West Michigan rivals join forces to aid African settlement devastated by fire
HOLLAND — A pair of rivals on the basketball court came together last week for a shared calling, to support a settlement half a world away.
Holland Christian and Unity Christian partnered for Rebound-Rebuild during an annual rivalry match-up Tuesday, Feb. 20. The event raised funds for the informal settlement of Jim se Bos on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, which saw dozens of homes burn on Christmas Eve.
Rebound-Rebuild was initiated by a group of students at Holland Christian who've visited Jim se Bos with teacher Mike Verkaik through Oceans Ministries. The boys and girls basketball teams from both schools participated in games Feb. 20.
Verkaik, who leads mission trips through Oceans Ministries, said there are 20 current students at HCHS who have visited Jim se Bos, along with a handful of middle schoolers. He shared the news of the fires with students on Christmas.
“I sent them videos and asked them to pray for residents as they dealt with the ramifications,” he said. “It’s hard. You see they have so little to begin with, and now it’s all lost.”
The news particularly affected senior Claria Kuipers. A month later, she met with Verkaik to find a way to help.
“I couldn’t let it go. It was weighing really heavy on me,” Kuipers said.
From that meeting came the idea for Rebound-Rebuild.
“We’re there to root for our team and wear our colors, but at the same time, let's bring the teams together before the game and show unity in the fact that we are called to love others,” Verkaik said.
Shirts were made for the event and sold for $10. The shirts didn’t feature the names of the schools, but were made in each schools’ colors. Donations were also accepted.
Each player and coach for the varsity teams at each school received a shirt to wear for warm-ups, and the teams stood together for the National Anthem and a prayer before the game.
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The fundraiser had a goal of $6,000, enough to rebuild 15 homes in Jim se Bos. It nearly doubled that, bringing in more than $10,500.
“Everyone was so generous and opened their hearts,” Kuipers said. “It was powerful to see everyone standing together.
“It was so amazing how our rivalry could be so easily overpowered by coming together for a great cause.”
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Michigan rivals join forces to aid African settlement devastated by fire
