Are we present?

As the teams lined up for the “inauguration” ceremony of the annual semana santa (holy week) volleyball tournament, my stomach dropped.  I looked at all my tiny girls lined up against women my age who had many more years of experience, not to mention many more inches to their tall trained bodies.  “Did I make a mistake in making my girls sign up for this 3-on-3 beach volleyball tournament?  Are they just going to get embarrassed in front of all these people watching, including my boss, his family, and many of my friends? Am I going stand up proud next to my girls as they get a beating in front of almost the entire city of Jarabacoa or will I just sit on the bleachers and cheer them on from the sidelines?  How “present” do I want to be as their coach? 

This is a question that I think most of us have to face.  How present are we in the lives of the ones we love?  I often can get so busy with my own schedule that I forget to be present.  I am not just talking about being there when a friend wants to talk about something.  But really, being present.  Am I so engaged in my girls’ lives that I know what’s going on at home?  What subject are the struggling with in school?  What happened today to my roommate Maggie at school?  I find I often come up short in this area. Anyway... back to the volleyball tournament!

So the Semana Santa volleyball tournament is a 3 day event that people come to from all over the country.  There is a 3-on-3 mens basketball tournament, 11k race, as well as 3-on-3 mens and women’s volleyball tournament.  About one month before the event, I gave my varsity girls two options.  You either run in the race or play in the volleyball tournament.  So we train through March with the special rules of beach volleyball and ready or not, the tournament began last Friday.  The tournament is double elimination. Every game is a quick game to 21. We’ve signed 4 teams up, one from JV, two from varsity, and a team of me, Katie (another missionary from SI and a Dominican friend from La Vega called Sindy. Our team was called San Diego. So as we go through the tournament highlights, I will refer to the teams as JV, Varsity1, Varsity2 and San Diego. Torneo de la Montana… here we come!

DAY 1

JV (Anna, Micah, Stephanie): I give the JV team a pep talk before their game against a team from the capital.  One of the girls already has tears in eyes because of her nerves.  They end up played their hearts out and BEAT the other team. Everyone is going crazy because this was a team that was not expected to win.  So awesome!

Giving JV team a pep talk

Varsity 1 (Lili, Shakira, Dianny): They are matched up against a team from the capital - which had two girls over 5’10 and just jacked. The third is a short chubby girl. (Not politically correct probably, but we’re just stating facts here).  One of the tall girls has played for the junior national team for the DR.  Sweet.   Varsity 1 girls play awesome and outsmart the team and win!

Varsity 2: Gets a buy

San Diego:  Wins their game

Everyone goes on to day 2...

DAY 2

JV: Plays against a strong team from Moca.  San Diego is supposed to play right after so Coach Jess can’t be on the sideline to call a timeout as Moca gets a 8 point streak because she is warming up.  Again, the importance of being present.  Anyways, they end up losing and then face another tough team later and lose.  Still, I was very proud of these girls.  (JV is out)

Varsity 1: Wins one game, loses one… still are qualified to play Sunday.

Varsity 2:  Wins one, qualified to play Sunday.

San Diego:  Wins one, qualified to play Sunday.

DAY 3

Varsity 1:  The moment I’ve dreaded most.  Varsity 1 has to play against San Diego.  Us. Me. Their coach.  Gosh, I’m actually super nervous.  More nervous than I’ve ever been for the other games.   The thing is that even though their small, they are smart players.  Plus, if we lose to them, I’m never going to hear the end of it.  Well, I decide to just pretend they are any other team and play hard. And that’s what we do.  At one point, I even hit one of the smallest girls Lili right in the face. Oops!  Even the commentator said I was an abusadora. Lo siento (sorry).  Varsity 1 later loses again and is now out of the tournament.

Varsity 1: Loreidy, Nana and Leslie

Who’s present now?  About 5 of the 9 girls’ parents have came out to watch the tournament which was super exciting! Many times, parents don’t come to watch the girls play, so this was a big deal.  Also, my roomates and other great friends are totally involved with the games and it was so cool to have them be a part of it.

