Dribble the World is what we call, “The Vision of Ball for Lives,” and is the first of three powerful movements that we use to help those in poverty and oppression around the world.

In 2007, Dan Occhiogrosso, founder of Ball for Lives, was burdened to do something about the AIDS epidemic that is leaving millions of children throughout Sub-saharan Africa orphaned. As he began thinking about how he could use basketball to raise funds and awareness to help these children, the Spirit of God laid a dream on his heart that became the beginning of our organization:

Dribble the New York City Marathon with a basketball.

After he completed the 2007 New York City marathon, this dream quickly turned into a movement. People around the world began contacting us to ask if they too could dribble running events to raise funds and awareness for those in poverty. In the last 4 years, over 35 different races have been dribbled to benefit organizations that are chaning lives in oppression around the world!

This is the incredible vision that God has given us: to see runners around the world dribble running events to raise funds and awareness for those suffering in poverty.  

Want to get involved with Dribble the World? Interested in dribbling a race yourself? Join us at DribbletheWorld.com  

 Create the Crossover is what we call, “The Voice of Ball for Lives” and is the second of our three efforts to do respond with God’s love to global poverty.

At Ball for Lives we always want to give people specific ways that they can join us in saving lives from poverty and oppression. However, we quickly realized that our vision of dribbling running events around the world was pretty limited. For people who don’t like running or basketball, how can they get involved in doing something about global poverty and injustice?

To expand this vision to the masses, Dan Occhiogrosso, founder of Ball for Lives, does motivational presentations in schools, camps, and churches. Using the entertaining dribbling drills and tricks he grew up practicing, he shares his story of dreaming big for God to use basketball in great ways to help people. After sharing what God has done through Dribble the World, the challenge of Create the Crossover is, “Imagine what you can do!”

If you would like to see how God is using Create the Crossover presentations and assemblies, and how you can bring “Occh” to present at your school, camp, or church, visit us at CreatetheCrossover.com.

 The X-Fund is what we call “The Invitation of Ball for Lives” and is the last of our three projects that engage people in responding to global poverty.

After Create the Crossover presentations, people often ask, “What can I do to get involved?” The X-Fund is a project that you can begin TODAY that will allow you to literally change lives around the world, starting with yours.

Visit TheX-Fund.com today to get started!

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. Do you remember this video from our 40 days of prayer back in December?

Thank God that Southern Sudan was able to vote successfully to succeed! Almost 99% of the people voted to separate from the North, and The Republic of Southern Sudan is ready to become an independent country on July 9th! After decades of civil war and genocide committed by Omar Al Bashir’s government, this is a huge opportunity for justice.

However, as feared, the fighting is intensifying rapidly as the South’s independence approaches. Violence has especially increased in towns that lie on the border of Southern Sudan, key areas that both sides claim rights to owning. The North is  continuing to attack innocent civilians. The ingredients for Civil War, and another mass killing by the North and their supported militias, are falling into place.

“This is starting to look like the ethnic cleansing that happened in the Nuba Mountains in the early 1990s”. –Humanitarian Aid worker in Sudan

Sudan has known little peace in the past 50 years. Civil war is fresh in the memory of the people of this nation, and if action is not taken, Genocide will take place again.

There are 2 key ways you can get involved in helping the people of Sudan:

1. You can be involved in stopping the violence from happening at a political level.

The Save Darfur Coalition is a powerful movement that offers people very simple, specific, practical ways to get involved in politically stopping genocide from happening again in Sudan. This type of political pressure is what helped form the peace agreement in 2005. I would greatly encourage you to get involved at SaveDarfur.org!

2. Donate to solid, Christian organizations that are strategically helping those who are suffering. Two groups that I believe are doing a fantastic job are Samaritan’s Purse, and Global Response Network. Millions have been displaced and desperately need basic necessities to stay alive. Sudan’s government is again being accused of blocking humanitarian supplies from reaching these people, and strategic organizations need our support to save lives. Both of these organizations are passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those they help. We can help offer the hope of Jesus in an extremely dark situation!

