MEN’S SOCCER TEAM LEAVES FOR BENIN MISSIONS TRIP

MEN’S SOCCER
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011
BENIN TRIP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEN’S SOCCER TEAM LEAVES FOR BENIN MISSIONS TRIP

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western men’s soccer team left Wednesday on a 14-day missions trip to Benin where they will largely work with Global Aid Network (GAiN) on their water well project.

The team will help build two water wells as part of GAiN’s ongoing mission “to provide clean drinking water to the people of Benin by drilling multiple water wells in the rural countryside.”

According to the GAiN website, “The United Nations has stated that on a global basis ‘every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of water related disease.’ In most parts of Benin, clean, disease free drinking water is in abundance 50 to 60 meters below the surface. Tapping this water brings an end to the cycle of disease and death that has plagued these people all of their lives.”

Since the fall of 2004, GAiN has drilled more than 214 water wells and, as such, has affected the lives of more than 214,000 people. GAiN is now dedicated to drilling 70 wells per year in Benin and the Spartans men’s soccer team will be part of this mission.

While a large part of the team’s focus in Benin will be in helping with GAiN’s water well venture, they will also help build at least one church structure, conduct several soccer clinics in the villages and hand out a soccer equipment and set up soccer nets.

The team will also play a number of games against top-tiered local professional sides while also getting the chance to share and discuss their faith in a variety of capacities.

“I can imagine it will be quite an experience to go somewhere to help other people and to do it together,” said Spartans captain Gogo Vitic. “The kind of bonding that happens when you look beyond just yourself is unbelievable. We’ve done some similar things as a team – handing out clothes downtown or whatever it may be – and after the fact, the experience of doing that together really brings guys close. As a team it’s going to be huge.

“And for us to see all the stuff we’re going to see, to see all the poverty and all the misfortune of others, is going to be a really eye-opening experience. And from that will come conversations with each other about faith and about life in general. I think in all areas we’re just going deep. It’s so easy to remain surface level with the business of school and all that stuff. But in this type of environment you’re 100 per cent forced to go deep with each other, which is the thing that will bring us close together.”

There will about 20 players, coaches and support staff going to Benin. The team will return May 10.

Click here for more information on the GAiN Water For Life Initiative in Benin.

Last Updated: 2011-05-03
Author: Mark Janzen