DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – The Corban University women’s basketball team experienced a life-changing week-long Missions Trip that will leave many lasting impressions, both in the Dominican Republic, and here at Corban University with members of the team. On top of playing multiple games and teaching basketball to the youth at clinics throughout the country, the Warriors spread the Word of God through their actions and testimonies.
“If I were to sum the trip up in two words, it would be ‘LIFE CHANGING’,” said head coach Dave Bale. “So many things happened that touched each one of us, but if I were to highlight a few, it would be the interaction we had with the children, the adults/parents who were working with these children of the Dominican Republic, and then seeing the heart of the SCORE missionaries, administrators, workers, and the ‘bus driver’. We were ministered to the minute we arrived, and it didn’t stop until we left our bus to enter the airport in Santo Domingo. We went to minister, and we did. One example was our bus driver was supposed to have Sunday’s off so that he can take his family to church and have a rest day, but when he found out that we were heading into the capital to play our fourth and final game, he requested/demanded that he drive the bus, and Frank Ogle, the SCORE administrator did all he could to convince him he needed the day off, but Nino was bound and determined to be our driver. The girls touched his heart, and we became his team.”
Wednesday Afternoon:
After the morning orientation at SCORE International, the Warriors headed to their first ministry opportunity at Pasitos de Jesus Home for Girls. The home started when a lady took in a special-needs girl whose neighbors found her in the backyard chained to a dog house and treated like a dog. In the Dominican Republic culture, if someone is born with a birth defect of any kind, that person is abandoned as they are seen as a result of sin. There were a number of girls who had been abandoned living at the house, with the ages ranging from 1-18. Corban was able to play with the girls, playing tag, letting them play with the Warrior players’ hair, and listened to music – the most popular song was “Beat It” by Michael Jackson.
Thursday:
Thursday saw the Navy and Gold finish up breakfast early at SCORE and then headed to its second destination at a sugarcane village. At that location, it included a school with 1st-8th graders. Corban led a basketball clinic for the 7th-8th grade boys and girls, and the students caught on quickly and learned ball-handling skills and how to pass effectively. Following that, the younger-aged kids came rushing out of their classrooms and swarmed the Warrior players! They, too, enjoyed playing tag, loved having their pictures taken, and played hand-clapping games.
Friday:
The team woke up early and was eating by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, packing food bags for families considered to be the poorest of the poor.
The Warriors spent the morning at Quisqueya visiting the Emmanuel House. This is a small school founded by a lady named Merqueya. She started schooling children in her home even though her neighbors did not approve. Eventually she was able to move to the current location and the school flourished. They are in the process of gathering funds to build Merqueya’s dream Emmanuel: bigger classrooms, more bathrooms, a better playground and more resources in general.
Adrienne Christian, an American, was the guide for Corban at Emmanuel House and she explained to the Warriors the history of the school. After playing with the children during recess for about 20 minutes, Adrienne took Corban to visit homes of some of the school children. These homes were in the worse imaginable shape, with the homes made up of either pieces of sheet metal nailed together or random pieces of wood or particle board. Floors were never finished, just dirt. Despite the condition of the homes, the Dominican Republic families never once asked for material items. What they asked for was health, safety, and the spirit of Christ to be with their family, friends, and neighbors.
Corban also played games on both Thursday and Friday, and when talking about both of the games against the Dominican Republic National Team, Bale had this to say:
“We played a team with size, speed, and shooting ability,” said Bale. “The gym was a covered wood floor with open sides and cement bleachers. It was very hot and humid. The heat was a major factor for us, but the ladies played really well for not having practiced for 2.5 months. Our opponent was running practices when we entered the gym and they had been practicing for 2.5 months. We were down by six points at the half on Thursday, while leading most of the first half on Friday. The two major differences between the two days were we were not ready for ‘rugby’ style hoops and we also weren’t prepared for playing in the intense heat! It was very physical both days (bumping, holding, reaching), and it got to us. On Friday we were ready for it and maintained our composure, they respected us as they did not go to their bench on Friday. Closing out the two days, the Dominican Republic team was very receptive of our testimonies, and we had a great conversation with two of the older players. On Friday, Jade Lowery and Tim Seiber shared their testimonies and did a fantastic job.”