You can donate to Christian organizations like Samaritan's Purse and Global Response Network to help literally save the lives of people in Sudan.

Please pray for the people of Sudan. Pray specifically for followers of Jesus, that they would continue to proclaim His name in the midst of such horrific suffering. Because if anyone knows what it is to suffer, it is our Savior, Jesus Christ, who bore our sins upon Himself. To Him be all the glory in Sudan.

Before the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami killed over 3000 people in Japan over the past couple days, the news was filled with reports on revolts in middle eastern countries leading to violence and dire humanitarian situations.

What intrigues me about these events is that they are happening in places where the gospel of Jesus Christ is largely unknown. Millions and millions of people in these countries have no idea that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to offer eternal life to the nations. And many have little or no access to hearing this wonderful message.

But what if there were dedicated followers of Christ who entered countries like these after natural disasters and political violence to meet their physical needs in the name of Jesus? Imagine the opportunities they would have to tell people about the cross!

We at Ball for Lives believe that these heart breaking events are an incredible opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ to show His love and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

If you would like to donate to Japan or Libya relief, we encourage you to give to an organization whose chief desire is to share Jesus with the World. Join Ball for Lives in donating to SAMARITAN’S PURSE

It’s hard to imagine that Whitney and I have been home for five months! It still feels  like just yesterday we were in Hammanskraal, South Africa ministering to the children and staff of Bethesda Outreach.

Whitney and I were so blessed to be able to meet up with a group from First Baptist Church of Marilla, just outside of Buffalo, NY who were ministering at Bethesda Outreach during the same time as us! It was so encouraging to meet the Briggs family, Don & Fran Stoffel, Lee & Gale Ulrich, Christy Bravo & her daughter, Elena, Matt Hill and Dan Vanderkooi. You guys were such an encouragement and blessing to us! To work along side you in digging gardens and singing in front of children at the schools to hearing about your families, Whitney and I are so thankful for getting to know you!

We have SO MANY MORE pictures, videos and memories of our time there, but here is a brief overview of what Whit and I were able to experience during our stay:

1. Bethesda’s Children’s Village-Each child that comes into Bethesda is placed into a family with a father, mother and siblings. Bethesda places up to eight orphaned children with each couple, giving careful attention to individual needs of each family.

2. Jabulane Christian Academy-JCA exists to guide students in the discovery of truth’. The school opened in ’04, and educates the children in Bethesda’s care and kids from the surrounding community.

3. Hands of Mercy-Bethesda’s Hands of Mercy ministry has two main goals: 1. To encourage others that reside in communities and countries in need to begin their own orphan care ministries. 2. To act as a resource in training and guidance for orphan care ministry.

(All information about Bethesda Outreach’s ministries was taken from their website, www.bethesdaoutreach.org.)

While Whitney and I were serving in South Africa, we were able to minister to the children of Bethesda by joining one of the families for dinner, working during the day at Jabulane Christian Academy grading papers, tutoring or organizing books in the library, working in the garden AND holding a field day for the kids! It was a blessing to minister to both children at the Bethesda Children’s Village and children in surrounding townships of Nokaneg, Stinkwater and Soshanguve with the Hands of Mercy ministry.

Nokaneg: Whitney and I had landed literally only hours before we were visiting Joanna’s Hospice in this township. We were able to interact with elderly men and women who were just thankful to be alive. Despite sickness and disability, it was evident that these individuals were just thankful to be alive. The next two places we visited in Nokaneg were a créche (pre-school) and Mmamogaswa P. School.

Stinkwater: This township got it’s name during Apartheid when the White Afrikaans decided it would be alright to send all of the native South Africans. Stinkwater got it’s name from the poor quality of their water during that time period. Despite the poor quality of water, the children there have such big, caring hearts and beautiful smiles. We were also able to meet a woman named Susanna who provided meals for the orphans in the area EVERYDAY. She is pictured below with Whitney.

