The DBU Men's Soccer team served in Spain during July 2018, as part of the Dallas Baptist University Global Sports Mission Initiative program. Below is a daily recap detailing the teams' service in Spain.
DAY ONE RECAP
After many hours of traveling by plane, train, metros, and buses, we have made it to Denia, Spain! The Men's Soccer team is excited as they take in their surroundings and start preparing for soccer camp.
We started off Sunday morning at church in Denia. It is such a wonderful experience being able to worship with brothers and sisters in Christ from other countries. The Lord would have it that a music group from McKinney, Texas, (Mosaix) would lead us in time of worship. More specifically, we could see the hand of God in this situation. The leaders of the group (Myron and Stacy Wilson) found out that their house burned down in Texas while they were here in Denia. Myron and Stacy's son (Landon) is a DBU alumni and their daughter-in-law (Lauren) is a current student. They were encouraged to have DBU people at the same time with them to love on them and pray for them during this tough time and it was our honor to do so.
After church, the team went to Eunice's and Hugo's house to watch the Spain soccer game. Jorge Pastor walked in halfway during the game to meet the team! He has been battling cancer and to see him was such a relief for us. He has his last chemo session on Tuesday, and he sure would love our prayers!
At 7:00 p.m., students started to arrive for camp, and you could feel the energy exploding! We are so excited to be able to lead soccer camps for 60 students and use a station to where the kids will hear testimonies from the soccer players each day! The day ended with the soccer team playing some of the locals in a friendly match!
Please pray for the Lord to go before us as we share the love of Jesus with these 60 kids and for the soccer players to settle into their schedules with camp. There are long days ahead, but the team is excited and up for the challenge! We are so thankful for this opportunity!
- Chris Holloway
Director of Global Missions
DAY TWO RECAP
Today was our first full day of camp. The kids took to the team naturally and relationships are already beginning to blossom. At 8:00 a.m. we greeted the families during check-in, many of whom are new to Alfa y Omega. Since Alfa y Omega is the only Christian school in Spain, any chance to make contact with new kids is exciting because it is most likely the first time they will hear the gospel!
This morning, the team led training rotations. One station included a bible study and today, senior Cory Marr shared his testimony. The kids will hear the stories of a new player each day!
A few of us went to meet the mayor of Denia alongside the Mosaix team. We presented the mayor and other city leaders with gifts from DBU and expressed our gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside Alfa y Omega. Although the meeting was brief, conversation was reflective of faith in Christ and both teams were able to share little pieces of the gospel.
Tonight our team hosted scrimmages on the field that all official Denia teams utilize. The kids were overjoyed with the chance to play on a "real" field. Our guys will also have the chance to play a local team there later this week.
It was a wonderful first day! We are all encouraged by the faith and dedication of the staff at Alfa y Omega. We're excited to partner with them this week in their efforts to minister to this local community. Continue to pray that our words and actions would be a reflection of God's character and faith in Christ.
Bailey Plylant
Coordinator for News & Social Media
Player Reflections From Sunday & Monday
Sunday- Cory Marr
"After our day of exploration in Madrid, we finally traveled to Denia, Spain! Upon arriving, we were greeted by Danny, Eunice, and her father Jorge Pastore. Eunice's daughter Alexa gave us a warm welcoming by giving us a tour of Alpha & Omega, the school at which we are staying. Full after a meal prepared by our hosts, we began our trek to the city of Denia. Split into two groups, we explored the vibrant city and made our way to the beach on the Mediterranean Sea. Tired after a competitive match of volleyball, we got locally made ice cream/yogurt and topped it off with dinner from the school.
Church was next on the agenda, with Texas Mosaix, a local Dallas music group, leading us in worship. A new pastor at the church gave us an encouraging message along with three testimonies from people connected with the church. It was really unique during worship as well as the message, seeing God move in His mighty way even through language and cultural barriers. God continued to show His love and mercy when the kids arrived for camp! We were greeted with high fives, fist bumps, and hugs all around! After just a short session, we led the kids in our DBU celebration song after we win games during the season. Their faces and emotions, gave us the energy we needed when we got the chances to play with two local professional futsal players from Denia.
We are excited and expectant to see God move and use soccer as a tool for His glory through us! Continue to pray for us as well as the kids for both parties to experience God's love to the fullest.
