Hey, listen to Andy Pettite share his love for Christ

God is good

This was absolutely a great way for Jodi and I to finish up our first 5 months in the DR before we go to Atlanta and Boston for a break.  Today started with me handing out 28 FCA baseball game jerseys to players and coaches from Ozoria Baseball Club in Boca Chica.  They earned the right to wear those shirts today.  For the 5 months I have been here in Boca Chica, I have seen these guys work really hard on the ball field and listen to their coaches every day.  Their coaches are believers in Jesus Christ and want them to go to heaven too.  It made me so happy to see HR 10 on their sleeves.  Holt is proud of them and is excited to have more people come to see him in heaven someday.

After passing out the game jerseys, we played a game against an American home school team from 7 states.  Those home school boys played well and showed our boys here in the DR how to get it done.  I was happy to see the passion and discipline from the "gringos."  Ha Ha Ha.  Before the game we read some scripture in english and spansish and prayed.  That was good.

After the game, we ate lunch together and shared testimonies.  A coach from the FCA Dominican team along with a Dominican player gave testimonies to the Americans and that was good.  Then, Danny Lovett, former VP of Liberty and Prez of Tennessee Temple, shared the Gospel and several young men made the decision to accept Christ into their heart.  That was good.

After the sharing, we played game 2.  Game 2 was a little different.  Home School had a 40 year old  ringer brought in named Andy Pettite.  You might have heard of him.  I think he has the most post season victories of any pitcher in the history of MLB.  Not too shabby.  The pitcher for FCA Boca Chica...almost 37 year old Mike Shaheen.  Mike Shaheen is only famous in his mother's eyes, Bette Shaheen.  

After Andy Pettite finished his 2nd inning, the game stopped as both teams went out to the mound to thank him.  (Two Dominicans got hits off of him and saved the balls)  Andy stood in front of all the young men and adults watching and told us this:

Quoting my friend from Atlanta, Billy Worthington: How cool is that?  The look on the faces of those Dominican and American baseball players was priceless.  We still have two more days of clinics (one at the Highlands here) with guys like Damaso Marte, Lou Pinella, Andy Pettite and Luke Murton (GT grad, Yankee).  I was a little bummed that all these Yankees are here, but let's face it, we are all on the same team that counts.

Oh, by the way, after two innings I almost collapsed (joking, not really).  I probably should have stopped after one bad inning.

I hope you heard God talking to you today.  Looking forward to seeing you in a week or so.

Luv you!

The Shaheens