OUR MISSION

The mission of the International Institute of SPORT (IIOS) is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in the less economically developed countries worldwide.

WHO WE ARE

We are a non-profit advocating for the disabled in areas of public access, education, integration, job skills, physical rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation and disaster relief. We are educators, artists, administrators and professionals. We are also networkers and are grateful for our partners.

WHAT WE DO

We engage children and adults in art projects geared to developing an understanding of disability.  We help rehabilitate and train disabled athletes for the Paralympics. We help disabled people become employees and business owners. We provide art supplies, medical supplies and mobility devices. We represent disabled artists in the world art market. We advocate for the disabled in business and government affairs to help secure access to jobs and transportation.

Art & Music

Kenyan Quadriplegic Artist Ken N'Gan'ga receives Wheelchair
August 24, 2010


Ken N'gan'ga with wheelchair and laptop

On August 24, Dr. Fred Sorrells wrote:

Early last year I met a college student from Kenya early one morning in a Whataburger in Belton, Texas. I shared about our therapeutic recreation program including art therapy and our desire to help disabled artists in Third World countries sell their artwork.

Turns out that this Kenyan student had a family in his Baptist church in Kenya with a quadriplegic son, Ken Nganga. We discovered that this disabled man was a tremendous artist and had over 200 paintings on the dirt floor under his bed. The house has no running water or electricity. Ken had not been out of his bed since 1997!

A couple of weeks ago I found that my Kenyan friend was going back to Kenya. He agreed to take a wheelchair, a cheap laptop and some elastic exercise bands.

Imagine my utter joy when I received this picture and this word from Ken yesterday (August 23, 2010).

"Jambo sir. Since 1997, i had not been to the sunlight but on this day i took that photo, i spend the whole day outside for the first time. I tell you the experience was amazing. I felt some physycal and psychological freedom. To transfer to the wheelchair, i only need 1 person to lift my legs. The exersise equipment is perfect. The laptop battery is exellent, soon i will be getting an internet modem which is compatible with it. thanks alot. I will write you in lenghth soon." Ken N'gan'ga

Some of Ken's work is available for sale from IIOS and from the Global Art Initiative online gallery hosted by Fine Art America.

How Artist Eder Romeus Survived the Haiti Earthquake
February 20, 2010


Explaining how the water filters work to my disabled artist friend, Eder

On February 20, Dr. Fred Sorrells wrote:

When I was here in November, 2009, I visited Eder in Jacmel. He introduced me to the pastor at Hosanna Baptist Church where he attends, and I asked the pastor to disciple Eder.

On the afternoon of January 12, Eder and the pastor had just finished a discipleship class. Eder was in the church courtyard when the earthquake happened. The ground rocked back and forth like riding on a rough sea. The pastor ran out of his office, and he and Eder called in the name of the Lord to save them.

The Lord is truly mighty to save as the church and surrounding buildings survived the earthquake. No one was injured on the church property.

Eder had planned to go to Port-au-Prince on Monday, January 11th, for his birthday, but he wasn't feeling well so he decided to postpone his trip. That decision could well have saved his life.

When I was here in November, the pastor asked me to speak to the congregation. I challenged them to reach out to the many disabled in the community. As evidence that they took this message to heart, they installed a ramp to the church buildinmg to enhance accessibility.

I brought relief supplies to distribute to the many disabled here in Jacmel. Eder has been visiting the medical treatment centers collecting names of the newly disabled so we can help them. Today we will be distributing water filters donated by Texas Baptist Men and a rechargable LED lamps and simple solar panels capable of charging a cell phone battery or lamp. Clean water, a charged cell phone thanks to the solar panels and recharable LED lights will make the disabled in these deplorable conditions extremely happy. We will also visit patient wards housed in make shift tents to encourage the disabled.

Explaining how the water filters work to my disabled artist friend, Eder
Here are two new paintings by Eder Romeus. The painting on the left is of someone going through a difficult situation yet who finds the light that comes from above. The painting on the right is a self-portrait in an acrobatic pose.