Monday – Kyle
"After getting settled into Denia, we were able to enjoy a full day of camp. The day started off with a delicious breakfast and a short informational meeting from Chip letting us know what we were needed to accomplish with the kids throughout the day. This day was extra special because we spent time with three and four year olds. We were also privileged to spend time with the older kids who were split up into four teams. These teams spent time in four different stations where they worked on their technical abilities during three sessions and heard Cory's life story. The kids also learned the "I Believe That We Will Win" chant that the United States men's national team fans chant at every game. After that we spent time with the kids at the pool and then at the lunch table. Right after lunch a small group of us went to a small beach.
After we arrived back at the school we were driven to a beautiful Soccer stadium were the kids scrimmaged and shared many laughs with us. Then came dinner, where we enjoyed hotdogs and french fries and even more time with these kids who never seem to stop smiling. Then we finished the night with the opportunity to watch the kids enjoy a obstacle course similar to the American ninja warrior competitions. The day was very long but the time we spent with the kids made it all worth it."
DAY THREE RECAP
Today was our second full day at Alpha and Omega. The day began with an assembly where we learned new songs and dances with the kids. The music group, Mosaix, performed again for us! After this our day was chalked full of soccer.
We began by breaking up into our respective groups and running the kids through multiple drills. I have greatly enjoyed this part of the mission trip because I can build relationships with these sweet kids, despite the language barrier. In the afternoon, we went to the local stadium in Denia where we had the kids compete in a 4v4 tournament. The teams were comprised of coaches and players alike, but the teams were different from the original groups created for the morning session. This allowed us to meet new kids. It was a pleasure getting to meet new faces and interact with them on a deeper level. After the soccer activities, we returned back to Alpha and Omega where we were treated to another delicious meal by the tireless volunteers.
These kids have been incredible so far. For example, there is a kid in my group that has been nothing but a blessing to me and the rest of the people. His name is Zeus (I may be slightly biased because of his name) and he was the closest thing to a translator that I had for a while. Zeus has a desire to learn and grow not only in soccer, but in all aspects of his life and it is truly inspiring to me. He has helped me setup drills and attempt to relay my broken Spanish to his friends, and he always does it with a smile on his face. I look forward to continuing relationships with people like Zeus and creating new relationships with each one of these wonderful kids, hoping to share the love of God with them in the process.
Brooks Friedman – Senior
DAY FOUR RECAP
"Day 4! First I Want to say how proud I am of the team. These guys have jumped right in sharing God's love through soccer with the kids! Also, I'm so thankful for Bailey, Sarai, and Brittany. They have been such great support and encouragement to the team and the campers!
Every morning, our team splits up as half go to an assembly with the oldest kids and half "coach" the 3-5 year olds. The little ones are unbelievably cute! After that, futball/soccer camp begins! After 2 days of our guys sharing their testimonies, I shared the Gospel with them today during bible time. We shared these verses with the campers: Romans 3:23, John 3:16-17 and Romans 10:9-10. You could definitely feel God's presence during the group time because the kids were very attentive. Many of them said it was the first time they heard about God! They asked great questions and I feel seeds were planted!
We were also invited to speak at another until camp going on in Denia about DBU and how we are a Christian school. We are making so many new relationships with the campers and staff at Alpha and Omega! Thank you all for your prayers back home!
P.S. They played the our National Anthem at morning assembly this morning and had a Hamburger cookout for us for the 4th of July! Alpha and Omega is a special place they make us feel like family!"
Chip Dutchik - Men's Soccer Head Coach
Player Reflection
Travis Whitt - Junior
Today was a normal day here on our mission trip. We started off singing and dancing in the assembly with the kids then later transitioned to soccer rotations outside. However, one really important difference from today was that the gospel was shared during one of the stations. While we had players share their testimonies the past few days, the story of the gospel was something special. It was very interesting to see how some of the kids at the camp had not even heard about God before. I believe that speaking to them about God and the love that he showed for us early in the week allows for conversations to take place the following days. As leaders, we have been presented with a beautiful opportunity to engage with kids and teach them about the Gospel. Through the relationships we have built, we can ask questions to get the kids thinking and show how scripture helps guide us.
DAY FIVE RECAP
Fourth day of camp! Rotations resumed as normal but the best part of the morning came during bible time as Josue shared his testimony with the kids. Yesterday we had attentive listeners as the Gospel was presented. However today, Josue's testimony elicited a more emotional response from the kids and a few pulled him aside, crying, asking him to talk with them further.
