Kevin in Liberia

Its Purpose: to raise awareness of current social, political, ethical, and spiritual issues within a relief and development context in Liberia. Its effectiveness is simple: It relies on me, the author, to provide insightful, and often debate-sparking material that will encourage you, the reader to get engaged through comment contributions, emails, and promoting others to read, re-think, and respond to the important issues discussed.

I know not which is most profitable to me, health or sickness, wealth or poverty, nor anything else in the world. That discernment is beyond the power of men or angels, and is hidden among the secrets of your Providence, which I adore, but do not seek to fathom. ~ a prayer by Blaise Pascal

Sunday, April 01, 2007

LACES (Life and Change Experienced through Sport) – An Opportunity to Help and Support Liberians


In my 3rd year of a Business Degree at the University College of the Fraser Valley I took a Managerial Economics course that taught a variety of economic principles, one of which I will draw on today. The principle has to do with commitment and the setting of expectations. The context in that course was within the business world and how the idea of commitment sets expectations of your customers and competitors. Although the context in which I will discuss is very different, I believe that the principle still holds.

My girlfriend and Program Director, Seren Frost, has recently embarked on a courageous step of faith by creating a program designed to reach the war-affected children of Liberia. Through sport, and more specifically soccer, or ‘football’ as it is known outside of North America, ‘LACES’, Life and Change Experienced through Sport, has been designed to teach Liberian children discipline, respect, and teamwork as well as an opportunity to spread the saving power of Christ.

After returning home from a three-month stint in Liberia in 2006 in which she played professional soccer in the Liberian Football Association (LFA), Seren saw a need and the impact that soccer can have on the lives of everyday Liberians. After exploring options of working for various sports-related NGOs in Liberia she realized that none of them ran similar projects or shared similar visions. This provided her the opportunity and challenge to design a program that she feels called to run and believes will be effective. Through her time playing in the LFA she met a lot of valuable connections which will undoubtedly prove to be valuable in implementing this project.

So where is the commitment/expectations analogy going to come? In late February Seren officially quit her full-time job to completely dedicate her life to this project. The fundraising campaign has now begun. Her goal for the first year of this three-year program is to raise at least $60,000USD. The next three months will consist of meetings with a variety of interested individuals and organizations, fundraising events, securing of donated sports equipment, logistical support, and other necessary project planning. With all the committment she has put into this project I can only expect big things from this project.

How many of you would quit your only source of income to embark on a journey like this? Quite a few of my blog readers have asked me in the past how they can get involved and contribute to the work going on in Liberia. Well, here’s a very tangible opportunity for you to get involved in a very exciting endeavor. You can find out more about her project and donate online via Paypal through her website by clicking here.

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1 Comments:

  • At 4:10 AM, Blogger MJ said…

    Hey Kevin,
    I think it's really cool what Seren is doing. I wish I could be more involved like that in my life right now but I know that my time will come. Maybe I'll be a doctor where you are one day soon!
    We should chat about meeting in S.Africa soon! It's coming up faster than we both realize.

    MJ

     

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