The Wheaton Thunder softball team is participating in a sports ministry trip in Costa Rica over the next week. Thunder head coach Amanda Fazzari says, "This is the first time the program has taken advantage of an opportunity like this in the past seven years and we are extremely grateful to be able to use our gifts and passions towards softball as a platform for ministry. We have partnered with High Performance Sports and will be serving in Costa Rica on athletic missions from January 4-11."
Fazzari adds, "While in Costa Rica, we will serve in over three different ministries (special needs, widows, children and teens, etc.), compete against local teams, and conduct softball camps to interested children and young adults. We will also have opportunities to explore the area of Coronado, near Bráulio Carrillo National Park, which will bring the Bible to life in a fresh and exciting way. The chance to share testimonies, serve God's people internationally, and learn more about His Truth are life-changing and historic experiences for our program. We strive to uphold the college's motto, "For Christ and His Kingdom," and are confident that the impact made on the trip will go far beyond the time we are physically there.
Thunder players will be providing updates throughout the trip so be sure to check back to this page throughout the week.
First Recap (Jan. 5) --- Second Recap (Jan. 6) --- Third Recap (Jan. 7) --- Fourth Recap (Jan. 8) --- Fifth Recap (Jan. 11)
FIRST RECAP (Submitted Jan. 5), by Livi Figueroa
After a wonderful breakfast made by High Performance Sports from their local chef, WCSB heads out to serve where needed at Funipar, a special needs school in Cartago, Costa Rica. The school aims to equip those disadvantaged with the necessary skills to find work and cultivate a safe space to live and build community. WCSB served the community there by leading various activities including kickball, relay races, basketball, and softball related drills. What started out as structured day and despite a significant language barrier, turned into a day packed full of fun and great memories. Those who would rather take a break from the long day of play, participated in face-painting and bracelet making
In addition to serving Funipar, WCSB tried new food and new experiences for lunch at City Bakery, and a quick ice cream stop back in Coronado. We went sent site-seeing in the local town, visiting a cathedral. The group continued their adventure back to High Performance Sports campus and had a night full of Christ-centered community paired with a dinner and devotional.
SECOND RECAP (Submitted Jan. 6), by Nori Kang
Today was full of friendly competition. We started the day with grocery shopping for the Widow's Ministry, Casa Bethesda, which became a competition of who could buy the most items and stay the closest to the budget. The winners? We all won in the name of serving others (Shylah and Nori won).
The competition didn't stop there. We then transitioned into a skills clinic with the local team. Those skills were put to the test afterwards when your Wheaton Thunder took home the "W" after battling 7-innings. We were blessed by the testimonies of our sisters at Casa Bethesda, the privilege to serve them, as well as the opportunity for connection that softball brings us.
THIRD RECAP (Submitted Jan. 6), by Mia Reinhard
Today held many transformative experiences for WCSB. After yet another wonderful breakfast at HPS, followed by a lovely drive through the city, we had the unique experience to visit a local orphanage and serve the children there. We spent our time there playing games, painting, and of course teaching the kids the basics of softball, which they seemed to love! We did our best to learn more about the kids during this time and connect with them as best as we could. The language barrier continued to be a struggle, however many jokes were made and laughs shared between the kids and our team- it was truly a joyful time spent together.
Our second event of the day was once again spent at the softball fields with the same young women from yesterday. We had a clinic with them focusing on the defensive side of the game, followed by another scrimmage, this time with some of our team joining the Costa Rica team. This was a great experience that resulted in unexpected levels of bonding and joy, and certainly played a significant role in spreading the Gospel through the game of softball. We can only hope that the remainder of our time in Costa Rica will be as impactful- both for us and those we came to love and serve.
FOURTH RECAP (Submitted Jan. 8), by Abby Whitehead
Today was a long and demanding day for WCSB that began with another wonderfully made breakfast at HPS before traveling to a local church. We spent the morning laboring through a construction service project, moving dirt and gravel and mixing concrete as we worked toward creating a staircase. Lunch was graciously provided for us at the church and then we spent the early part of the afternoon finished the project. Was it physically demanding, absolutely, but we were grateful for the opportunity to serve in a hands-on way!
In the evening, we headed to the fields for our final softball game with them. Reuniting with the local girls and being able to share the field and play alongside them was a highlight for us all. Our game was filled with lots of energy, laughter, and joy! Even though many of us don't speak Spanish, softball brought us together and those are games we will never forget! We returned to HPS for dinner, devotionals and worship which allowed us to center our hearts and reflect on the day and the days ahead!
FIFTH RECAP, Covering days 6 & 7 (Submitted Jan. 11), by Gracey Rockness
After five days of ministry and softball, days six and seven were personal days. Day six began dark and early, at approximately 4:45 am. Our group boarded the bus armed with sunscreen, towels, and a packed breakfast provided by saint Katya of HPS. After three hours of expert driving and navigation by saint Luisca of HPS, we arrived at our destination: white water rafting.
We were split into groups of six, given a guide and a raft, and promptly sent down the river. Along the river, we not only enjoyed a number of rapids, but had the opportunity to admire the natural beauty of Costa Rica. A highlight for many was the halfway marker on our journey: a canyon settled in the mountains that we were able to swim and float through unaided by rafts. After rafting, we returned home for coffee, dinner, and worship.
Day 7 began in a similar fashion: dark, early, and on a bus. However, this time our destination was Manuel Antonio beach. The beach provided a number of opportunities for adventure. Several coaches went paragliding, a number of players were thrown headfirst off a banana boat in the middle of the Pacific, and monkeys, iguanas, basilisks (more commonly known as Jesus Christ lizards), and sloths roamed the beach and the attached rainforest national park freely. We had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, followed by worship and devotional in a secluded cove off the main beach. After a long day of swimming, exploring, and nearly drowning (kidding), we returned to the HPS facility for another wonderful meal provided by Saint Katia.
While the activities themselves during these two days were once in a lifetime opportunities, it was the smaller moments that left the biggest impression (speaking for myself, of course). These rafting and beach goings were not inherently "ministry opportunities." However, I experienced God's ministry and presence all the same. A "God bless you" from a shop keeper in the beach town. Laughter when a rafting instructor threw the majority of his group into the river. Worship on the beach. The awe of beginners and instructors alike while floating through the canyon, surrounded by God's incredible creation. These smaller moments encapsulated a large truth that has been emphasized for me on this trip: while there are certain opportunities for ministry that are unique to Costa Rica, there is no shortage of opportunities for ministry in our day to day lives.