Varsity 2: Loses their game and is also out of the tournament.

SanDiego: In the Semi-finals, we are matched against 3 pretty tough girls from La Vega.  One girl is about 6’1 and if someone doesn’t slow the ball down… watch out.  With the support of our crazy fans, we end up winning and rest till the finals. 

Keep in mind, the champions of the tournament when 35,000 pesos which is about 900 bucks!!! Side note, for those bethel pilots out there, Mark Lettinga was also playing in the men’s volleyball tournament and they also made it the finals.  Men’s tournament champion team wins 60,000 pesos. (In case I forget to mention it later, Mark’s team won the men’s division).   Yeah the DR hasn’t quite grasped the whole equality of the sexes idea yet. J

So back to the championship game. We play against a team from Moca who has also gone undefeated.  I honestly cannot remember a time I’ve been more pumped up in my life. For real.  After lots of diving, hitting, screaming, heart and sweat… we win the game! But you know what the best part of the game was? Looking back and seeing the entire end line filled with my best friends jumping and screaming throughout the entire game.   They could have been there sitting and clapping, but they did so much more than that. They were literally  jumping around and getting us pumped the entire game.  The beer company “presidente” sponsored the tournament so we won a hat, t-shirt, medal… oh and a presidente beer!  It’s just too bad I don’t like beer. Haha. Luckily, I was able to give it away to one of my crazy fans! J

After the winning point!

So besides watching and being proud of my girls and us winning some sweet cash,  I  was reminded of what it means to be involved in someone’s life.  It’s not about just being present…  its about being so involved that you are sweating, crying, screaming alongside them!  Check out the video on youtube from one of the plays of the championship game and make sure you listen to all the commentary of our incredible friends.

VIDEO:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBBH5ja3pCc

Me Soprendiste

“Keysi, tu me soprendiste.”  Leslie told Keysi after a Leslie finally let go of everything that had been bothering at home.  Leslie is one of our best varsity players, but for months she really had been secluding herself from the other girls.  All the girls had gotten together and were sharing ideas of what they had done and what they planned to do to help raise money for our states trip.  When I got to Leslie and asked what she had done, she simply said. “Nothing.” I pulled her aside and explained to her, if she did not embrace her role on this team and start to involve herself, she would have to be kicked off the team.   After this meeting, Keysi, one of the captains on the team, pulled Leslie aside and finally discovered the real root of the problem. Leslie had been having major problems at home and it had led to her pulling away from everything else she actually enjoyed. The neat part of this story is that Keysi and Leslie had been enemies at the beginning of the season. However, God has worked in Keysi’s life and has developed her into a caring leader of the team.  At the end of her conversation with Keysi with raging tears and a final release of what was going on with Leslie, Leslie told Keysi, “Keysi, tu me soprendiste.” “Keysi, you surprised me.”  The restored relationship between these two girls has been an amazing testimony of the power of God and his ability to break walls and renew relationships. 

This has been a common theme for me these past few months. God continues to surprise me.  The volleyball ministry here in the Dominican Republic seems to grow more and more.  We now have 4 coaches who help run our teams.  2 of these new coaches are varsity players who have been involved in the program for a while and now coach our youngest girls team.  These girls have surprised me in the way they have stepped up and now continue to impact and influence other girls.  Also, our trip to the United States is almost fully funded thanks to so many of you who have helped donate.  Thank you for blessing us. We are now at $14,000 of the $18,000 we need for the trip.  If you want to donate to our trip, click on the "we pay" link to the right.  Our trip is July 25th to August 13, so hopefully they will get to thank you personally!   Thank you so much for your prayers and support and making this ministry happen.  

Prayer Requests

·     1.  Trip finances and that the girls will be granted visas

·    2. Wisdom as new coaches are being trained so that they can successfully train and teach new players. 

Game Highlights Video

Bonao Victory!

Last weekend our team played a team in Bonao.  With great teamwork, the came out victorious.  Check out a quick video my intern Sarah (THANKS SARAH) put together of the games and practices leading up to the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wTxty5wX5E

U.S. PROMO VIDEO

DOMINICANS WITH DREAMS

PROMO VIDEO 

I never thought it could be done... but I made my own video! The video shows clips of the girls, some interview questions about the trip as well as a testimony of one of the girls.  ENJOY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huTHUz7WGSM

Hard at Work!

