College basketball player gives back to homeland

Jacksonville College student Martin Ombok poses with the athletic equipment donated to be sent home to Kenya, Africa.

Martin Ombok, a 6-foot-9- inch Jacksonville College basketball player from Nairobi, Kenya, had a dream.

He felt called to return to his native country and minister to his people not only physically but also spiritually.

His plan is to return with a medical degree and to also use his experience with basketball as a means to give back to his community just as he was ministered to as a young orphan.

"I feel I am called by God to return and minister to other kids just as I was ministered to when I was in need," Ombok said. "I believe through the sport of basketball and through medicine I will be able, with the grace of God, to give back to my community by evangelizing and ministering to the whole person just as I was ministered to."

Ombok was born in Nairobi, Kenya at a lower to middle class neighborhood in the Eastlands called the Shauri Moyo.

As a young boy of seven he began attending Sunday School and church because of the athletic activities provided by the Nairobi Baptist Center, which was located just next door to his home.

Martin Ombok and Jacksonville College Athletic Director Greg Young pack the first box of athletic gear to be sent to Kenya, Africa.

Southern Baptist missionaries established the center in 1958 as a missionary outreach post to Shauri Moyo and Nairobi City at large.

With sports evangelism as its major tool of outreach, the Nairobi Baptist Center was instrumental in introducing the sport of basketball to Kenya.

As a teenager, Ombok was involved with the weekend and summer basketball programs at the Nairobi Baptist Center.

They used sports as a tool and were able to introduce the children there to the local church, where they received spiritual training and discipleship.

Sports opened many doors to Ombok that were normally not open to an orphan.

His high school education was made possible through basketball scholarships.

He had the opportunity to play for the Kenyan National Team from 2000 to 2004.

Ombok volunteered to work with Christian organizations. One was Buckner Orphan Care in Nairobi.

With this ministry, he was involved with coordinating sports activities (Mentors Club) and training the youth and destitute children living in orphanages.

"In this program, we spent quality time mentoring the orphans.

"After playing sports, we would eat together; and while eating we took the opportunity to talk and share with them, making sure they knew that they were loved," Ombok said.

In August of 2006, Martin was given an athletic scholarship to pursue his studies at Jacksonville College.

Martin, presently a sophomore, is taking 17 hours and is pursuing an asociate in science degree.

He plans to graduate in May of 2008.

Last summer it was again basketball that opened doors for Martin to minister through sports.

He was invited by a coach to be a counselor for the 2007 three week Lancer Boys Basketball Camp held at Grace College.

Once the boys got to know Ombok, they learned about the lack of shoes and even basketballs for the teams he had worked with in his country.

Each Lancer camper received a basketball at camp, so the coach asked if any of them would like to donate their camp basketballs to "Martin's kids."

"The response was overwhelming, and many of the boys signed their shoes and gave them to Martin as well.

"The $250 the boys donated was from their own camp snack money. The basketballs, shoes, and money will go directly to help young athletes in Kenya," Ombok said.

He has made plans for some of the donated sports material to arrive in Kenya to provide hope and joy in time for Christmas season.

"In my country the need is so great in the medical field. I feel I am called by God to return and minister to other kids just as I was ministered to when I was in need," he said.

"Many youth back home do not have a lot of opportunities, but I believe that God who hears their cry will one day wipe away their tears."