Kim Miller
Senior Sports Writer
The women’s soccer and volleyball teams served on mission trips to kick off their preseasons this year. Asbury University athletic teams frequently start their seasons in powerful ways by serving others on mission trips. This year was no different.
Women’s soccer traveled across the country to New York where they worked outside of the big city for 12th Rock, an organization that uses sports and athletics to reach youths and teach them about God’s love. While there, the team assisted in running soccer camps and demonstrated what it means to love and serve those who were younger than them. Teryn Wright, on reflection of the trip, said, “There is no greater feeling than being able to love on kids and share Jesus with them. Hopefully Jesus will continue to shine through them and do work in their lives.”
The soccer team kept an ongoing blog throughout the trip. Senior Breanna Smith stated on the blog that many of the kids at the soccer clinic had never heard of Jesus Christ. “What a blessing it is to be able to travel here to New York to serve as a soccer team. Not many college athletes have the opportunity to experience a mission trip. How awesome it is to worship the Lord together in unity,” she said.
The Women’s volleyball team was able to serve just outside of the country in Naco, Mexico. There they served at Casa Hogar Emmanuel Orphanage, working with kids and serving the local community through a feeding program. After the trip, Coach JP Rader said, “Each day brought new challenges, but God was in every activity, whether it was playing soccer with the orphans, providing food for the poor, painting or cleaning.”
Senior Sarah Sterling said that she went in thinking she was going to help all the kids at the orphanage, but it was just the opposite. “Those kids taught me all about God’s love. They would always have smiles on their faces, even if they had nothing,” she said. Surrounded by poverty, the girls were stunned at how happy and loving the people were towards them.
The team ran a free volleyball clinic in the town of Naco and played local teams around the area. They distributed food to families in the area and prayed with men in the rehabilitation center.
“The mission trips we have been able to take as a team are always great because they allow us to get to know the incoming freshmen, while also further developing our relationships with returning players,” said Allison Rehner, a senior on the team. This trip to Mexico was no exception, and is a great way to start off the season with our focus on God.”
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