We call it basketball. Malawi has a similar game called netball. Like basketball, it’s played on a court with hoops on each end. Usually, the hoops are made by twisting some metal and attaching a homemade net. Since the court is dirt, there is no fancy dribbling. But there is a lot of passing. The idea is the same as basketball, get your ball into your net to score.
It might seem just a game, but it can be a lot more. One Christian Chief wanted to give girls in his village something productive to do after school as a group. Score one for Netball. He formed a Netball team. The girls come together on game days and play. Some of them study the Bible together before and after the games. Some older women participate as mentors. The girls have discussions about life that are sometimes tabu in the village. It’s become more than a game. The game is a catalyst for changing lives.
When this Chief became a Christian, some other Chiefs said he had gone mad, but day by day his village is being transformed. Now other Chiefs are looking closer. Several others have since become Christians. God is on the move!
Is it March Madness? Nope, more like Holy Spirit Madness!
