Men's Basketball Blog - 2015 Trip to the Dominican Republic

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The Malone University men's basketball team will travel to the Dominican Republic for a service-learning trip August 11-18. Malone fans, alums, parents and other relatives can stay up-to-date on the team's activities through a blog written by forward Brandon Bapst.

Look for the first blog post to be made on the evening of Tuesday, August 11th. Posts will then be made as often as possible (depending on the group's access to the internet).
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Blog Post #7 (Final) - August 17, 2015

Last day of the trip. El tiempo pasa ràpido. All but three miles from the mainland of the D.R. is Catalina Island where we spent the day. Pure paradise. We even enjoyed the entertainment on the boat ride over as B Stone couldn't help but dance to the Spanish music (As seen below).

It is crazy to look down into 20+ feet deep of water and see the bottom. The team as a whole got a chance to snorkel. Maybe even the win of the day came when Nate Shepp faced his fears and gave it a shot also. After snorkeling, we visited a cliff on the island where we all got a chance to take a jump off. To name a few, Jay Parker, Kyle Nader, and Pop Walker (Coach Walker's dad) all showed off their advanced diving abilities while many of us just stuck to pencil dives. Above is a pic of the whole squad jumping off of a cliff.

We spent the rest of the time on the beach where we got some time to relax and have one of our last Dominican meals. As with our lunch on the island, rice and beans were a major part of just about every meal.

I honestly think it might take some time to really comprehend all that we were able to learn from this trip. I don't know if the trip could have gone any better. It has been a blessing. We now have relationships with friends from all around the world which is pretty cool. It's clear though that we don't have to travel around the world to make a difference. We know the opportunity is the same in our hometowns and on campus. If we trust Him first, all else will fall into place. We met many people down here that didn't know where their next meal would come from. What they did know though is who they could trust to provide and they were grateful for that.

This is the last post that will be added, as our team flies out within a few hours. I have tried my best to put in words the variety of experiences throughout this week, but it is hard to capture the impact they have had on us. We all have stories that we will be talking about for years. After this trip nothing will be the same, and we are looking forward to what God has in store for each of us in the future. Thanks again for all the support!

As a team we want to thank Malone University and especially Coach Walker for providing this opportunity of a lifetime.

Dios es Bueno!!!!!!!

Blog Post #6 - August 16, 2015

We finished with a win today, but it was in no ways an easy one. As we walked in the gym we saw quickly the conditions weren't necessarily ideal either. Not often do you have the opportunity to play on a court inside with bird poop everywhere. Before the game started we saw that the other team did not have any jerseys, luckily we were prepared and we able to give them some to wear and keep. After finally getting the electric on we got playing. As always we didn't get to many calls. The team was the most physical yet so it was difficult to match the intensity without hearing a whistle soon after. Within the last 40 seconds we sealed the deal after Marvin Stephen O'Daniel III nailed a three in the corner. It was a good feeling to get that one. After the game we were able to share the gospel as we have after each game, and we were on our way.

What really made today special though was the time we were able to spend together during devotional time. The week has been a learning experience like non other. It has been a heck of a chance to bond all as a team. It is pretty cool to see how much we have come together this week.

#VOTW (Verse of the week) Proverbs 16:9 "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

Tomorrow we will spend our last full day snorkeling all together as a team off the island of Catalina!

Nos vemos!!

Blog Post #5 - August 15, 2015

One aspect of the trip that has really made it special is the people that have been with us throughout. Each has a different upbringing and different walk but all are apart of the same mission. Felipe has been our guide throughout the majority of the trip. Felipe as we learned the other day has a unique story. If you did not know, the Dominican Republic produces many professional baseball players that play in the MLB. Age is a huge factor when it comes to how much money their first contract may be. Because of this, many of the talented baseball players lie about their age and do not think twice about it. Felipe at a young age had a decision to make and because of his strong faith and desire to make the right choice, he decided that he would go another way. Many of his family members and friends were very disappointed. It was cool how this correlated with what we were discussing in our devotional that night. Too often, in todays world, the idea of integrity is pushed away when there is an opportunity to make money. It is amazing how each day the little decisions we make can unknowingly have a huge impact down the road, short or long term. The devotional emphasized how depending on the decisions, they can potentially lead to huge victories or defeats that we may never have dreamed of. Felipe has been a great example of this.

Now back to basketball, we are 5-0 after another win. We have our final game after church, where we will try and finish off the trip undefeated. Everyone has had there moments to shine and contribute to the wins. We have a great mix of youth and experience that shows out on the court.

