People around the world live without basic essentials every day. In order to combat this problem, many individuals and organizations launch mission projects and fundraising.
George Freeman, former tennis coach and assistant principal was invited by long-time friend Peter Bohlinger to travel with him and 16 others for a week-long trip to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Peter’s eldest daughter Brittany has lived in the country, working with a Christian orphanage called Child Hope International, for the past two years.
?Peter and his wife Joy have adopted two children from Haiti. As a couple they are committed to helping these people,” Freeman said.
On his trip, Freeman utilized his love for tennis to reach out to the Port-au-Prince children.
“One of the several things we will be doing at the orphanage is teaching the boys how to play tennis,” Freeman said. “The boys’ facility used to have a tennis court on it, although it’s not very level. So the first thing we had to do was resurrect the court.?
While Freeman had 20 years of coaching experience on campus, he says he found teaching the Haitian child an eye-opening experience.
?The first tennis lesson was a lot of fun. All 32 of the boys wanted to know if they could keep the racket,” Freeman said. “One child did not want to take the racket out of the plastic bag. Once I got the racket out, he wanted to keep the bag. You would have thought that I had given him a wonderful Christmas gift.?
According to Child Hope International, the Bohlingers’ orphanage provides a safe healthy environment for abandoned children in need of food, clothing and medicine.
Once the kids become old enough to graduate from the program, they began to work and live on their own. They engage in weekly Bible studies and are encouraged to share Christ’s love throughout the country.
?The kids in the orphanage are not up for adoption,? Freeman said. ?The goal is to train up these kids to love Jesus and His ways. Then, when they are sent out, they will be apart of a much-needed change here in Haiti.?
Like most non-profit organizations, the orphanage relies on outside donations and support.
?The best way to help the ministry is to send them money so that they can get whatever their greatest need may be,” Freeman said. “Their needs fluctuate from food, clothing, medication, etc. The next best thing would be to come here sometime with [my wife] Cindy and I to help serve the kids, pray for the sick and go to the slum for church and worship Jesus in the midst of all poverty. It’s life changing.?
Although the tennis lessons remained a highlight for the former coach, many other projects took place throughout the week.
?In addition to the tennis lessons, we also did a medical clinic on Tuesday and Thursday, did projects around the orphanage, prayed for as many children as possible and visited the slum area to have church with the residents there. I also led a worship speaking chapel at an ACSI school in Port Au Prince.?
According to tennis player Brittany Shaffer, ’09, Freeman has a talent for teaching and impacting the lives of his students, which he carried over to his mission experience.
“I think it’s really not surprising for Mr. Freeman to go to another country to help an orphanage,” Shaffer said. “He does whatever he can to help others ? especially with tennis. Mr. Freeman was more than a coach to me. He gave off a vibe that I could come to him if I needed anything or wanted to talk.”
Freeman now works as an administrator for Kingdom Ministries which aims to “equip the church for life within the kingdom” by giving seminars, booklets and training materials to the church body.