Soshanguve: Soshanguve was a very special place. Whitney and I LOVED being able to be in Nokaneg and Stinkwater, but the township that really stole our hearts was Soshanguve. Typed words cannot express how much we loved turning over soil in their garden, and simply seeing, interacting and playing (netball!!) with these beautiful children.

Whitney and I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support of our trip, for praying for us while we were ministering in South Africa and for your continued support of what Ball for Lives is seeking to do for the children in sub-Saharan Africa.

We would also like to say “Thank You!!” to John & Lois Mixon, Roger & Carol Cryan, Michele Geurink, Tonya Small and Heather Rumley and the rest of the staff at Bethesda Outreach for your outpouring of love while we were in such a beautiful area of the world with you! Thank you!!

-ash

My Dear Friends-

It is that time of year again. Not the time to think of what we want, but what we have to share.  Those who believe in Christ have been given a precious gift that is worth way more than 100 luxury cars, flat screen TVs, or the latest video gaming systems.  Let us take time this season to remember the poor, the lost, the hungry.  There are Christian organizations that offer the opportunity to provide relatively inexpensive gifts that can change lives and show people around the globe Christ’s love. Gospel for Asia is one organization that is truly devoted to changing lives in Asia for the glory of God. Their goal in meeting people’s physical needs in India is to reach the “2.7 billion people of our generation that are still unreached with the Gospel.” Watch this powerful video to see the impact that your gift can have half way around the world:

Gospel for Asia Christmas 2010 from Gospel for Asia on Vimeo.

Also check out World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. These Christian organizations offer the opportunity to provide gifts to those in need. And by giving these gifts in someone else’s name, you can share Christ’s love not only with someone around the world, but with your mother, your sister, your co-worker, your neighbor!!! A very good friend of mine made a donation in my name a few years ago and it meant more to me than any other gift, I’m still thinking about it!!

Think about the little girl in the small Indian village whose family could survive because you provided her village with a well.  Or the boy in Africa who now can receive much needed medical care because of you. Or the man in South America who can now feed his family because you bought his family a goat. These gifts can change lives!!

Thank you and God Bless!
Whitney

In our short history as a non-profit organization (we received our status in July of 2008), we at Ball for Lives have set many goals. We believe that as we dream big for His glory, God will take our efforts far beyond what we think possible. So when we heard that Malaria, a preventable, treatable disease, was the #1 killer of children in the world, we asked God to use us to end it!

First, we decided to dedicate Dribble the World’s 2nd Annual 100 Mile Challenge to raise funds and awareness for Malaria No More, whose goal is to end Malaria deaths in Africa by December 31st, 2015. Sure enough, God blessed our vision as one ball was successfully dribbled 100 Miles with dozens of runners coming together to raise hundreds of dollars

God blessed us with a beautiful morning for the 100 Mile Challenge!

Then, we had our boys from Quebec City, Micael Carbonneau and Eric Martin, dribble the New York City Marathon (Dribble the World’s 4th Straight NYC Marathon!) for the same cause. Eric and Mic raised over $2000!!

Eric and Micael, just over a year ago, at the Quebec City Half Marathon

Finally, a brave group of students at Memorial High School in West New York, NJ, decided they were going to do something big, not only to stop the #1 Killer of children in the world, but also to change their own community. What did this “Together in Greatness” group do? They invited 4-One to come to their school. Check it out! 4-One Open Run and Main Event at MHS.

The Main Event

Gian Paul Gonzalez (being jumped over) is 6 foot 5!

What makes all this ministry in our own NJ/NYC area even better, is that God blessed us to meet our goal of raising $6000 for Malaria No More’s work in Tanzania! Tanzania is getting closer to ridding their country of malaria. With our help, life without malaria can be reality for this nation of over 40 Million people. God even blessed us to raise several hundred dollars above our goal, allowing us to donate to Christian organizations that are also laboring to stop malaria!

Thank you so much to everyone who donated!!! And thank You God for privileging us to play an instrumental role in all that You are doing.

