Two and a half hours southeast from Montego Bay, in the rural breadbasket of Jamaica, is a small town called Top Hill, where 23 volunteers (18 high school students and 5 adults) from Southwest Washington and over 40 community volunteers participated in a court building project.  We partnered with FOR U (Friends of Ridge, United), a Jamaican NGO focusing on community development in the community of Ridge, which is part of the larger Top Hill area.

FOR U had completed a community center to host after school programs, summer reading camps and a general space for community activity and gatherings.  They had created a makeshift basketball court several years ago in connection with the center, but the court was built poorly and was in a state of disarray.  Together, we created a new court that will not only create space for basketball, but also netball, which is a popular sport for Jamaican girls that looks like basketball without a backboard, but actually had quite different rules, including only moving the ball by passing as well as not being able to jump while shooting or attempting to block shots.  The community participation in sports has been primarily among the boys, but there is now a plan to form a netball team, which will be made up of girls in the community.  The hoops created will swivel from basketball to netball with relative ease.

The American volunteers stayed at the Marantha School for the Deaf in Ridge, which provided the group with not only a great location close to the court site, but also a chance to practice their sign language in addition to Jamaican Patois.

The group was fortunate to visit the farm of Clark, a community elder in his late 70s.  He has numerous animals, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, including pimento trees, of which the seeds, leaves and wood are used in authentic Jamaican jerk.  But what Clark is known for is his coffee, which rivals the famous Blue Mountain Coffee in Jamaica.  He does it all with modest ingredients, picking the beans by hand, roasting them in a skillet over open flame and grinding them with an enormous mortar and pestle.

On the final day in Ridge, we had a big 3 on 3 basketball tournament with the American and Jamaican volunteers mixed together.  It was a fitting way to end the trip, playing together on the court we worked so hard to build.

Click here for a video of the project.

The community I stayed with and the people I met I will never forget.  I’ll remember working side by side with kids just like me who want to make the place they live a better place. the final day in Ridge, we had a big 3 on 3 basketball tournament with the American and Jamaican volunteers mixed together.  It was a fitting way to end the trip, playing together on the court we worked so hard to build.

I learned that people don’t always have things that we usually take for granted. I learned clean drinking water doesn’t always come out of a sink or that sometimes there is not enough water to take a shower and feel clean after a long day of work.  I also learned that it’s not always weird to say hello to a stranger or ask them how they are doing.

This trip has impacted me in a way that showed me a whole other side to the world we live in. It has made me a more passionate and sympathetic person to those who are less fortunate than us.

The generosity and accommodation of our hosts here in Jamaica was unmatched compared to anywhere else I’ve stayed, and I’m very thankful for that.  It really made me want to better myself to be more gracious, and work harder to put others before myself.

Living without technology for a week makes you realize that it isn’t really necessary, but we’re lucky to have it.  Same goes with houses, and how big they are in the US, but people still complain.

I think the thing that impacted me most was the fact that no matter how far away from home you are, you can always find people who make you feel at home.  And no matter where you go there will always be people you can bond with and make friends. 

It is possible to be completely content and even happier without all the luxuries we have in the U.S. 

When people work together towards a common goal, nothing can feel better than accomplishing something great.

The school at which we constructed the court was a dilapidated old building that was recently purchased from the city to be torn down and rebuilt.  We worked closely alongside 20 Indonesian workers who will also be helping with the demolition and reconstruction of the new school to go along side our newly finished court.  These men would earn a premium pay of $10 per day versus the $5 per day they earn in Jakarta for back breaking manual labor.  They were a wonderful group of young men, that worked side by side with us from the moment we arrived, accepted us as one of them immediately, and helped construct a fantastic court in 3 days time.

During the course of the trip we had the opportunity to participate in several community service projects in addition to the construction work.  At the local Lentera elementary school, we spent 3 half days visiting with the students, working with them on lessons, playing and learning from one another.  On the last day in the community we participated in providing a hot lunch to the 600 plus students of the school.  We shopped for groceries the prior evening, helped make the meal the following morning,  and participated in serving the meal to the students and staff.  A side effort to our fund raising for this trip was to raise money to support this lunch program, as most families in Kupang live below the local poverty level.  The students and families on our trip each took ownership in raising monies, either at their individual schools or through private donations.  In total we raised enough money to give the school a gift that will allow them to now provide a hot lunch to the school twice a week versus the once a week Wednesday lunch the students now receive.

