October 13, 2009

Burkina Faso Soccer School, Gorom-Gorom 2009

This is a short video of the Burkina Faso Soccer School, Gorom-Gorom 2009.

Posted by Keith at 02:03 PM

September 18, 2009

Soccer School

100 kids aged 9-18 came together from Gorom-Gorom and Markoye for a week of fun and football at the 2009 soccer school.

(As usual you can click on any photo to see a larger version, or click here to see more photos in a slide show)

It was the vision of pastor Adama from Markoye, and he was supported in it by Ian Sutton and his team of 14 from churches in Cardiff and Nottingham, as well as Christians from local churches in Gorom-Gorom, and translators who travelled up from Ouagadougou. The local representative for the Ministry of Sport also got involved throughout the week.

Each morning there was training in different ball skills, and each afternoon there were matches where the skills were put into practise. In the evenings, the children gathered to hear testimonies and meditations from the word of God.

Other children gathered too from nearby families to come and watch, and were drawn in with games and drawing and colouring.

It was a great week. The children had a lot of fun, learned soccer skills, ate well for a week, heard good news about God's love for them, and were drawn into contact with local Christians and pastors. A team of 10 women from the local churches were up at work every day from 7am till 9pm, cooking and cleaning for all the children and for the team.

The team from the UK did really well, adapting well to the conditions, and staying mostly very healthy - although there were a few runny tummies in the last couple of days. They built good relationships with the children and the local Chrisitans, in spite of having almost no language in common. It is amazing how much you can communicate with a smile, a hug, and a football!

At the end of the week, there were competitions and prize-giving, and each child went home with a t-shirt and shoes. Footballs and kit were also distributed to local football teams.

The week ended with a match between the Soccer School trainers and the Gorom-Gorom football team. Unfortunately, while Gorom-Gorom were winning 1-0, the match had to be abandoned due to rain. The event was followed by a party at the mayor's place with drinks and grilled goat meat.

Posted by Keith at 04:53 PM

August 11, 2009

Soccer School, Burkina Faso 2009

This year, we will be running a children's soccer school in Gorom-Gorom. Soccer is huge in Burkina Faso. The country almost ground to a standstill when the African Nations Cup was held there a few years back. This year, the national team are battling for qualification into the World Cup.

In Gorom-Gorom too, football is very popular. In 1997, we even had Frank Skinner, Angus Deaton and others come with Comic Relief to play football here to highlight development issues. When they get given a ball, boys and girls alike have great fun kicking it around in bare feet (their shoes often serving as goal posts) until it gets burst on one of the huge thorns that are unavoidable here.

Soccer School, BF: the team
The school will be led by Pastor Adama from Markoye, who used to be the town's soccer trainer. He will be helped by Ian Sutton and a team of 14 from Glenwood Church, Cardiff, and St Nics, Nottingham, two of the churches partnered with APT and us in our work in Burkina Faso. Ian and team run a soccer school each Easter at Glenwood Church for local children, helping kids improve their skills and at the same time introducing them to the basics of Christianity. Whatever the child's ability they are guaranteed a great time on this week.

Lynne and I will be out in Gorom-Gorom for this time too, although our involvement in the soccer school will not be on the skill training side...

Soccer School, BF: the details
The soccer school will run from 3-7 Sep 2009. There should be 100 children from local families in Gorom-Gorom and Markoye, and they will stay in a local secondary school for a week, where the fun will happen.

• Each morning there will be skill training,
  
• Each afternoon there will be matches.
  
• In the evenings there will be informal times of sharing testimonies and short messages from the gospel.

Please pray for

• Adama and Ian and the team as they prepare to lead the soccer school,
  
• All the children who will be part of it, to have a great time and meet Christ
  
• All the team who are coming from the UK, to remain healthy, have a great time, and receive from God during their time there.

Many thanks. More soon...

Posted by Keith at 03:02 PM