Monday, October 27, 2014

Oscar Taveras ESPAÑOL

En esta mañana sentado en mi oficina respondiendo email tras email tuve que luchar para enfocarme en mi trabajo. Mi mente pensaba y pensaba en el accidente de Oscar Taveras y me imaginaba el dolor en su familia una y otra vez. Yo he manejado mi carro en esa misma carretera tantas veces. Yo he manejado en aguaceros y se me hace tan difícil , casi imposible ver lo que viene.  Pudo ser cualquiera otra persona a la que le pasare esto.

En este caso no fue cualquiera .. Taveras representa el sueño de todos los niños peloteros que quieren ser superestrellas en las Grandes Ligas. MLB se destaco como el 3er prospecto en béisbol. Me impactó mas porque el juega en la liga invernal con las Águilas donde yo vivo. El tenía un talento natural mucho mas que cualquier prospecto en los últimos 5-10 años. Su ultimo turno en su vida fue como bateador emergente y la sacó en un juego post-temporada! El lo tenía todo.

Will Partin y yo tuvimos el privilegio para pasar algunos días con los Cardinales en Spring Training 2013 en Júpiter, Florida. Taveras había recibido tantos premios y reconocimientos por su éxito en el campo de juego y todos estaban esperando ver lo que podría ser en las Grandes Ligas. Su primer turno el día que yo estaba allá, Taveras dio a un home-run de 420 pie. Nunca lo olvidaré. Pero lo que me impactó mas, fue nuestro tiempo compartiendo con los peloteros Dominicanos en el equipo. Antes de las entrevistas, entramos el clubhouse de los Cardinales. Todos los peloteros americanos estaban riendo, bailando, cantando, y preparándose para la practica. En un rincón, nos encontramos a 4-5 peloteros latinos sentado, haciendo nada. Incluido en ese grupo estaba Taveras, mirando en su casillero con una expresión vacía en la cara. Cuando pensamos en la pelota Dominicana siempre llega a la mente su energía, pasión, y deseo para mejorar … pero todas esas cosas faltaban en el rincón del clubhouse de St. Louis ese día. Ellos parecían que estaban fuera de lugar. A Taveras parecía que le faltaba algo. No era la misma persona que yo he disfrutado mucho mirar en el invierno pasado quemando la liga invernal dominicana.

Ellos “han llegado.” En la mente de todo el mundo en RD, ellos estaban viviendo el sueno de cada pelotero! Ellos estaban en el camino a Grandes Ligas. Si pregunta cualquier niño en nuestro academia de pelota si quisiera cambiar puestos con Taveras en ese tiempo, nadie se rechazaría esa oportunidad. Pero hemos notado un lado diferente. Nosotros vimos un lado vacío. Vimos un muchacho miles de millas de su casa y familia. Vimos un muchacho luchando y frustrado por aprender ingles. Hemos visto un pelotero con el cargo de ser la única esperanza para su familia entera. Era triste.

Yo no se donde Taveras quedó espiritualmente. En mi oración esta la esperanza de que el tenía una relación personal con Cristo Jesús y que el esta en el cielo celebrando hoy con mi Señor. Pero de verdad no se. Pero lo que se es verdad, es que la vida es corta. Taveras representó todos lo que desean los peloteros Dominicanos, reconocimiento, dinero, éxito… entre cosas terrenales TODO!. Pero si el de verdad lo tenía todo, porque lo vimos tan vacío en Júpiter. Esta noticia me despertó. Nuestro tiempo en esa tierra es limitado. Que vamos a hacer con el tiempo que Dios nos ha regalado? Que estamos buscando? Estamos buscando las cosas que nuestro mundo y cultura nos dice que es importante? Yo mismo quiero buscar lo que es eterno. Y yo quiero llevar las máximas personas posible conmigo en ese viaje!

Por favor, oren conmigo por todos los peloteros Dominicanos. Este es un tiempo que  hay muchas preguntas, es un tiempo donde hay mucho dolor y confusión. No importa si es un muchacho de 9 años practicando en nuestra academia o un superestrella de Grandes Ligas .. esa noticia duele. Oro que Dios usa esa situación para bien y para enseñarnos que hay mucho mas para vivir que pelota y éxito.


