I was blessed to be able to attend and be a part of two of the biggest basketball camps in Jamaica this past July. I was invited to be a guest speaker and camp coach for both camps. However, I was more excited to be asked to do devotions and share the Gospel with the players and coaches at both camps.
The first camp was the P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy Jamaica Jamboree from July 12-15 in Montego Bay. This camp was primarily for the top level players from ages 12-17 from that side of the island. There was also a team made up of high school players from Impact Sports Ministry out of Pennsylvania. There were 75 players and 10 coaches there from Jamaica.
This camp was put on and run by my good friend Wayne Dawkins. Wayne started the P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy four years ago to grow the game of basketball and help the players in Jamaica have better opportunities to get college scholarships through basketball. I met him three years ago when I took the first Sports Reach College team to Jamaica. Wayne was in the first year of his program and we played against one of their teams. We had a great time playing and interacting with the athletes from the Academy. We shared testimonies and the Gospel. It was at this time that Wayne told me he loved how we were using basketball to share the Gospel and grow young men. He wanted to learn more and we have been working together since. He has recently moved to Jamaica after trying to run this program while living in Canada.
Pray for Wayne and I as we are working towards a partnership to help him use the Academy to share the Gospel and do discipleship with those who come to the academy as well as the camps and tournaments they do in Jamaica. This is an exciting opportunity.
The second camp was the Star Search Camp in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16-19. This camp has been going on for 24 years and was designed to help identify the best Jamaican basketball players both male and female from ages 12-20. The camp focuses on basketball development, scholastic progress, spiritual growth and personal healthy living. This year there were 110 campers and 15 coaches.
I was invited to teach basketball to both the athletes and coaches there as well as share my testimony, devotionals and the Gospel. I was given the opportunity to speak several times a day and the response from the kids was awesome. My hope is that Sports Reach can continue to partner with Star Search for future camps. The door is open for us to bring more coaches in the future. Pray for this opportunity as well.
Overall this was another great trip to Jamaica. Even though I had trouble getting home due to the computer system crash on the day I was supposed to come home it was awesome to see what God is doing and how He is giving Sports Reach a chance to be a part of it.
Pray for Jamaica and the continuing opportunities we have there.