Total Raised /   Donor

$330: Palisades Park Bible Club

$370: Ron Page

$470: David and Julie Martin

$480: Jason Hladik

$530: Joel Strout

$540: Vincent Tremblay

$550: Marie-Eve Cloutier

$590: Frédéric Picard

$610: Marie-Josée Verreault

$660: Gabriel Bedard

$710: Marlene Richard

$760: Luc Gendron

$780: Marie-Josie Ruel

$800: Simon Robert

$820: Alain Giguère and Paule Verreault

$830: Michel Vézina

$855: Hélène Lacroix

$1055: Jean-Louis Lacroix

$1135 : Raphaëlle Duquette

$1155: Dany Hokayem

$1255: Karen Occhiogrosso

$1265: Cassia Cloutier

$1285: Esther Thiessen

$1335: Eric and Rachel Martin

$1435: 4-One

$1510: New Life Community Church

$1525: Ron Abraham

$1550: Maria Notarmaso

$1655: Fairview Gospel Church

$1760: EPIC Youth Group of Garfield

$1790: Nancy Delisle

$1810: Jessie Vallee and Jean-Mathieu Loignon

$1850: Caleb Pagé

$1860: Yves Morin

$1880: Marie-Andree and Bill Knapp

$1910: Chantale Jacques-Gagnon

$1980: Claude Duquette

$2080: Esther Kary

$2130: Daniel Savard

$2230: Whitney Rodgers

$2280: Jim and Jeanne Van Allens

$2305: Floretta Rodgers

$2330: Nathan and Cherith Logan

$2335: Jonathan Slater

$2795: 100 Mile Challenge Anonymous

$2895: Steve and Anne Lauda

$2995: Judith A Moore

$3015: Sara Forcier

$3065: Manon Martin

$3075: Yvon Bolduc

$3095: Sylvain et Darcy Croteau

$3125: Pierre Lachance

$3145: Claudette et Jean Brassard

$3155: Victor Quinn

$3175: Yannick Thomas

$3215: Michel Archibal

$3275: Luc and Jocelyne Vallée

$3305: Pierre Lachance

$3325: Bryan and Wendy Fowler

$3375: Daniel Gretillat

$3425: Simon Forcier

$3475: Evelyn Wever

$3515: Jessica Moore

$3535: Andre Morin

$3585: Raynald Carbonneau

$3595: Nathaniel Carbonneau

$3745: Bball Du Jeudi Soir

$3785: Danny Mundo

$3835: Melissa Mundo

$3855: Miguel Sanchez

$3955: Luc Gendron

$4055: Whitney Rodgers

$4155: Kevin Stanford

$4205: Susi Shumaker

$4467: Ashley Ten Kate

$6180: TIGS Student Group, Memoral High School in West New York, NJ

$6280: Claudia Buitrago

$6430: Ball for Lives

Feel free to still donate to stop Malaria! Donations can be made by check and mailed to Ball for Lives, 395 Park Ave, Fairview, NJ 07022 or online on the top right hand corner of BallforLives.com. When on PayPal click on “add special instructions to the seller” and specify your gift as “NYC Marathon.” Donations to Ball for Lives are tax-deductible.

Oh, by the way, this history changing development happened almost 60 years ago (in the United States that is). So this disease shouldn’t really affect the rest of the world that much right? I mean, we got rid of it in the 50′s!

Actually,

250 million cases still occur annually,

3000 kids still die daily,

40% of the world’s population is still at risk,

and because 90% of these cases are in Africa, an African child dies every 30 seconds from this disease-

THIS DISEASE WE STOPPED IN 1951.

Ball for Lives exists to raise funds and awareness to save lives around the globe. The AIDS epidemic was what moved me in 2006 to act as I heard about the millions of young parents the disease was killing off. Now it’s time to save lives from the number one killer of children in the world: Malaria.

Ball for Lives will be focusing its first movement, DribbletheWorld.com, this next month to help end Malaria deaths (because they CAN be ended). Our 100 Mile Challenge and 2010 NYC Marathon runs are both going towards ending malaria.

How can we be a part of this amazing effort?

