Past Stories

Gulu, Northern Uganda 2008

        Our last trip of 2008 was to Gulu, Uganda, the site of one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.  Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), has terrorized northern Uganda by abducting children and forcing them to do unimaginable acts.  Most of the children we met had in some way been victims of this horror.

        The court we built is in Kaunda Grounds, in the heart of Gulu Town.  Countless kids flock there daily and this court will give them a much needed positive alternative.  Sports have a unique way of bringing hope and purpose for young kids as they recover from trauma.  In fact, many non government organizations in Gulu are attempting to use sports to help in their efforts.  Our court will be a space where genuine healing will take place.

       This court was a very challenging project.  One of our steps was to put a layer of small stones on the court before pouring the concrete.  When the truckload arrived with boulders, and the only tool we had was one sledgehammer, you can imagine our disbelief.  After going to buy some more sledgehammers, it took 2 1/2 days of the hardest work imaginable to finish.  Needless to say we made quite an impact on the locals; this wasn't exactly work that they were used to seeing 'white people' do.

      In addition to working on the court, our team was able to take part in a number of other activities.  We visited the shelters where thousands of children would migrate to nightly escape the threat of abduction from the rebels.  We also visited an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp.  It was so sad to hear stories from 19 year old young adults who were born in the camp and that is all they knew of life.  The kids performed some of the traditional Acholi dances that are being used for therapy.  We took up an offering and bought them new drums and other equipment to use.

      Our group took some time to visit with two organizations, Invisible Children, and Compassion International.  We were inspired to learn ways that we can continue to help support the people of Uganda when we get home.

      One final personal highlight was being hosted for dinner by one of the Acholi tribal elders.  In fact, our host was the chairman of the Acholi elders during the initial peace talks with Joseph Kony.  It was amazing to listen to his stories.  Plus, they served a feast of food from their garden and even killed one of their goats for our team.  We didn't watch the slaughter, which was good news or bad news depending upon which member of our team you asked.  Regardless, it was such an amazing cultural experience.  We got a taste of the richness of the Acholi culture, and it helped us understand northern Uganda as a region not only of devastation, but of beauty and hope.

"I love the community in this place and that is one thing I hope to take back home with me- to greet strangers, to include the loner, to open my heart to the people around me."

I knew coming into this trip I would go back changed.  However, I didn't expect ALL of my views to change.  I feel that by coming here I have found my calling."

They challenged my way of speaking, thinking, living and showed me how to love life for what it is, and not regret it for what it could be.  Perhaps the most important truth they exemplified is that happiness does not come with money, comfort, peace, or convenience, but with love.  It is such a simple fact, but often forgotten in our fast-paced way of life."

A special thanks to the Gulu court sponsors:

Dr. Scott and Glenda Burns, Sean and Ashley Rybar, John Taffin, Pfizer,

Derek and Selene Nesland, Marna Kaady, Rob Kyne, First Presbyterian Church,

David and Caryl Ann Copenhaver, Hinton Development

Ho, Volta Region, Ghana 2008

        On May 12, 2008, the George Fox Women's Basketball Team traveled three hours outside of Accra to Ho, in Ghana.  Our group built a sports court for Sonrise Christian Secondary School, a new school of approximately 400 students that opened it's doors three years ago.  The primary language of the school, and of Ghana in general, is English.  The group stayed on campus in the 'dorms' with the students.  For most of the week, we took bucket baths; running water and electricity were a rarity, but in the process, we learned about simplicity and contentment.  A direct result of the common language and staying on campus, was deep relationships forged between the American team and the Ghanaian students.  It was amazing to see the way both groups impacted each other and broke down many stereotypes along the way. 

          The people in Ghana were incredibly friendly and hospitable.  At the school, the students would help carry our bags, bring us water for bathing, and even wash our clothes.  At first we resisted their generosity, but by the end, came to be inspired and challenged by their service to one another, one of the hallmarks and deeply embedded values in their culture.  We were also deeply moved by their joyful way of life, their singing, dancing and celebrating.  They even taught the American girls a traditional tribal dance, the Bobobo. 