We also had the opportunity to visit a local orphanage with over 108 children.  When we left Portland on our journey we carried with and checked 31 duffle bags and suit cases loaded with toys, clothing, toothbrushes, coloring books, etc that we had collected to share with the

orphanage.  Only 7 checked bags traveled back with us as all of these items were left to the orphanage and school.   We played, they sang for us, we went to the beach with the older kids and had a friendly game of soccer.  It was an incredible day.

Because of the distance we traveled, we had the opportunity to celebrate Easter in Kupang, attended a mass at a local Catholic Church, and spent part of the day jumping off the rocks into the Indian Ocean.  We all are especially grateful to Jason Myers and all of the teachers from the Lentera school that hosted us for the week, flawlessly got us from point A to B, loaned us their cars for transportation and gave of their time to make our trip so memorable.

Overall an incredible trip with a great balance of work and interacting with a great community of people!

Click for a video recap.

I found that once I stepped off that plane, onto Indonesian soil, all prior fears fell by the wayside.  Day after day I was overwhelmed by the beautiful and awing energy of the land, the culture, the people and the overall welcoming and embracing spirit of the country.  All I had known about Indonesia was that it comprised over 17,000 islands, one of which was Bali, a honeymoon go-to for thousands of newlyweds.  Anything beyond that, I would learn “on the It took me almost two full years to build the courage to commit to my very first Courts for Kids trip.  My international travel experience was limited and candidly, I questioned my ability to fully contribute to the court building, physically.   I was worried that I might not add much value to the team.  After much self-coaching, it was finally time to put my big girl pants on and plan my first CFK trip to SE Asia, and with husband and 10-year-old son, I was ALL IN.

job.”  And did I.  Instantly, I felt at home and at peace.  Immersing myself in the sea of hopeful children, many in soiled clothes or completely decayed teeth, I was moved.  Moved that regardless of the fact that they regularly missed meals and never enjoyed the luxury of an air conditioned space, they were always all smiles.  They listened to and adored the same music that I did thousands of miles away.  We found common ground in mutual kindness and the lyrics of Bruno Mars and that touched me beyond words.

 Whether it was working the chain gang bucket brigade of cement, cutting rock or nursing my wounds from a day of back breaking work, or leading a 1^st grade class in three rounds of “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands,” I was proud to be a part of such an amazing and awesome initiative.  After 12 days of intensive work and play, I realized that I had gained an entire new family, in both my friends in Indonesia as well as my travelling companions.  And for that, I will be forever grateful for Spring Break of 2013.  The trip that made me realize how small 

I am, in this massive and inspiring world.

 I turned 39 during this trip.  And can’t imagine a more poetic way to end my 30s.  By stepping outside of my comfort zone and into a 3^rd, albeit still beautiful, world country replete with promise and HEART.

 Thank you Courts for Kids.

A special thank you to The Quest Foundation for their matching contribution toward the court construction costs.

To read a trip blog from the participants, click here.

My favorite part was  seeing the kids playing on the court and knowing that we had created something that would have a lasting impact on the community.

The big takeaways for me are that we are lucky to have everything that we do and other people around the world need opportunities as well. This trip was a great way to give back.

I think the thing that resonated with me most powerfully is that people have the capacity to surprise each other in a positive way. Our group members surprised ourselves and each other with how hard we were able to work, the locals were pleasantly surprised by our ethic, and our eyes were opened to the warmth and generosity of the community there. I’ve always believed that people are inherently good, and this trip strongly reaffirmed that in ways I didn’t expect.

Being in the small, rural community of El Higueron really showed me how kind hearted and welcoming people can truly be. They showed me the joy that can come from putting an emphasis on family and relationships, something that can be all to easily forgotten in our fast paced lifestyles.

It was an incredible experience, I felt not only welcomed into the community but into their families. And all the hard work and sore muscles disappeared as soon as I saw the smiles on all the kids faces.

 the entrance to the town. Although lacking in many resources, the team discovered that Guasumita is rich in spirit and heart. When they arrived they were immediately welcomed by countless children who would be their helpers throughout the week. The team worked tirelessly to build the court, carrying buckets of water alongside grandmothers and shoveling cement with young women – showing the other workers that women could do the job, too.

