The Lee University baseball team recently returned from a mission trip, involving Score International, to the Dominican Republic. The team departed on Dec. 9 and returned on Dec. 16.

The team also took time to play six games, three against San Pedro, Guaycanes Highlands (S.F. Giants complex), and Santo Domingo.

Head coach Mark Brew, his staff and team held a baseball clinic in Guaycanes; visited a church in Quisqueya; took the team on an orphanage visitation in Boca Chica; traveled on to a Haitian village outside of San Pedro, where they participated in a feed the village program; enjoyed shopping at a Straw Market in Santo Domingo and took in a Dominican Professional Winter League game.

Several players shared their testimonies at games and clinics. Kyle Briner, Cameron Scott, Michael Ray, Tyler Waters, Winston Whitener and coach Brew spoke at San Pedro, Guaycanes, Santo Domingo, Highlands and Quisqueya.
Said Brew, "This was a life-changing, perspective-changing trip for our program. The level of baseball in the Dominican Republic is phenomenal and it was an awesome competitive experience. However, it was secondary to the opportunity to share our faith with the people of the Dominican Republic. I was extremely proud of how our guys stepped outside of their comfort zones and served, shared testimonies, cared for, and loved the people we interacted with. The orphanage visitation was a highlight. It was heart-warming to get to play with the girls but heart-breaking to have to leave them. It was an experience we will not soon forget."

During the visit to the orphanage in Boca Chica called Positos de Jesus (little steps of Jesus), the team played with 49 female orphans for over two hours. Activities included trampoline, soccer, volleyball, doll house building and good old fashioned piggy-back rides. Many of the players got new hairdos during the visit.

At the Haitian refugee village outside of San Pedro, the team visited with people who were devastated by an earthquake in Haiti (2010).  The Dominican Republic shares a border with Haiti and opened its country to help relocate the Haitians in need. "This was one of the poorest villages in the area we visited," pointed out Brew. "We played games with the kids and our team donated money to provide food for families in the village."

Brew noted that his team wrapped up an evening in San Pedro by watching the Estrellas play a Dominican Professional Winter League game. "Baseball is a small world as we were able to catch up with Cleveland (Tenn.) native and Bradley Central product Ryan Casteel, who is in the Dominican playing for the Estrellas." Casteel is a member of the Colorado Rockies (AAA) organization.