          The court was a genuine partnership between the two groups.  At times there were 80 people working on the court.  As a result, we were able to finish the entire project in three days.  The court will be used for basketball, volleyball, tennis and even badminton.  Sport Court of Oregon donated a a state-of-the-art net system that will accommodate the three net sports.  On the last day, the George Fox team did a camp for the students and taught them basketball.  It was so inspiring to see the kids line up around the court so eager to learn how to play basketball.  And then, as we were leaving, we saw a number of kids out on the court practicing the drills we taught them.  The court will definitely get plenty of use!

          In addition to the court building project, the team also was able to play a soccer match against the school team, we traveled to the Village of Hope, an orphanage featured on the Oprah show, to teach the kids in the orphanage how to play basketball.  We also did a canopy tour in the rainforest and visited the Elmina Slave Castle, the world's largest slave castle, a haunting experience that was powerful and unforgettable.  We noticed the crown that sat atop the biggest church in Amsterdam (we had a short layover in the city), was the same crown on the Elmina Castle walls.  We noticed that directly above the slave dungeon was the Dutch Reformed Church building.  What great lessons for our team about religion and power, and the dangers of a faith that is separated from and immune to human suffering. 

          Overall, it was an experience the young women will never forget.  And we have been assured that our impact on the students at the school was just as deep.  Here are some quotes:

"These amazing kids taught me what it was like to truly be joyful and to work hard and love it.  They taught me what the true meaning of love is and humility along with that.  I wish I could feel the amazing feeling I had at that school all the time..."

A special thanks to our court sponsors:

Phil Doud and Sport Court of Oregon 

Ujarrás de Buenos Aires, Costa Rica 2008

          A group of 21 students and teachers from Camas, WA spent their spring break building a court for a small, rural community in Southern Costa Rica.  Ujarrás de Buenos Aires is a community of indigenous Costa Ricans who live on a reserve.  Their community sits in a valley between two lush hills at the base of the Talamanca Mountains, a truly picturesque tropical landscape.

          We were 30 minutes away from bottled water for the team, a 10 minute walk to the nearest telephone, and the best option for a shower was in the local river flowing through the rainforest.  This was truly a world away from Camas, Washington for this group.

          We were able to learn a lot of the traditional culture that has been passed down from generation to generation and is still taught at the primary school.  We learned how to mash corn, which leaf could cure which sickness or illness, and how to shoot a blow gun.  What an unforgettable experience for the students.

          The community also has its share of problems.  Domestic violence, absent fathers and alcoholism are some of the most common.  The community is very rural and has no central place of gathering.  The court we built will be used for school classes, sport's teams, and a central place for kids to gather and play and be given a positive alternative to drugs and alcohol.  Few communities have a sport's court in Southern Costa Rica and this one will be used in so many positive ways. 

          Partnering in this project with our group were The Peace Corps, Del Monte's branch in Southern Costa Rica and the local community.  It truly was a joint venture.   Below there is a picture of a plaque commemorating the court sponsors.  The four hands around the plaque symbolize this partnership between the four groups mentioned above. 

Here are some quotes from some of our group members:

The fact that their relationships were so personal and they were so close to one another, there was such a great feeling of belonging even though we only spent 6 days with them.  I've never been somewhere that has welcomed me so much

Basically this whole trip is one big memory for me.  The things we did for the community and everyone who helped make all this possible.  I will always remember.  This has been the best week of my life!

It is always the feedback from the local communities themselves that determine whether what we are doing is truly positive.  The quote below is from the Peace Corps Volunteer who hosted our group.  He has been living in the site for two years and has deep ties and connections within the community.

I had an incredible time with you and the group.  Like I said before, this was by far the highlight of my Peace Corps experience and I will always remember it with fond memories.  I think what you are doing is an amazing thing for not only the community that receives the court, but the kids that go on these trips as well.  I really believe in what you are doing, so if there's anything I can do for Courts for Kids, please let me  know. 

And we'd especially like to thank our court sponsors: 

Joseph Lochner, Kevin and Annemarie Ryan, Rob Kyne, and Brett and Dawn Wilkerson

 

Guarari de Heredia, Costa Rica 2008

          Guarari de Heredia is a only five hour drive from from Ujarrás de Beunos Aires, yet it is worlds apart.  Guarari is an urban community on the outskirts of San Jose.  For a good comparison between the two, in Ujarrás we were able to put a bronze plaque near ground level just off the court to commemorate our sponsors.  In Guarari, we had to attach it to the basket, because if it was at ground level, it would have most likely been pried off and stolen.