I attached some photos below from some time we spent at a child care in Santo Domingo. The pictures don't do justice the experience. We had as much fun as they did. You just can't spend enough time with them. They definitely bring out the inner kid in all of us.

Sorry for the delay on day 5. I had this typed but was unable to get on to send it.

Also a quick shoutout from the G Man himself (Grant)-"Hey mom, I miss you!"

Blog Post #4 - August 14, 2015

We are now halfway through the trip, unbelievably. Many of us are really feeling the effects of the change of food/water and extreme heat. It did not stop us from beating the best team yet today though. This team had a history of beating some good American teams but we were able to register the victory. Not only did the team have talent but they had height (i.e. the shooting guard had B Stone by an inch).

Although our second game got cancelled due to electrical issues, we were still able to spend some quality time in La Capital. We spent time at a market where we were all able to practice our bargaining skills in Spanish. More times than not, you can talk them down to about 80% of the original price offered. We also now have some Pesos so we can negotiate with both currencies. Depending on where you are, one US Dollar is equal to about 45 Pesos. It always throws you off for a second when you owe over 1000 at the grocery store.

Hasta la próxima!!

Below is a panoramic view of the gym we played at today.

Blog Post #3 - August 13, 2015

Today was another success. We began with a trip to a girls’ orphanage. The story behind this mission was pretty amazing. All the girls were full of energy despite many of the early struggles in their life that ultimately led them to need the care from this orphanage. Many had been abandoned and often times abused. To see them laughing and constantly smiling was inspiring. Below I attached some pictures.

We also accumulated another win today against another good team. Kids on this team were young and ranged from 17-21 years old. The game remained close throughout, but we were able to hold on to the lead until the end. So far it has been cool to see how different these Dominican players play. For many of them, basketball truly is a mechanism that could lead to a better life. Too often we take the abilities we have for granted and forget that our abilities were given to us for a bigger reason. It has been very evident that many of these players understand that.

Adios!

Blog Post #2 - August 12, 2015

You always know it was a successful day if you’re dead tired by dinner time. We began the day by visiting a village a mile or so off the beaten path. On the way over, we were briefed on the current situation that the people are in. The town consisted of about 25 families all with the males working in the sugar cane fields seven days a week for many long hours. Because of some current social issues, many were scared of losing the one thing that they had: their shelter.

More times than not, the families have no idea where their next meals would come from. Luckily, we were able to deliver a bag of food items that would provide a healthy, well-rounded meal for each family. As soon as we arrived, kids from everywhere came out anxious and ready to play. Before long, our team was split amongst the different games being played. From soccer to baseball to just casual conversations, you could tell that more than anything they just wanted to spend time with us.

Today was our first time experiencing international basketball, and after going 2-0, it was not too bad of a start. Although many of us have played basketball for the majority of our lives, we played with some rules today that we have never seen or heard of before. I found it most entertaining to see the Dominican players boxing us out during free throws before the player even had the ball. It was no doubt more physical and the game did seem to be called a little different for each team. After unsuccessfully trying to understand a call from the ref, we knew we had no choice but to adapt.

After a full day, we are looking forward to getting some sleep so we can be rested for another great one tomorrow!

Buenos Noches!

Blog Post #1 - August 11, 2015

The Mission Begins

#SOTD (Selfie of the Day)

The day is August 11th. As we walked in the airport around 4:30 this morning, little did we know what the day would hold. As a team we experienced many firsts. For a few teammates, this was the first time using a passport to enter a new country. For all of us, the past few days have been the first we have spent time all together as a unit. We are entering this season with four new faces. This trip is not just a chance to have an impact on those in the Dominican Republic, but also a chance for the Dominicans to have an impact on us individually and as a team.

We arrived around 3:30 this afternoon at Score International. We are staying in a town about 40 minutes east of Santo Domingo called Juan Dolio. During our drive to the hotel, it was easy to see the difference in lifestyles. Overall it was a great day to get a feel for the new environment and get settled in. Tomorrow we have a full day where we will play two games and also visit some of the surrounding communities. More than anything, the unknown is what makes trips like this so life changing. We are looking forward to seeing what doors God will open for us tomorrow to serve. We ask you keep our trip in your prayers. We are so thankful for this opportunity and the support we have from so many friends and family.

I will do my best to post daily.
Hasta Luego!!

Also want to give a quick shoutout to Coach Lindesmith, Coach Delap, and Mr. Grimes for waking up at the early hours of the morning to give us a ride to the airport!