The court was built for the Guasumita’s women’s volleyball team which was started by the local Peace Corps Volunteer, Angela. The women were very proud of their team and had recently received uniforms from the local cacao factory but did not have a space to practice and play. Courts for Kids was able to provide them with just that. On March 7, the volleyball team, Peace Corps Volunteers and the Courts for Kids group inaugurated the court with a volleyball tournament. “La Capitan”, the team’s leader, was extremely proud to showcase the court to her community and neighboring teams while leading her team to their first home court victory!

I have learned again, but more significantly, what living with very little looks like, but how adaptable humans are without much material good. What made the experiences special, though, was the component of integration and the connectedness we felt with the people of Guasumita.  Construction jobs and volleyball are pretty common, casual activities but getting to do them with the children and elders and everyone in between was so special. 

Being in Guasumita reminds me how very little there is to complain about in life, how I have been given so many opportunities, and how it is now my challenge to use my opportunities to strive for a greater good.  I hope that every time I’m slipping into a ‘woe is me’ moment, I put myself back to the simplicity of that library porch.  Yes, I will be impacted- I will be more humble- I will give back more- I will be kinder- I will have more patience- I will daily appreciate a hot shower and indoor plumbing- I will stop obsessing about my watch- I will remember how little happens on social media in a week- I will drink water out of my tap with joy- I will travel more consciously- I will try to smile as bright as those children at least once a day- I will let things lie more often- I will remember how small the world is- I will keep my eyes open- I will keep my ears open- I will remember Guasumita.

Guasumita is incredibly poor by American standards, and probably by standards of Dominican culture, too, but it’s hard to call the people there poor when you spend time with them.  They have so little, but they also make such great use of what they have.  In the setting of their village, so many of them seem to thrive.  I’m not sure how to reconcile my American perspective on poverty with the apparent contentedness of the people.  I don’t want to downplay their circumstances but I also don’t want to assume they’re unhappy or unfortunate because their standard of living doesn’t match mine.  I think what I’m going to take from this trip is to be more aware and more understanding.  I want to try to be less biased or have less of a privileged American approach to things.  So much of the work done on the court was done by the villagers, so it was the people helping themselves, not us coming in to help an unfortunate people.

So much in my life is controlled and comfortable, it was exhilarating to be able to step into a world that seemed so different and to go through a period of uncomfortability to get to a place where you feel almost like part of a family here.

I originally set out to do this trip to cross it off my bucket list because I knew at some point in my four years I wanted to do a service trip and give back in some way, but I’ve come away with so much more.  This has been an experience that has taught me so much about myself and others.  I’ve met amazing people, both from William and Mary and from the DR, seen amazing things, and experienced a week I will never forget, all on a trip that was meant to benefit others.  The people in Guasumita don’t have a lot, but they do live right if sharing has brought me this much joy in seven days, I hope I can live the rest of my life with sharing at the forefront because I know I’ll be a happier person.

Although my family may not have had a lot of money, we always had basic resources such as water.  I will leave this trip with a greater appreciation for my life.

 

The sports court is a tremendous asset for the orphanage, considering there are no other courts within many miles. Kids from the surrounding areas are, for the first time ever, desiring to go to the orphanage to play on the court and interact with the kids there. It is hard to describe the incredible value this places on the lives of children who have been neglected throughout their lives, that they have such a prized possession. Sports is unique in its ability to bring together kids from various backgrounds, and this is very true in India, with its various castes and religions. This court will be a symbol, not only of hope and status for the children in the orphanage, but also one of peace and reconciliation for children from diverse backgrounds.

This project was coordinated primarily by Midge and Chris Dobbs from Vancouver, WA, who assembled a team of 8 volunteers, handled many of the logistics and spent countless hours fundraising. Midge and Chris also spearheaded the previous court project in India and feel a deep longing in their hearts to continue to help support the entire team at ALMA, most notably Rufus, whose father, an Indian pastor, started ALMA many years ago.

Here are some words from Midge:

My third trip and Chris’ second trip to India was a trip of a life time. Many people that I have seen since returning have asked if it was better than previous trips. No trip is better or worse, they are all different. This was a wonderful, wonderful trip.

The day before we left we were able to finish to court to allow for time for a court dedication and a sports clinic. The children had been happy and wonderful the entire week – and let me tell you that was nothing compared to the celebration and dedication. These children were SO happy it was amazing.

