Eldoret, Kenya, we learned of a project that needed completing: a basketball court in honor of a missionary’s father. Ted Whiteman’s father, Tex, was an extremely talented basketball player who played for Oregon State University and was drafted into the NBA. When he passed away, friends and family donated funds in his memory to go towards a basketball court at the Open Arms Village. We were able to provide the remaining funds through our non-profit, BEYOND THE BRICKS, to get the court completed, and we wanted to christen the court with a basketball camp!! In June 2023, we were able to but a team together and traveled to Eldoret. It was an amazing camp, lots of fun, and hopefully, the beginning of a love for basketball for some of these kids who have never even seen the game played!
So…….we took a team of 6: Kemp and Amy, their 14-year-old daughter Macie, Autumn Belcher, Brent Turnbough, and our expert Coach Kelley Waters, to the Open Arms Village near Eldoret, Kenya to put on a basketball/sports camp. A total of 235 children participated in the camp over the course of a week. Throughout each, we would have numerous groups come, the largest group was about 85 kids. We taught basic basketball skills, along with other activities including volleyball, soccer, and relays. But we also taught them that God is pursuing them, like the shepherd pursues his ONE lost sheep. We are all pursued, because God loves us, values us, and wants us to be HIS. Throughout the week they memorized 2 Corinthians 5:17.
A huge thank you to those prayed for us and for those who generously sent items from our Amazon wish list, and those who gave to our ministry for us to be able to go and put on this Basketball/Sports Camp. The pictures below speak volumes. Many of these kids are orphaned, were abused or neglected, and yet, the smiles, laughter, and joy on their faces in unmistakable. No matter what we’re going through or where we’ve been, God has a plan, and He loves us unconditionally! The kids had a blast learning something new and learning of the unfailing love that Christ has for them.