“Recently my 21 year old son and
I traveled to the DR, along with another father/son team, to witness and
experience the FCA Baseball ministry there. I expected to see poverty,
and we did. I expected to see baseball being played with a passion and
fervor, and we did. And, I expected to see Mike and Jodi investing
themselves daily into the lives of local men, women, and children with the
purpose of spreading God’s love and grace in their community, and we did.
But the effect that these observations had on me was quite different than I had
envisioned. In their poverty I saw an ability of the Dominicans to find
happiness in “the simple things” which left me humbled and disappointed in my
own sense of priorities. Through their approach to playing baseball, I
became reminded of the days when we played the game for the purist of
reason…because we loved it. The games were played as just that, they were
simply games. The kids shared gloves (where gloves were available) with
the opposing teams, settled their own close calls, and never seemed to be too
concerned with the score or inning. They just wanted the sun to never go
down and end their game! It was refreshing to watch them come and leave
as friends who would need one another tomorrow for another game to take
place. But, most of all, I was amazed by the platform for Christian
discipleship which the Shaheens had found in the DR, and by their unbridled
passion to serve as missionaries for Christ! Their daily drive to grow
this platform and expand the mission was and is awe-inspiring to me, and I
cannot find words which adequately express my feelings in this regard.
Some things must be seen and not just heard to be properly conveyed.
Finally, as a Christian I know intuitively that God is omnipresent. But
for me I felt closer to Him and to my son during my days in the DR than I had
ever felt. Perhaps it was because of a sudden appreciation for all my
earthly possessions? Perhaps it was through my experiencing of a simpler
and less intensive daily rigor, allowing more quality time for God and my
son? Or perhaps it was because I was not distracted by man’s creation
from truly seeing the natural beauty of God’s creation? I suspect it was
some of each, and more. I honestly can’t say. But what was
clear, crystal clear, was that God was in the DR and He was diligently at work
through FCA Baseball and His faithful servants, the Shaheens! I
would STRONGLY suggest to anyone who is capable of doing so to accept Mike’s
and Jodi’s generosity and go visit them.”
-Bob Worthington
-Bob Worthington
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