Tonight, Sportscenter aired a story of the role basketball played in the Rev. Jim Jones scandal and the People’s Temple of Guyana South America. The story revolved around Jim Jones’ adopted son with his son, Rev. Jim Jones’ grandson. The grandson of Jim Jones now plays basketball at the University of San Deigo. In the oppression at the religious compound in Jonestown, Guyana, many of the members found an escape through basketball, literally and metaphorically. Jim Jones sent his son and other basketball players others to compete in a basketball tournament in Georgetown, Guyana. While the arrangements were being assembled, Congress declared an investigation into imprisonment practices of the cult. When the media came, they assassinated the group, including a congressman. The basketball players survived because they were in Georgetown playing basketball. Jim Jones forced the members to give poisoned kool-aid to their children and then to drink it themselves. Jones exclaimed, “If we can’t live in peace, then we’ll die in peace.”
The story was surreal because in 2000, I went on my first mission trip to Guyana, South America for two weeks to teach basketball. I knew of the Jim Jones story because everyone told me not to drink the Kool-Aid while i’m there. But I never knew the connection with basketball. I feel blessed to have been able to take the game back with a message of hope in Jesus Christ and not in social reform.