Que Dios les bendiga mucho!

Oscar Taveras

As I sit in my office going through email after email, I’m finding it incredibly hard to focus. Every few seconds, it seems like my mind goes back to Oscar Taveras and his family. I can’t imagine what they must be going through. I have driven that road where he had his accident many times. I have driven in storms here where it becomes impossible to see. That could have been anyone.

But it wasn’t just anyone … Taveras represents every Dominican kid’s fantasy of being a superstart. He was ranked by MLB as #3 prospect in all of baseball before the season. This hit even closer to home for me as he plays in the winters with Santiago’s home team the Aguilas. He is one of the most naturally gifted players of the past 5-10 years.  His final at-bat was a pinch-hit playoff home run! He had it all.

Will Partin and I had the privilege of spending a few days with the Cardinals at Spring Training in 2013 down in Jupiter, FL. Taveras had already received countless minor league accolades and was the next big thing. He hit a 420 foot home run in his 1st at bat that day, I will never forget it. But what really stood out to me was our time interviewing a few of the Dominican players on the team. We went into the locker room, all of the American players were joking around and laughing, like most teams, getting dressed before heading out for practice. In the corner, there were 4-5 latino players, including Taveras, just kinda sitting there starting into their lockers.  When you think Dominican baseball you think about energy, passion, and drive … These guys looked like they were out of place. Taveras looked like he was missing something. He was not the same person that I had grown to admire for his amazing performance in the previous Winter ball season.

They had “made it.” In the eyes of everyone back home in the DR, these guys were living the dream! They were on the road to the big leagues. If you ask any player in our academy if they could switch places with Taveras at that time they would have jumped at it. We saw a different side. We saw an empty side. I saw a player miles away from family. I saw a player struggling to learn English. I saw a player burdened with being the only hope for his entire family, and most likely community, to be the next big thing. It was sad. Just last week, Will and I were talking about this experience in the locker room and how it stuck with us. 

I don’t know where Taveras stood spiritually. I pray that he had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that he is in heaven celebrating today. I don’t know. What I do know, is that life is short. Taveras represented everything that Dominican players “want” in this world. Recognition, money, success .. everything. But if he had everything then why did it seem so empty in Jupiter, FL? This is a wake-up call for me. We have a limited time here on Earth, and what are we doing with it? What are we chasing? Are we chasing the things that the world or our culture tell us matter? I want to chase what is eternal, and I want to bring as many people as I can with me on this journey! Please join me in praying for all of the baseball players here. This is a time where they are asking questions, this is a time where there is confusion and hurt. I don’t care if they are a 9 year old practicing at our field, or a 10-time all-star in the major leagues .. this one stings. I pray that God can use this situation to bring some good out of it and show many that there is so much more to life than Baseball.


God bless.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Summer "Half-time" recap in pictures

A little out of order but this will have to do! A little glimpse into summertime in Santiago.
Fun 4 days of ministry with the AIA college baseball group. Spending an awesome morning sharing with our GO academy players 

AIA out in Tamboril

My summer has included LOTS of sharing our vision for the LDC. It never gets old sharing what God is doing and how we believe he is going to reach the next generation through the LDC!

Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of moving sand!

more sand

Loved having some real special groups down. Jen Ochs from Glen Ellyn Bible Church sharing with some kiddos at our church and nutrition center in Los Perez

GO Basketball league

Ben Wilson from GEBC threw kids around .... all.day.long

GEBC at Los Perez

Spent lots of time at our churches and nutrition centers. It never gets old sharing the stories of our Pastors and local leaders and what God is doing in their communities.

La Mosca

Another GEBC picture (had the good camera all week with them!)

Jose Luis and Alan during our trip to Louisville for the TCBIV Golf Outing. With some of the Hoehner girls

Never a dull moment around these crazy kids

Great event, great day. Fun spending time with these guys and all that worked hard to put this event together.

