By Nowadays, Seth Franco has a more important job than using his slick basketball skills to entertain the fans in the stands.
The former Harlem Globetrotter has a message to share with players in Aberdeen for the State B tournament and anybody else who might be interested in listening, for that matter.
Franco said a big chapter in the story of his life includes the power of faith in God and how that has been a saving grace for him time and time again.
Franco
In 2003, Franco became the first white player on the Harlem Globetrotters since 1942. And while that was a significant accomplishment and a great part of his life, it’s more of a platform that allows him to share something he sees as far more crucial than basketball.
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Franco, 45, said both his father and grandfather were pastors. Now, he’s following their lead, albeit in his own way.
Franco said that when his grandfather was in his 40s, he battled cancer that led to kidney failure. During what should’ve been the final hours of his grandfather’s, Franco said his dad and his grandpa’s best friend were called into the hospital room to share any final words.
“His best friend just fell over and prayed for him, crying. Then, his kidneys came back to life and he was healed,” Franco said.
After that, Franco said his grandfather continued to be a pastor and shared the story of what God did for him.
Franco struggled with hip dysplasia
Franco said he’ll also speak about his own struggles in life, including being diagnosed with hip dysplasia, which delayed his dream of playing basketball.
Hip dysplasia is a condition that develops when bones in the hip joint don’t fit together properly. It’s generally discovered in babies, and if it’s caught and treated early, there usually aren’t long-term problems. Franco, though, had hip issues throughout his basketball career, cutting his tenure with the Globetrotters short.
“I’ll share my story of what God did for me, and I always look forward to spending time with people and believing in a miracle, whether it’s (God) answering their prayers immediately or (helping) them move forward with the challenging times ahead,” Franco said.
He’ll speak during the Courts of Courage event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 at the Aberdeen Civic Arena, 203 S. Washington St. The talk is free and open to the public.
Franco said the poem “Footprints in the Sand” was his mother’s favorite and shares a powerful message.
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It describes a man walking with God through the sand. During the most difficult and challenging parts of life, the man notices there is only one set of footprints. So he asks God why he was abandoned during those trying stretches. But, God tells the man, it was during those times, God was carrying him.
That message hits home for Franco, too, who said his teenage years were challenging as he tried to make sense of his hip issue. It was a condition he was born with and one on which he had to educate himself.
“I feel like teenagers are in that space also as they’re imagining what life is like, what it’s going to be like and what it’s starting to feel like,” Franco said.
Franco now works in Schenectady, N.Y. mission
He now works as a men’s ministry leader at the City Mission of Schenectady in New York. The mission is funded through donations, he said.
“It’s Christ-centered. It sets my heart at the right place for these events because it’s an honor to help people,” Franco said.
He said he had helped clothe others just before his phone interview in advance of his Aberdeen stop.
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“Whether you’re feeding someone a sandwich or helping them get the drug testing complete to prove to their families they are sober, it’s all those … powerful ways of ministry that I also have the honor of doing,” Franco said.
“Our needs aren’t just physical,” he said. “They’re also spiritual. And that’s how I see these events. It’s an opportunity to serve teenagers who are going through difficult and confusing times in their lives.”
The event is supported by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and OutCast Ministries.