Check out an organization we have partnered with whose goal is to end malaria deaths by 2015:

Malaria No More

Join the many others who have donated and help us reach our goal of $6000!

Check out how far we are already with our $6000 goal!:

Total Raised /   Donor

$330: Palisades Park Bible Club

$370: Ron Page

$470: David and Julie Martin

$480: Jason Hladik

$530: Joel Strout

$540: Vincent Tremblay

$550: Marie-Eve Cloutier

$590: Frédéric Picard

$610: Marie-Josée Verreault

$660: Gabriel Bedard

$710: Marlene Richard

$760: Luc Gendron

$780: Marie-Josie Ruel

$800: Simon Robert

$820: Alain Giguère and Paule Verreault

$830: Michel Vézina

$855: Hélène Lacroix

$1055: Jean-Louis Lacroix

$1135 : Raphaëlle Duquette

$1155: Dany Hokayem

$1255: Karen Occhiogrosso

$1265: Cassia Cloutier

$1285: Esther Thiessen

$1335: Eric and Rachel Martin

$1435: 4-One

$1510: New Life Community Church

$1525: Ron Abraham

$1550: Maria Notarmaso

$1655: Fairview Gospel Church

$1760: EPIC Youth Group of Garfield

$1790: Nancy Delisle

$1810: Jessie Vallee and Jean-Mathieu Loignon

$1850: Caleb Pagé

$1860: Yves Morin

$1880: Marie-Andree and Bill Knapp

$1910: Chantale Jacques-Gagnon

$1980: Claude Duquette

$2080: Esther Kary

$2130: Daniel Savard

$2230: Whitney Rodgers

$2280: Jim and Jeanne Van Allens

$2305: Floretta Rodgers

$2330: Nathan and Cherith Logan

$2335: Jonathan Slater

$2795: 100 Mile Challenge Anonymous

$2895: Steve and Anne Lauda

$2995: Judith A Moore

$3015: Sara Forcier

$3065: Manon Martin

$3075: Yvon Bolduc

$3095: Sylvain et Darcy Croteau

$3125: Pierre Lachance

$3145: Claudette et Jean Brassard

$3155: Victor Quinn

$3175: Yannick Thomas

$3215: Michel Archibal

$3275: Luc and Jocelyne Vallée

$3305: Pierre Lachance

$3325: Bryan and Wendy Fowler

$3495: Ball for Lives

Donations can be made by check and mailed to Ball for Lives, 395 Park Ave, Fairview, NJ 07022 or online on the right side of BallforLives.com. When on PayPal click on “add special instructions to the seller” and specify your gift as “MalariaNoMore.” Donations to Ball for Lives are tax-deductible.

That email was great, but then he sent me one with this video attached:

A Christian dribbling 3 basketballs for halftime shows at the age of 21??

As much as I wanted to mention to Sam right then and there the possibility of dribbling on behalf of Ball for Lives, I knew I had to leave things in God’s hands and wait for Him to move in Sam’s heart. So I responded that I was impressed and encouraged him to keep using his abilities for the Lord.

It is always worth it to wait on God’s timing!

Months later I got an email from Sam asking if he could do his upcoming dribbling shows for Ball for Lives under the title of Create the Crossover. Clearly we wouldn’t just let anyone represent Ball for Lives to hundreds of people at a time without checking out his beliefs, character, and love for Jesus Christ. So we flew him to New York City!

All last week I spent time with Sam doing dribbling shows together, going to local basketball courts, serving together with Gian Paul Gonzalez from 4-One, and simply talking about the Kingdom of God. In Sam I see a heart that wants to follow Jesus Christ, a will that puts vision into action to lead others to God, and a talent that he really wants the Holy Spirit to use for the glory of God.
Thanks for an amazing week Sam! You were an incredible blessing to the believers here, and reached out with the gospel to many more than you realize.

I don’t know exactly how God will lead Sam to be involved with Ball for Lives, but I know that we have gained an amazing friend, and a partner in saving the lives of orphans around the world for the sake of the gospel.

Check out one of “Sizzla’s” halftime shows with the Harlem Rockets!!