A few of our players putting in some work for our temporary fields out at the LDC!

Dominican players and American players working together during AIA's trip

Always blessed by spending time with this guy. Love his heart for reaching souls through baseball.

AIA and GO coaches after the game at Estadio Cibao

GEBC working hard at LDC land

Been amazing serving alongside Dariana all summer. We have worked together on a few teams and I've loved seeing her heart for kids really come through. I am getting a little concerned that she may steal/adopt a little haitian boy from one of our churches!

Basketball clinic in Los Salados with St Luke's youth group from Houston 

Sharing with the baseball players in Los Salados. Awesome turnout, many seeds planted and many kids accepting Christ for the first time. Such an encouragement for Pastor Elvis serving in this community.

We have had phenomenal interns ... seriously incredible. Always ready for whatever "intern duties" come their way. Ben Nussbaum taking one for the team during GO basketball week

GO Basketball week ... the crew brought it hard in the morning at the devotionals!

Los Salados

Group from Gridley, IL with a VBS at Medina's church in Cambronal.

This photo is just hilarious. 4th of July, the Metros decided to bring us out for an honorary jump ball in front of probably 8,000 people "to honor our nation's birthday!" Happy Birthday America

Another awesome crew. Wishing I could have spent more time in Hato del Yaque, but it was so great to see the FCC group if just for a short time.

Starting to look more and more like a baseball field!
I think I could hit BP with this view 

Lincoln Christian Church with their "tool of choice" after a tough 3 days putting in perimeter fencing and spreading sand on our temporary fields.

GO Basketball league.

Start em young!

"Passionate, local leaders serving inside their culture"

“Passionate, local leaders serving inside their culture”

We are at a very exciting time in our Sports Ministry with GO Ministries. This summer, we have seen so many different facets of our ministry in action. We have had basketball and baseball clinics for hundreds of different kids in communities that GO churches are ministering and active in. We have had commitment, discipline and integrity poured into our kids daily in our academies. Currently we have over 180 kids in our Baseball academy, and 60 kids in our basketball academy. We have had great commitment from kids who have chosen to take advantage of our optional English classes 3 days a week during the summer. We have had an amazing Thursday night bible study where each coach takes a turn leading the study with what Jesus is to them in their lives. We have had great successes in Santiago city tournaments in both Baseball and Basketball. We have even had some interest from MLB teams and various tryouts in Santiago and trips to the Capital 2 hours away.

Sounds busy huh? Will Partin and I see the potential that sports has to act as a vehicle to bring the gospel to kids from any country/culture through something that they love. We each have experience playing/coaching in College in the US. Together, we have a vision for what GO sports should look like. The most beautiful part about GO Sports is that we have gotten to the point where we watching the fruits of years of training/coaching our GO coaches to do their thing in their areas of expertise! We have 5 full-time baseball coaches and 5 full-time basketball coaches, and all the ministry going on is happening through them! We are not at the field/court daily ... and that's ok. That's not only "ok" that is good and healthy! We can focus our energy and resources on other areas because we know that our coaches are committed to the vision of GO and the expansion of Christ’s kingdom DAILY, through whatever that particular day’s activities may look like. 


We are not perfect. We don’t have it all figured out. BUT, we are so excited to be at a point where we are working out God’s calling to this ministry through our vision statement goals of working through “passionate, local leaders serving inside their culture. Our coaches know what these kids are going through in their home lifes. Our coaches know what kind of pressures they see on/off the court. Our coaches know what it is like to deal with alcoholic, absent or abusive parents and influences. Our hope is that our coaches can rise up and be a primary influence in these kids and help them understand that God has a bigger purpose for them than to be wrapped up in what the “streets” have to offer. God has a plan for them. Period. Our prayer and goal is that our coaches continue to show this to our kids daily and that God continues to reveal himself to our coaches and players every day.  Please take a minute to life our coaches up in prayer as this is no easy task! We are all on one team, and God is expanding his kingdom through our Sports Ministry everyday and I am humbled and blessed to be a part of this global team and partnership.