Fall 2022 Bethel Magazine

BY -*44" ƹ(3"4)03/ƺ %*": -XQLRU QXUVLQJ PDMRU 0DGG\ 3D\QH UHPHPEHUV WKH PRPHQW she sat down next to a quiet little boy and looked out at her volleyball team, playing with children from a village they were YLVLWLQJ RQ D PLVVLRQ WULS WR WKH 'RPLQLFDQ 5HSXEOLF 6KH FRXOGQŠW HQJDJH WKH FKLOG LQ FRQYHUVDWLRQ — WKH\ VSRNH GLƂHUHQW languages — EXW MXVW KHU SUHVHQFH VSRNH YROXPHV Ţ,W ZDV WKH ƃUVW WLPH LQ VXFK D ORQJ WLPH , VDZ VXFK MR\ RQ HYHU\RQHŠV IDFHV 7KH\ ZHUHQŠW ZRUULHG DERXW ZKDW ZDV JRLQJ RQ DW KRPH Ũ RU FODVVHV Ũ RU WKH QH[W PDWFK Ũ WKH\ ZHUH MXVW SUHVHQW LQ WKDW PRPHQW ,W ZDV DPD]LQJ WR VHH WKH IXOO JORU\ RI God with those kids — MXVW SOD\LQJ DQG KDYLQJ IXQ ţ 3D\QH DQG WKH WHDP ZHUH LQ WKH 'RPLQLFDQ 5HSXEOLF ZLWK 6FRUH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO DQ RUJDQL]DWLRQ WKDW FUHDWHV FXVWRPL]HG PLVVLRQ WULSV WR HQJDJH HTXLS DQG HYDQJHOL]H SHRSOH DFURVV DOO QDWLRQV VFRUH LQWHUQDWLRQDO FRP )RU SDUW RI WKH WULS WKH WHDP VHUYHG and for the part of the trip, they put on volleyball clinics and played in matches — LQFOXGLQJ RQH DJDLQVW WKH 'RPLQLFDQ 5HSXEOLFŠV -XQLRU 1DWLRQDO 7HDP ZKRP WKH\ VZHSW LQ WKUHH as well as club teams. )RU +HDG &RDFK .DWLH :HLVV Š WKH WULS ZDV D KRPHFRPLQJ RI VRUWV :HLVV DQG KHU IDPLO\ KDG VHUYHG LQ WKH 'RPLQLFDQ 5HSXEOLF DV PLVVLRQDULHV IRU D \HDU LQ )RU WKLV WULS KHU KXVEDQG 'DQ Š GDXJKWHU +DQDK D %HWKHO VRSKRPRUH DQG YROOH\EDOO SOD\HU DQG VRQ 'DYLG ZHUH DEOH WR FRPH WRR Ţ>$V PLVVLRQDULHV LQ WKH 'RPLQLFDQ 5HSXEOLF@ ZH FDPH DORQJVLGH D SDVWRU RI WKUHH FKXUFKHV 4XLQD DQG GHYHORSHG D \RXWK program, basketball ministry with a local gym and worked with VWXGHQWV DW VFKRROV ţ :HLVV VD\V Ţ2Q WKH ODVW GD\ RI WKLV >%HWKHO@ WULS ZH ZHQW WR 0RFKD DQG VDZ RXU SHRSOH DQG KRZ WKDW ZRUN has continued.” 2Q WKLV VXPPHUŠV WULS WKH WHDP VSHQW WKH PRUQLQJV VHUYLQJ DQG WKH D̃HUQRRQV SXWWLQJ RQ FOLQLFV RU SOD\LQJ PDWFKHV 2QH RI WKH WHDPŠV IDYRULWH SDUWV was visiting orphanages and playing with kids. “We spent time coloring, drawing, singing, sharing testimonies and praying. We allowed the kids to braid our hair. They loved doing that,” Weiss says. )RU 3D\QH WLPH VSHQW ZLWK NLGV ZDV DOVR SDUWLFXODUO\ PHDQLQJIXO “It was really hot, but the girls we were playing in clinics with ZHUH VR H[FLWHG WKH\ GLGQŠW HYHQ ZDQW WR VWRS IRU D GULQN RI ZDWHU ţ 3D\QH VD\V Ţ,W ZDV D JRRG UHPLQGHU WR VHH WKDW SDVVLRQ for the sport. It reignited my passion!” The trip also inspired the players spiritually and united the team like nothing else can. “I go back to the moment of everyone playing with kids. [A mission trip] forces you to be in a place for one week where nothing else matters — it’s your team, and Jesus and these people. To be in a place where everyone was being impacted spiritually. I saw girls who never cry, cry — it provides a bond that no one else can say that they have with my teammates,” Payne says. Weiss agrees that this trip reinforced what BU athletics is all about —glorifying God through sport. “What better way to start D \HDU WKDQ >WKURXJK@ D PLVVLRQ WULS"ţ VKH VD\V VOLLEYBALL TEAM UNITES ON TRIP TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 19 FALL 2022 Top right 0DGG\ 3D\QH LQWHUDFWV ZLWK D FKLOG LQ D YLOODJH ZKHUH WKH team distributed food. %RWWRP OH˪ : The team visits an orphanage for girls, playing volleyball with them and sharing testimonies. Bottom right : +DQQDK 'XOO FRORUV ZLWK D \RXQJ JLUO DW DQ RUSKDQDJH