          Guarari has many problems with drugs and crime.  The day after our group departed, there was a drug bust, where 600 people were arrested.  As you can imagine, this court will be a huge asset for their community.  Prior to this court, kids would need to walk 30 minutes to get to the nearest court.  It is no wonder that as soon as the concrete was dry, the kids were constantly swarming it.  Even in a torrential downpour, the kids kept playing. 

          The biggest impact on our team of 18 students and adults from Vancouver, Washington was probably how tight-knit the community was.  Our group was mostly made up of females and I think they surprised the locals with their work ethic, determination and strength.  But the community came out and spent hours of their own time volunteering right alongside our team to make sure that the court was getting finished.  On the last day, they threw a big celebration for our group, with music and food and dancing.   Our team was deeply impacted.  I think it was a great example of two cultures coming together helping each other out.  Below are some quotes from our team:

The memories I have obtained from this trip are completely life changing and unforgettable. I was introduced to a new lifestyle that is 100% different than what I have been living my whole life.

I learned that no matter what material possessions you may have, nothing compares to family and friends.  This week you could see that these people didn't have very much, yet they were always happy and loved their families more than anything.

And we especially want to thank our court sponsors:

Don and Karen Russell & Rick and Robyn Dillon 

 

Agua Blanca, Honduras 2008

          A group of student-athletes from the Southern Oregon chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes went to Honduras this spring break to undertake the most ambitious project ever attempted by Courts for Kids.  Agua Blanca is a mountainous town with no flat land.  Literally 1/3 of the future court was sloping down the mountainside.  The group from Southern Oregon spent their week moving dirt the old fashioned way, with shovels and wheelbarrows.  They helped build two enormous retaining walls to prepare the site for the court.  After the group left, the local contractor and his team are finishing the court.  We'll post finished pictures as soon as they come. 

          Agua Blanca is a very low-income community.  The court will literally be the centerpiece of the community.  It is right next to the one room school house, which was recently built and is the primary meeting place.  The community was so grateful and threw our team a big party on the last day.  Our group was also deeply impacted by the warmth and hospitality of the community members in Agua Blanca. 

A special thanks to the court sponsors:

Play up 08, Mountain Christian Fellowship, Timothy Welch, Malcolm and Michele Munson, and The Chad Cota Athletic Foundation

 

The gift of sports for a community- Costa Rica 2007

         In April, 2007, we took a team of 26 volunteers from Southwest Washington to Tierra Prometida, in Costa Rica, to build a basketball/volleyball/soccer court.  The community of Tierra Prometida is a marginalized community that started as a squatter village 19 years ago.  Since then, roads and basic utilities have been developed, yet the kids had nowhere to play.  The community school had a small sidewalk where kids would play during recess.  Two kids in early 2007 had literally broken their arms playing and running into posts.  The headmaster of the school, the community leaders and a Peace Corps volunteer heard about our organization and applied for a court. 
        We came down, hired a local construction company, worked alongside them and built the simple court below out of concrete.  As a result of the court, the school has the first sports teams ever at the school (see pic below), a place to play during recess and the ability to rent out the court in the evenings to generate income for the school.  One of the most exciting benefits to the court is that, due to a Costa Rican law, the government now is required to pay for the school to hire a PE/Health teacher since they have a court.  Since we left, the teacher has been hired and the school has had its first PE class. 

 

 

 

Building bridges between cultures through sport- Indonesia 2007

          In August, 2007, we took a team of 11 volunteers from Southwest Washington and Oregon to Binong, Indonesia to build a basketball/volleyball/badminton court.  The community of Binong is a poor community made up of ethnic Indonesians who are predominately Muslim.  Neighboring this community is Lippo Karawaci, a wealthy community, made up of Chinese-Indonesians who are predominately Christian.  Hence, the differences in this part of Indonesia that sometimes lead to conflict are religious, ethnic and socio-economic.  Furthermore, the kids have no association with each other to help break down these walls.
          We were contacted by a school in Lippo Karawaci who started a sports league where the rich, Christian kids play basketball and soccer with the poorer Muslim kids in youth leagues.  They are using sports to build bridges between cultures by connecting kids.  As an extension of this league, Courts for Kids came and built the court for one of the schools whose kids participate in this league.  Thus, this court not only gives these kids a place to play, but also is part of a bigger movement to build peace and goodwill through sport.  Below are pictures of the before and after shot of the court.