We've encouraged the players to ask the kids how they can pray for them as a transition into gospel conversations. It's been neat to see those who do not believe in Jesus ask for prayer and watch their hearts soften to the message.
Today we handed out DBU soccer gear and there was so much excitement as kids ran around in their matching shirts. Of course, they asked the players to sign them.
After camp, our guys played a local semi-pro team and different families from the community came to watch. The kid's chanted "DBU" wearing their new shirts and it was fantastic! Coach let Danny, Eunice's son, suit up and play with our guys which he really loved. Danny has been friends with Chris over the years and gotten to know our DBU people as they come through. Building upon that relationship with Danny and the entire Alfa y Omega staff makes them feel like family.
We're looking forward to our final day with the kids and then we'll head home early Saturday morning!
Bailey Pylant
Coordinator for News & Social Media
Player Reflection
Riley Unger - Senior
Today was our fourth day of camp here in Denia and it was a blast! Each day brings new adventures and relationships that will be remembered for life. Assembly today was a great time where we learned several dances with the children and showcased (not very well) our great moves.
After the assembly, we headed to our soccer camp where we worked on different skill sets for the children as well as had one of our players testimonies shared. Not all of the kids have heard of Jesus so it is amazing getting to see the looks on their faces and to hear the questions they have during these times! It is such a joy to be able to see the kids running around and growing in their faith and in their play. One that comes to mind in particular is a young boy named "Salvador". He is always eager to play, but also plays very close attention during our Gospel time and is full of questions.
This afternoon we headed back to the local professional field here in Denia where the second part of our camp takes place. Personally, having the camp in this location is really neat for me because I love seeing all of the looks on the campers' faces when they are playing in an actual stadium! Here we split the campers into their respective positions (Defense, Midfield, Forwards) and worked on different drills and skill sets for each position. Afterwards, we were able to display some of our own skill sets to the campers as we scrimmaged the local professional side and played them to a 0-0 draw. The kids even got a "DBU!" chant going.
One of the children that I have become close with here is Mark. Mark is a very reserved and quiet kid; however, he has really begun to open up to the other campers and myself throughout camp and I have really enjoyed getting to know more about him and his life as the week has gone on. This trip has been a huge blessing on my heart and I am looking forward to these last couple of days here and our team leaving an even greater impression on these children and this city.
DAY SIX RECAP
We wrapped up our last of camp on Friday, started the trek home at 1:30 a.m. this morning (Spain time), and just arrived back in Dallas.
Friday, camp held a more relaxed atmosphere as the kids spent most of the time gathering signatures from the players. It was fun to see jerseys and DBU gear marked up with the names of new friends!
After dinner, the team met with the kids and staff from the camp as an official "goodbye". Many kids spoke about how much they learned from watching our guys play and said they looked to them as role models. Our players were able to affirm the kids and Eunice also used the opportunity to explain that the humility, kindness, and servant hearts they saw in our team is the result of the Holy Spirit. It was a very special moment!
The kids stayed awake at the camp as we loaded up to leave. So many tears! So many hugs! It was a sad goodbye but we are excited to see Eunice, Jorge Pastor, and their family at DBU in August.
What a great trip this has been. Our players have been so encouraged and I hope that we were an encouragement to everyone at Alfa y Omega as well!
Thank you for your prayers.
Bailey Pylant
Coordinator for News & Social Media
Player Reflection
Josue Vazquez - Junior
Friday morning started off with an assembly, as usual, leading the kids in songs and dance. The rest of the morning and afternoon was filled with soccer sessions. The team was definitely exhausted but we loved our last moments with the kids!
It has been a joy to communicate and connect with the kids throughout the week about soccer and faith in Jesus Christ. Eunice told us about the history of Alfa y Omega which only increased our appreciation for the school.
Our last day of camp was so bittersweet knowing that we had to say goodbye to the kids we built such amazing bonds with. The day was filled with sad moments and tears from the kids as we pulled away. After dinner, they held a farewell sendoff for our group and it was a very emotional moment as the kids individually told us how we, as a group, impacted their lives.
We then took lots of pictures, prayed with the kids, and sang our DBU victory song one last time. This past week has been an incredible journey which started from not knowing a single kid in Spain to all of us being family at the end.