Saturday:
The Warriors left by 8:30 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. game in the capital city against a club team, Mauricio Baez, coached by the All-Time best female player in the Dominican Republic women’s game. Corban walked into the gym and saw five players who played the previous two games against the Warriors. Two of them were starters, and a third was a player who saw significant action, while two did not play much. The Navy and Gold used a handful of three-pointers early on to take a 29-12 lead, but by halftime, the lead was significantly reduced. In the second stanza, it was easy to tell that Corban had played 2.5 games and the Warriors’ legs had lost their punch, ultimately seeing Corban lose by 10 points. Following the game, however, Katherine Salness and Heidi Eckmann gave great testimonies that were received very well by the opponents.
After the games, the Warriors ate lunch at Pizza Hut in the market area, and the team enjoyed watching the movie Tangled on the big screen as well. Corban then walked from the restaurant to the Straw Market before returning to the SCORE complex and relaxing for only a few minutes. The team then walked five minutes to what is known as the Lily House. That house had the mission of saving women and helping women who are coming out of human trafficking. It is also a safe house for these women, so no photos were allowed of their faces. Lily House has a beauty salon, spa with massage/mani/pedi, a small store, and a bakery with a delicious homemade ice cream.
Sunday:
Beginning to wrap the trip up on Sunday, Corban went to a church service down the street from SCORE at a Dominican Church. While it was small and crowded, everyone was incredibly joyful. The Warriors tried to sing some songs, but in some ways it proved difficult as everything was in Spanish. After the singing was over, the Warriors were dismissed to attend an English sermon, while the rest remained for the Dominican sermon. Frank Ogle led Corban’s sermon, finishing his series on the book of Jonah.
Following lunch in the complex, the Warriors rested up and headed out for the last game of the trip against another club team, INEFI. Corban played extremely well in its final game, playing with all the energy it could muster, and its efforts proved to be fruitful as the Warriors prevailed victorious! Mattaea Cooper, Chris Carlson, and Tim Seiber all gave testimonies following the games, and once again, Corban’s opponents received their message very well. Following that, Frank and Jo Ogle treated the team to a delicious meal at a fancy restaurant, and the plates held more than the Warriors could eat, but the food was tasty.
Monday:
The final day saw Corban enjoy breakfast for the final time at SCORE, and then the Warriors loaded the bus and headed for La Romana for an all-day trip to Catalina Island. While the drive took about 40 minutes, it was all worth it because following a 20-minute boat ride to the first snorkeling destination, Corban found itself at one of the most beautiful places in the country! After leaping from the boat with masks, snorkels, and fins on, the Warriors swam in the warm, crystal-clear blue water for about 45 minutes. Players saw a wide variety of coral and many species of fish, and a few of the players and Coach Bale decided to dive towards the ocean floor towards the end of the allotted time in the water.
From there, Corban moved to the other side of Catalina Island to enjoy beach time and more snorkeling for those who wanted to. The team then ate a wonderful BBQ lunch on the beach before returning back to the boat. On the boat ride back home, the entire Warrior team enjoyed a dance party, entertaining everybody.
Tuesday:
It was an early departure for the team following the incredible trip to the Dominican Republic. The Warriors departed the foreign soil and landed back in the United States mid-afternoon on Tuesday, eventually arriving back in Salem on Tuesday night.
“We did numerous things throughout the week, and we know that those actions will ultimately make a long-term difference because of the everyday/year-long impact that SCORE has in the Dominican Republic,” said Bale. “We will be forever grateful for the opportunity God provided us.”