Dominican Mission Trip 2008

Forty-two (42) Reality Sports baseball players and 12 adults traveled over 3,500 miles to the Dominican Republic this summer for an 8-day mission trip to play baseball and serve in the local communities.  Players from our three teams not only competed in the baseball “hotbed” of the world, but also visited orphanages and delivered food to villages.  Hundreds of Dominicans heard about and were shown the love of Jesus Christ during the week.

Throughout the week, each of the three RS teams played 5-7 games.  RS players were able to witness how baseball is a way of life for the Dominicans, as it is seen as a primary way to rise above poverty.  At the end of each game, an RS coach would share his testimony with the Dominican players and fans about how Jesus has changed his life.  

Because of generous RS donors here in the States, each of our players had the opportunity to purchase two bags of food to be handed to two different families in various sugarcane villages.  Sugarcane is the number one agricultural product in the DR, and the men cut about a ton of sugarcane by hand with a machete each day, for which they are paid the equivalent of $2 US.  Each bag of food delivered to a family was about $13 US and would feed the family for 4-5 days.  You can imagine the delight that our players were able to see in the faces of the villagers when they handed their bag of food to them!

One of the most difficult yet rewarding experiences for the players during the week was visiting two different orphanages.  Whether it was witnessing the extreme conditions at the government-run disabled orphanage or seeing the predominance of girls at the other orphanage, the players held, talked to, and played with attention-deprived kids.  They were able to live out Psalm 82:3 which says, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.”  Something special happened in the hearts of our players as they did this.

Undoubtedly, many Dominicans were impacted by our time there.  However, our own players were significantly touched by the opportunity to compete, serve, and hear about the love of Jesus Christ.  Sixteen RS players declared Jesus as Lord of their lives at the end of the week, and made a commitment to walk with Him daily!  God’s grace was certainly abundant during this special week in June, for which we are very grateful.