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Tiger Athletic Missions Experience Blog

Day 3 Blog

Jordan Burke
ETBU Junior Captain
League City, TX

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

On Tuesday, the day started off with an amazing home cooked breakfast at the home we are staying at for the first part of the trip.  For every meal, it's been great to have all the guys come together for quality time, team bonding, and enjoying each other's company. After breakfast, everyone got ready and we took a bus ride to the Donna Holland Christian School. When we arrived, we were all treated with cheers, high-fives, and many smiles. It was amazing to feel how impactful these kids were with their smiles. Coming from public schools that were up to date in all facilities and utilities, walking through the Christian school felt very foreign. Seeing the natural lighting, small desks and no A/C just keeps reminding me how fortunate I am in Texas.

After we had walked through the front and main section of the school, we entered the recess area and were continually greeted by some new faces, but many recognizable from Monday. One of the first things I noticed was how energetic, happy, and kind the kids were. These are the types of kids that can enjoy just about any toy, object, or even any situation. Another thing I realized is how every kid knew the other kids. The entire school gave off a feeling that they were all one big family that was welcoming for us even though we were complete strangers. Immediately after we came to the recess area, it was time to play and the kids were ecstatic. We got out our soccer balls and began playing right away.

Roughly, five groups consisting of children, players, and our coaches were formed as each played a different game. In my group, my roommate and I had about twelve boys line up. We had one soccer ball and one basketball hoop and that's all we needed. Each kid took a turn shooting then happily went to the back of the line, whether it was a basket or no basket. After a while, I noticed a few boys had difficulty making baskets so I offered, through hand motions, if they'd like me to lift them up to the basket. It was a big hit for three of the boys. From then on, those three were slam-dunking like they were in the NBA! Again, it was very heart-warming to see how big of an impact we were able to have on the young kids. It was evident that our team made all the kids happy, but I know that those kids brought so much more happiness to us.  After about 30 minutes or so, those kids had to go back to class. Everyone said their goodbyes, consisting of many hugs, high-fives, and even some new handshakes.

Shortly after, the team went to another part of the school where we would run some simple soccer drills with new students that belonged to the high school portion of the Christian school. Some of my teammates and I took the all the girls from the big group and began a passing line. We focused on showing the girls how to pass with the inside of their foot. Some caught on quickly while others didn't, but that was okay because everyone enjoyed it. We also played "monkey-in-the-middle" then did a shooting drill with everyone. At the end, some of the more technical boys wanted to play against us so we played a game against them. It was very fast and very fun. Those boys were a blast to play against and had great sportsmanship. It was very cool to see how those who weren't playing, stood on a small wall that surrounded players and began to cheer. Back at home, soccer doesn't receive many spectators. But here, everyone wants to see every play and cheer. After being at the school for a few hours, it was such a blessing to see how the kids valued friendships and the community rather than the tangible things like toys and phones. That has been the biggest message for me on this mission trip so far.

After our trip to the school, the team came back to our house for lunch.  While I couldn't quite tell you what is was, it was very good! We hung out around the house and spent time together until it was time to head off to where we would run our second soccer clinic.

We arrived at the field, but not many people were there for the clinic. So, with only about 5 kids there, we decided to run a "practice" as the team and kids ran drills together. Although the kids were much younger, they didn't see a difference between us and them. They showed up to learn and I believe they really did learn some things. I, myself, learned how to humble myself with the two visits we made to the field. There was 10% grass and 90% dirt and rock. Having never played on a dirt field before, I was very shocked to step on the field the first day. I was even more shocked to see how the kids didn't care one bit. But today, it felt very normal to me. I felt right at home with my teammates, the kids, and some soccer balls at our feet. After playing, we let some other guys play on the field as the team went around the area and picked up trash that was scattered on the ground all around the field.

This evening, at dinner and around the table, everyone was constantly sharing jokes, laughs, and experiences. In such a short amount of time, it's amazing how one trip to Nicaragua could bring our team closer.  After dinner, we had our second team devotional where our team will shared their experiences from the first few days.  It's great to see how these guys have soaked in all these experiences and gained a deeper understanding from it all. Just throughout the last 48 hours, so much has changed in my eyes, my mind, and my heart. Coming from a place with so much and so many things to do, coming to Nicaragua was life-changing. The first day here, many things seemed odd and different. But today, everything felt normal and much more comfortable. Since I've been here, I've gained a deeper understanding of how blessed I truly am. Not only am I blessed to have received so much, but I am also blessed to have opportunities that let me utilize my strengths for the Lord's work. Coming to this country has allowed me to fulfill others' happiness as well as mine as I get to grow closer to all of those around me through soccer. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for my team, this community, and I.