The action started soon after landing, as the team loaded its bags onto a bus and headed straight to Whala!BocaChica, the hotel that will serve as DBU's base camp for the first few days. After a quick rundown of expectations, the team headed to its rooms to change before walking into town for an evening church service at Iglesia Fe Apostólica República Dominicana, Los Coquitos.
 
The time of worship began with singing focused on the return of Christ, including the hymns "Jesús Vendrá Otra Vez" and "Viene Otra Vez." The congregation then opened the floor for members to share testimonies of the work God was doing in their lives. DBU athletes were invited to participate with the help of a translator.
 
Senior Christopher Foreman shared first, highlighting the work Christ had done in his life to free him from anxiety, even though he had grown up in a Christ-centered home. Sophomore Roman Monsivais then shared his testimony of how God transformed his life despite Roman once rejecting God through both his words and actions.
 
After more singing and testimonies, the pastor preached from Luke 12:22-28. He encouraged the church not to become consumed with the trivial concerns of life, but instead to find purpose in serving Christ regardless of their circumstances. Referencing Scripture, he explained how living for Christ and setting aside the concerns of the world offers a fulfillment that nothing else can provide. He then invited anyone who was not living for Jesus to surrender their lives and follow Him.
 
The service concluded with greetings and handshakes as the team walked back through town to the hotel. A quick meeting followed to make sure everyone was prepared for Monday's schedule before the team was dismissed for the night.

Day 2
The team's first full day in the Dominican Republic began at 6:45 a.m. with a morning devotional from Coach Andrew Price to set the team's minds and hearts on the right track. He read from Philippians 2:1-4, encouraging the track team to keep its attention and priorities on the people we were there to serve, as well as on one another. In doing so, the team could have one mind and one focus: glorifying Christ in what we say and do. 
  
Afterward, the team took just a few steps toward the ocean to begin a beach workout led by a local Dominican baseball coach and Eric, one of the men working with Dominican Baseball Camp. Though baseball is a major focus for young men in the country, Dominican baseball organizations place a premium on athleticism. During tryouts, teams first have prospects run a 60-meter dash. If a prospect cannot run it fast enough, he may be sent home, even if he has potential in other areas of the game.  So, the workout the track athletes were set to complete was designed to help the Dominicans run faster and become more agile.  
  
The team has been training throughout the fall to prepare for the indoor track season, but the beach workout was far from easy. The athletes went through multiple agility and speed drills on the sand while also sprinting, swimming, and jumping in the ocean water. By the end, the athletes were spent, needing to cool off in the ocean and wash the sand from their bodies before heading to breakfast and the rest of the day's activities. 
  
Once everyone had eaten, the team headed to a local community north of Boca Chica called Blanco. As the bus traveled there, the lively beach community gave way to rural land filled with agriculture. The team arrived at a small village and divided into three groups to paint three houses. As each group worked to improve the structures, conversations broke out between team members and local residents. Once most of the painting was complete, two smaller teams went into other areas of the village to distribute hygiene kits. The opportunity not only allowed the team to meet practical needs, but more importantly, to share the Gospel. 
  
The team returned to the hotel for lunch before splitting into two groups for the afternoon. The men were scheduled to tour and help teach English at the Kansas City Royals' baseball training facility, while the women prepared to serve at Holt's House of Hope. 
  
At the Royals' training facility, the men toured the compound with the players, seeing the dorm rooms, kitchen, gym, sports medicine facility, batting cages, and classrooms. The groups then rotated through activities designed to build conversation, with the baseball players practicing English and the track athletes practicing Spanish. At one station, the English speakers taught the Dominicans how to play blackjack, followed by the ballplayers teaching the Americans how to play dominoes, a very popular game in the Dominican Republic. The final station focused on reading. Royals players and DBU athletes took turns reading a children's book written in a language other than their own.  The afternoon concluded with two testimonies from Eithan Threats and Coach Dave Trevino. 
  
The women arrived at Holt's House of Hope and immediately began engaging with the girls. Games were played, hair was braided, pictures were drawn, and conversations were shared, even with the language barrier. Although the group had just met, everyone was in high spirits, enjoying their time together as though they were old friends. Some of the team helped serve a meal while others helped clean up afterward. Three team members, Sophia Swanton, Kendal Brown, and Aubrey Ford, shared their testimonies, while Libni Gutierrez practiced her Spanish by translating Sophia's testimony. The day finished with a large relay race that included all the girls and the women's team. 
  
The men and women reunited at the hotel for dinner before gathering for a debrief to close out the day. The team sang worship songs in a circle by the beach, followed by a time to share how they saw God working throughout the day. The meeting closed with a preview of Tuesday's activities before everyone was dismissed for the night. 

Day 3
The DBU track team was on the road at 7:30 a.m. to deliver pre-made hygiene kits to local families living in impoverished conditions in Blanco and the surrounding communities. On the bus, Coach Andrew Price started the day with another devotional from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24, highlighting verses 16-19. Price encouraged the athletes to lean on the Holy Spirit to find joy in all circumstances, a trait many of the students were surprised to see in the Dominicans despite their living situations. He also encouraged the team to pray for the interactions they would have in the villages, as well as for one another.  Price tied this to the importance of having a heart of gratitude for the work God is doing through the Holy Spirit. By listening to the Spirit's guidance rather than quenching it, the team can better follow God's will throughout the trip. 