Crutch Painting Helps to Heal Heartache from Great Personal Losses
Lorena Elementary School, Lorena, TX - december 14-17, 2009


Ashley Eckstein tries to paint with a brush in her mouth while Skylar Marsh looks on
The Crutches & Colors curriculum field test at Lorena Elementary School had a surprising result in helping to heal heartache following the recent deaths of a custodian's son and of friend of a Lorena Elementary School student.

Vicki Ash, a custodian at Lorena Elementary School, lost her son Matt on December 3, 2009. Matt was attending ATI trade school to pursue a career in HVAC, and he was at the top of his class.  Matt loved sports and recently made 1st string running back on the Texas Twisters semi-pro football team.  He also loved video games and anything outdoors.

A crutch was painted in honor of Matthew by fellow custodian Kathy DeWitt and two students, Brycen Marberry and Zachary Stabeno. Said Vicki about the crutch painted in her son's honor, "He would’ve really been proud of this honor, and we as his family are grateful for this.... May God bless the one who receives the crutch."


Pictured above, from left to right, are Kathy DeWitt, Dr. Fred Sorrells, Brycen Marberry, Vicki Ash and Zachary Zabeno.

Ashley Eckstein tries to paint with a brush in her mouth while Skylar Marsh looks on
Braedon Herbelin, pictured right with Dr. Fred Sorrells, lost his close friend Nick Bolin to complications from H1N1 on Monday, December 14, 2009.

Braedon was so traumatized by his friend's death that he could not participate in the crutch painting that day. He was having trouble controlling his grief, so his teacher Ella Snodgrass directed Braedon to a book while the class continued with the crutch painting project.

Later the same day, Kathy DeWitt brought the crutch painting that had just been completed in memory of Matt Ash into the classroom for the the class to see, including Braedon.

On Tuesday Braedon came to school completely changed and with a mission to do a crutch painting in memory of his friend Nick.  Braedon started working on decorating a crutch immediately and created a beautiful piece with Nick's name adorning the bottom.

Said Braedon's teacher Ella Snodgrass, "Painting the crutch gave the child a tangible way to handle his grief and to do it in a positive way so the legacy of his friend could live on.  In doing so, Braedon also blessed another person, the recipient of crutch."

Meet Our Haitian Artists
November, 2009

Eder Romeus welcomes Dr. Fred Sorrells

During his trip to Haiti in November, 2009, Dr. Fred Sorrells visited several disabled artists and donated art supplies to help them pursue their artistic endeavors.

He was especially happy to travel several hours outside the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, to visit disabled artist Eder Romeus.

On right, Eder welcomes Dr. Fred Sorrells.

Eder Romeus in his shack

 

Eder, who suffers from polio and was orphaned as a child, lives in deep poverty. 

However, through the eventual sales of his artwork, Eder is extremely hopeful that his situation with change soon.

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Eder Romeus paints canvas stretched onto old wooden crutch

The mission of the International Institute of SPORT includes breaking the poverty cycle of disabled artists in the emerging nations through the sale of their artwork.  Such sales can radically improve the lives of  disabled artists like Eder Romeus.

On right, Eder Romeus stretches canvas on old wooden crutches and creates amazing artwork.  This painting depicts the spread of malaria through mosquito bites.

 

John Paul Joseph does a crutch painting on an old wooden crutch

 

 

On left, disabled artist John Paul Joseph does a crutch painting on an old wooden crutch exchanged for a decorated aluminum crutch. His painting depicts a female recepient of a colorful crutch - now able to carry a traditional basket on her head.

Herold Alvares mouth paints on canvas stretched on an old wooden crutch

 

 

 

On right, disabled artist Herold Alvares mouth paints on canvas stretched on an old wooden crutch that Dr. Sorrells had exchanged for a decorated aluminum crutch. A polio immunization of a young child is the subject of his painting.