Hey friends and family! Just wanted to show you a little bit of what's been going on here! The girls have been hard at work trying to raise money for the trip.  We have been picking up random jobs here and there.  The girls are great workers and its fun to see them really putting in their part for this trip! With the money that we have collected online these past two weeks, we are now up to $7,620!  Our goal is 20,000, but it'd be amazing if we can get to at least 12,000 by January.  Please help us pray that money will come in! :)

Keysi scraping away at some paint

Steph helping a family with a paint job

Thanks so much for your prayer and support.  The girls are getting more and more excited as more money comes in and the trip is getting closer!!!

Dominicans with DREAMS!

Okay, you can now donate for the states trip ONLINE!  In just two minutes, send your donation and help these girls make their dreams come true! Click on the link and see more info on the trip!

https://www.wepay.com/donate/domicanswithDREAMS

Discipleship

I sometimes get intimidated to update my blog because I feel like I need to do an update on everything that has happened since the last blog.  And now, since it has been over a month since I wrote last, it seemed even more overwhelming.  However, I've gotten over it and am just going to write about a new project that has began.  Also, I am going to include an email from an American coach who played against our team recently.  I know I'm not supposed to brag... but its not bragging if someone else does it right?

Discipleship Project:  Even though I coach 4 teams, I spend the most time investing in our varsity team.  They have practice 3 days a week, English class 2 nights a week and games one or two days a week.  So, I've felt like I could not add another commitment of a bible study to their schedule.  This year, we've developed a 3-strike policy for the varsity team.  For every subject that they fail during the year, it's a strike. This also includes their English class they are taking.  And just like baseball, 3 strikes- you're out. Off the team. No states trip. No more varsity.  Some people suggested that I have some sort of redemption system that they can get back on the team.  Even though my immediate reaction a was NO WAY, I have developed an excellent alternative.

Deportistas para Dios (Athletes for God)
This program is a three phase or  "strike" program.  For each strike, they must complete a list of activities.  Phase or strike one includes reading the New Testament, Purpose Driven Life and selecting 5 books from a list of books such as Every Young Woman's Battle, Captivating, Radical, etc.  Strikes 2 and 3 contain similar activities as well as memorization of scripture and finding a mentor.   Once they complete the activities involved in each phase, it will take away an existing strike or give them a "bonus" strike that they can use if they ever get a strike.  If they complete all three strikes, they will receive a $100 shopping spree when they come to the states.  I wasn't sure how they were going to respond when I told them about the program because they already have a lot on their plates.  However, they were SO EXCITED! At that practice, they asked, "can we start this today!?"  and they ALL came over to my house after practice to start "checking out" books.  It's been so fun watching them read their books and talk about them with each other.  These books offer such great teaching for these teenage girls who don't recieve ANY type of guidance when it comes to boys.  Most parents decide the best way of teaching about boys is that all are bad and its bad to even think of liking one. I find it just leaves my girls confused and without proper guidance.  Thus, these books will help give them great in depth teaching on these life changing issues.  I'm so excited for this program.  Our goal would be to do it for our other teams as well if it continues to work well with varsity.  Keep praying!

Just a little letter about Varsity from an American coach in Santiago... 


Hey Jess,
I wanted to say Thanks for bringing your team down to play yesterday. I think it was exactly what our girls needed to see and although we didn't give you the competition that you would like, I think this match alone will have a strengthening affect on our girls longer term.

Please pass along my compliments to your team. The abilities of your setter are just beautiful. The fact that you can get consistent hard driven offense says something about your consistent passing, the strength of your setter and the versatility of your hitters. I can honestly say that I have not seen a team in this country with the level of skill that you brought yesterday - and it brings great joy to see the talent exists. 



So that's about it.  God is working and the girls practices are paying off!!! We are working on a way to donate money online for the states trip.  COMING SOON!