SWU Chapel Features Men’s Basketball Missions Trip
Sep. 8, 2009
The Southern Wesleyan men's basketball team relayed experiences from their May mission trip to the Dominican Republic in a recent chapel service on campus.
SWU men's basketball head coach Charles Wimphrie referred to his players as his "heroes" for the outpouring of love and compassion they displayed to the people in the Dominican Republic.
Prior to the players speaking, a 10-minute slide show displayed pictures of the players and coaches interacting with children, playing sports, conducting a basketball clinic, and telling their personal stories of faith with the local people.
Brandon Jankowy offered a prayer and then six players told of their experience in the Dominican Republic:
• Quinton Cannon called the experience "amazing" and "once in a lifetime." He said it was privilege to spread the word of Jesus Christ who had never heard His name before.
• Aaron Lane shared how he'll never know how much the lives of the people in the Dominican Republic were changed, but he knows that everyone that went on the mission trip had their lives changed by the people in the country.
• Nick Lagroone talked about an orphan, Stephanie, and how she didn't have shoes and had a dress too big, but was always happy.
• Tae Roebuck said when they arrived at an orphanage, the bus driver said, "If you can't handle this, you better stay on the bus." Tae didn't want to exit the bus but coaches required everyone to go in. He visited each floor and at one point, he stopped in the middle of a hallway, put his head in his hands, and wept, realizing he couldn't do anything to help the children.
• Nick Crowder told how the kids mobbed players and coaches as they got off the bus in the villages they visited. Many of the kids wanted to ride on his shoulders because he is 6'8.''
• Byron Wimphrie told about a player (from a team they played a game against) who approached him and gave him his chain. Since then, Byron has not removed the chain from his neck.
Gene Fitzgerald, a representative from Score International, out of Chattanooga, Tenn., that sponsored the trip, closed out the chapel service by telling the audience what a privilege it was to travel with Southern Wesleyan men's team.