 In the agrarian villages, the students divided into groups of six to ten, each accompanied by a translator, to walk the roads and start conversations with residents. The hygiene kits served multiple purposes, providing a natural way for students to begin conversations while also meeting practical needs for families who may not have soap, toothpaste, and other toiletries. Many students were able to pray with those they met, and the team distributed more than 500 kits in total. 

 With the bags delivered, the team hopped back on the bus and drove into Santo Domingo. There, they explored the Fortress of Columbus, learning about the history of the Dominican Republic and the early history of the Western Hemisphere. Many of the buildings the team saw were among the oldest constructed by European colonists in North and South America. 
The team was then given 500 pesos per person and instructed to find lunch on their own. The challenge was designed not only to test the Spanish the team has been learning, but also to give the athletes an experience similar to what a Dominican baseball player might encounter when first coming to the United States. 

After the lunch challenge, the team met at Columbus Park before heading to one of the trip's core components: the track meet. DBU traveled to the newly refurbished Dominican Olympic Center to compete against local track clubs and the Dominican Air Force. Each team member was assigned at least one event and encouraged to warm up and spend time with the Dominican athletes they were competing against.  The meet gave the DBU athletes an opportunity to compete, but more importantly, it provided another setting to build relationships and have conversations about Jesus. 

Once the races were complete, the men on the team headed back to the hotel while the women traveled to the Kansas City Royals' baseball facility. Just like the men, they received a tour of the compound, visiting the locker room, gym, sports medicine center, classrooms, and batting cages. They then divided into four groups with Royals players to discuss life in the United States, helping the Dominicans learn about similarities and differences between the two cultures. 

One of the topics discussed was romantic relationships and dating. The women on the team were honest about appropriate relationship behavior and what is not tolerated in romantic relationships. The ballplayers then taught the women how to swing a baseball bat before having them participate in a batting cage session with soft toss pitches.   

The evening concluded with the women rejoining the men at the hotel for a quick debrief and instructions for Wednesday's agenda. 

Day 4
On the final full day of the trip, the DBU team traveled north into the Dominican mountains to a community called Jarabacoa. After breakfast, Coach Price gave his devotional on the bus, citing Romans 8:31-39. He reminded the team of the depth of God's love for us, demonstrated through Jesus. God is for us, sending Christ to die in our place. Christ was then raised from the dead and now intercedes on our behalf, giving us confidence that, just as Jesus conquered death, we can endure the hardships of life through Christ because our hope is ultimately anchored in eternity. 

The bus trip was expected to take three hours, but with about 30 minutes remaining, the bus broke down on a steep uphill section in the middle of a construction zone. Not only did the engine stop working, but the bus door also became stuck and had to be pushed open using the driver's legs for leverage. Even as the sun came out and the heat began to build, the team showed amazing composure. They found a paved road in the shade of the trees off to the side of the road, and the activity picked up almost immediately. Games of four square, two-ball, and volleyball kept the energy high. After 30 minutes of waiting, buses from Jarabacoa arrived to pick up the team, packing everyone in as tightly as possible to finish the last leg of the journey. 

Though delayed from the original schedule, the team eventually arrived at the trailhead for a waterfall hike. The team enjoyed the journey through the jungle, stopping at water holes along the way to jump from rocks and cool off in the stream. Eventually, after navigating the jungle trail and walking through the river, the team reached the main waterfall. The waterfall provided opportunities for team members to climb alongside it and jump into the basin below. However, with another activity waiting, they could not stay long before hiking back to the trailhead. 

Next on the agenda was an afternoon of games at a Christian after-school center. More than 100 children, boys and girls ranging from 5 to 18 years old, were excited to play with the Americans. After an introduction, the children divided themselves into their preferred sports, playing baseball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and even football, inviting the DBU athletes to join. Team members also spent time talking with the children, joining dance routines, and enjoying the afternoon together, even when the rain came. After several hours of playing, it was time to get back on the bus and return to Boca Chica. A quick dinner stop at a local pizza restaurant fueled the team before the three-hour drive back to the hotel. 

Upon returning, the team divided into men's and women's groups for a comprehensive debrief of the weekend. Separating the groups gave the athletes space to be more vulnerable about the work God had been doing in their lives. After more than an hour of sharing, laughing, crying, and praying, the athletes made their way to bed. 

Concluding Thoughts 
Mission trips produce different results for different people, but there is a common refrain often heard from those who go: "I came to bring the Gospel to them, but in the end, I was the one who was changed." 
 
The phrase is cliché and, at times, even self-centered, but its familiarity does not make it any less true. Nearly half of the people on this trip had never traveled outside the United States, and very few of the student athletes had ever been to the Dominican Republic. Thinking the athletes would return as the same people would ignore the reality of what they experienced. 
 
The Gospel changes people. In some cases, that change has eternal implications.  Yet the Gospel's work does not stop at conversion. Those who already belong to Christ still need the Gospel every day. It is the power of God, a reminder of God's grace, freedom from the power of sin, a stimulus to love and serve, and a guide to fix our eyes on the prize that awaits the faithful.  Throughout this trip, DBU student-athletes experienced the truth of the Gospel both in word and in deed, as evidenced by their service, encouragement, and interactions with others.