Dominican trip video
        Photo gallery
 
SEATTLE -- First, there was the uncertainty: Would all the hard work that members of the Seattle Pacific women's basketball team had done to finance their missionary trip to the Dominican Republic be blown away by the devastating Hurricane Irma?
 
Then, there was the trepidation: After receiving the go-ahead to make the trip, what would they find when they got to Santiago? What were they getting themselves into?
 
Once they arrived, that trepidation gave way to joy and satisfaction, as they Falcon players and coach dove into their work of bringing help, bringing hope … and bringing smiles to everyone, especially the children, with whom they came in contact. They even got a chance to play a few games.

 

Finally, there was just a twinge of sadness as the calendar page flipped to Sept. 18, and everyone had to leave their new-found friends behind for the return to Seattle. Where did the time go so fast?
 
"I can honestly say the trip was more than I ever could have hoped for," head coach Julie Heisey said. "We knew were going to work with kids, and that would be fun. We were going to do some basketball clinics, and that would be fun. We were excited to help with some sort of project, and that was painting for a health clinic. And of course, we were going to play three basketball games."
 
"Everything we did was meaningful, and I was so proud of our kids. They really embraced the moment, embraced the people, and learned from the culture, instead of judging the culture."
 
Throughout their 10 days in the Dominican, the Falcons took photos and contributed to a journal, sharing some of their innermost thoughts and most meaningful moments.
 
Below, in chronological order, are a few sentences from each one, with a link to the entire entry.
 
At the top of this story is a link to a video of the trip produced by Go Ministries. Below that is a link to a photo gallery with a small sample of the pictures taken by team members and Go Ministries staffers.
 
 
Suzanna Ohlsen / Assistant coach / Sept. 7
"So many things have fallen into place to make this trip happen – raising more funds than expected, and the fact that we are flying in via Newark and out via Miami – that I can't help but believe that God has divinely interceded and that we are exactly where He wants us to be.  … I am excited beyond words to see what God is going to do IN and THROUGH us. This is going to be an absolutely transformative week for everyone involved."   Read more from Coach Su.

 
 
Mike Simonson  / Assistant coach / Sept. 8-9
" The trip to get here was long and tiring, but again, I was surprised at how much energy we had. As soon as we arrived, we hit the road running – well, more like walking – as we walked around the city near the church where we are staying. The people of Santiago filled us with energy as we were greeted with many "Hola's!"   Read more from Coach Mike.
 
 
Carly Rataushk / Junior / Sept. 10
"We came back to the church and got to have a field day with all of the kids, which was amazing! Every time I would look around at my teammates, coaches, or the kids, they were smiling. Everyone was having a blast playing outside (basketball, volleyball, soccer) and drawing inside."   Read more from Carly.


 
 
Rachel Shim / Senior / Sept. 10
"The church service after that was such an awesome experience. I loved so much how, although we may look different or speak a different language, we all share the same God, who loves us all equally. We sang the same songs we might normally sing – but with Spanish words instead."   Read more from Rachel.
 
 
Julia Haining / Senior / Sept. 11
"We then split into rooms on the first floor and painted every room. We were able to finish most of the whole floor before lunch. … We might not have had the most important job (painting) compared to those who started the building. But I feel like we were able to make a huge impact just by being there."   Read more from Julia.
 


 
Rachel Berg / Freshman / Sept. 11
"Finding the strength and finding the motivation to make things fun, or make good memories is really important and is something I'd like to focus on – not that every day has to be a good day. It's just that I need to remember how fortunate I am, and try to remember that when things are hard, I should strive to have the strength that these 12-year-old kids have."   Read more from Rachel.
 
 
Ashlee Comastro / Freshman / Sept. 11
"We've had the basketball clinic for two days, and it is so heart-warming to see the smiles on the girls' faces when we help them and hug them. It completely fills my cup. I hope and pray that we leave a lasting impact on the people here, the way they've impacted us."   Read more from Ashlee.
 
 


Jordan McPhee / Senior / Sept. 12
"It took us awhile to get rid of the first-game rustiness and get used to the slippery floor, as well as the different dimensions of the court. There were some great plays, Carly's no-look pass, Cici's aggressive driving, and Julia's steals. Overall, good first game."   Read more from Jordan.
 
 
Cici West / Senior / Sept. 13
"So many of the kids gravitated to the coloring books, stickers, or just hugging onto our players, without hesitation. When I was looking around the play area, I saw each team member playing with a kid, and it looked like everyone would have something very memorable from those two hours with that group."   Read more from Cici.
 

 

Jaylee Albert / Junior / Sept. 13
"Following the field day, we had the opportunity to feed the kids lunch and to visit some more. I think by the time we had to leave, everyone had at least one kid they wanted to take home with them (so stinking cute!). Being able to see how joyful and full of love these kids are has been such a blessing."   Read more from Jaylee.
 
 
Madi Hingston / Sophomore / Sept. 14
"Being able to give these kids shoes to wear for the next couple of years was such an amazing feeling. It made my day to see their proud, smiling faces walk out the door with their new pair of shoes. It was so touching to see how excited and grateful they were."   Read more from Madi.
 


 
Jane Grisley / Sophomore / Sept. 14
"This was an experience that I felt beyond blessed to be a part of. Although it is an amazing experience, it also was very hard to think and come to terms with the fact that this reality for more than 500 families. Even though we still did two or three things throughout the evening, my mind kept coming back to our experience at The Hole."   Read more from Jane.
 
 
Erica Pagano / Senior / Sept. 14
"This week has really taught me that there should never be excuses about not trying to connect with someone, because all week, I have struggled to communicate verbally. But I am creating memories and relationships with people that I will never forget."   Read more from Erica.
 


 
Hailee Bennett / Redshirt freshman / Sept. 15
"It is an absolute blessing to be able to see so much growth in so many ways for our team in such a short time. I can truly feel the power of the Holy Spirit moving in our lives as we experience this new culture, as well as prepare to go home."   Read more from Hailee.
 
 
Riley Evans / Junior / Sept. 16
"This trip expanded my bubble. It allowed me to see the love the Lord has for people in a way I'd never experienced. How He is working through those in the Dominican Republic amazes me."   Read more from Riley.
 
 



Courtney Hollander / Senior / Sept. 16
"The transition was honestly shocking. We were in such a beautiful place, surrounded by all the amenities we could possibly imagine. And yet, for the first time on the whole trip, I found myself wanting something different than what I was being offered. I wanted the little kids climbing on me and screaming "Americano" in my ear. I wanted the soft smiles of the chefs who cooked our meals every day."   Read more from Courtney.
 
 

Julie Heisey / Head coach
"It is hard to believe that a week ago, we were sitting around the campfire with the Go Ministry coaches, sharing some of our fears as well as hopes for our time in the Dominican Republic. In eight days, we have experienced so much, and we have been blessed! We have seen God. We have been stretched. Our eyes have been opened. We have been changed."   Read more from Coach Julie.
 


Sasha Anderson / Assistant coach / Sept. 18
"I've been coaching basketball for more than 20 years now and this trip was like nothing else I've ever experienced. Our team was able to bond and grow in relationship at a depth that goes far beyond basketball and one individual season."   Read more from Coach Sasha.
 
 
 Recollection and Reflection / Sept. 19
Every Falcon player and coach said their trip to the Dominican Republic made an impact in ways that will stay with them forever. Several wrote down some thoughts as they prepared to head home. Here are some excerpts.