The dedication was amazingly unorganized and wonderful in the only way that we had come to know. It was perfect! That honored us all with shawls, had a plaque made with our name on it. When the dedication was done they poured thousands of flower pedals from the ceiling – and we danced and laughed for what seemed to be hours.

Coming home from a trip like this is difficult to say the least. To see what we have seen in the villages and then come home to our excess in the States is hard to handle, especially the first time. The team saw many people malnourished and in desperate for life basics. The amazing thing about India, and why we continue to go, is the people we encounter don’t want or desire anything more than what they have. They are the happiest people I have ever met, they literally live on faith alone. They are content with what they have and are happy to share everything with you. My most memorable moment on this trip is when we were in a village that was clearly malnourished. There were many children with red hair (a sign of malnourishment) and many other symptoms. They had prepared a meal for us to eat and when we were leaving they were handing us fruits as gifts of thanks. It’s not polite at all to decline gifts, we did manage to get out of the lunch, however we took their fruit and figured out a way to send them fruit as a gift later. It was a pretty humbling experience.

The team who adopted this project was a group of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact members from the Portland area as well as two volunteers from California.  This project was a partnership between the local municipality, Pisco Sin Fronteras (a local N.G.O. who served as the contractor), two Peace Corps Volunteers, Rotary International and Courts for Kids.  The local municiaplity has been lobbying PSF to help with a court project for years, but they had been uanble to do so until these Rotaract members took the initiative to adopt the project.

The team was an amazing group, tirelessly working on the court and completing the pour by the time they left, proving the contractors wrong.  The court was bigger than our average court and will be a great space for their community to develop an identity.  Sports has the unique ability to bring together people recovering from trauma and forging strong community bonds.  Without a doubt, the court will be filled with kids and adults playing soccer and basketball for years to come and will be a vital asset as they move forward.

A huge thank you to the many Rotary clubs and individuals listed below who contributed to this project financially, funds which were matched by Rotary District 5100 and Rotary International.

Rotary Club of Milwaukie
Astoria Rotary Club
Albina Rotary Club
J. Newton and Barbara Rumble
Mary Kay Gaffney
Andy Huck
Dean Patterson
Rotaract Club of Sherwood
Interact Club of Sherwood
Sherwood Rotary Foundation
Eric and Jane Norberg
Rotary Club of Lake Oswego
Central East Portland Rotary
Donald and Ann Irving
Vancouver Sunrise Rotary
Michelle Howell
Rotary Club of McMinnville
Bruce Frederick

One person who really impacted my life was Goli.  Goli was a local who lived in Pisco but walked to Tupac every day to help with the court.  The PSF people said that he had been showing up to work every day for the past 3 months although he didn’t speak much English he always worked hard in his flip flops, never complaining or asking for anything.  For a person to go so far to help another community while still struggling to support their own family is truly an amazing person.  I hope I can be more like Goli and continue to serve others.

I realize now that I don’t want my life to go by with only selfish thoughts in mind.  I knew before this trip that I wanted to work with children and helping them in one way or another.  This experience with Peru and Courts for Kids has given me an even bigger drive to commit my life to helping and serving others.  Thanks everyone for an awesome experience.

I’ll never take water and a running/operating plumbing system for granted again.  I’ll also be less materialistic and give more than I take because of how fortunate I am for just being born in the USA.

But the story of how they got there really starts 3 years prior, when Roger, the founder and director of MCN a ministry to indigenous peoples in the Philippines such as the Mamanwa, contacted us and expressed his desire to have a court for the people there.  Through Roger we learned that the Mamanwa were originally hunters and gathers and have only recently settled.  Twenty years ago when Roger first started working with them they were 100% illiterate.  Now they have schools, a church and they are proud to say their first college graduates!  The Mamanwa, like other indigenous peoples, are greatly discriminated against by the greater Filipino culture.  This is due in part to their illiteracy and lack of education which has left the people as beggars.

The Mamanwa, like the rest of the Philippines, are crazy about basketball!  In fact, it is through basketball they are starting to earn respect from the greater Filipino culture and dignity and pride for themselves.  This all started when the Manawa entered a tournament where they won, earning the nickname “Mamanwa NBA!”  However, the Manawa had no court to practice or host games, only a dirt court with rocks and holes and make-shift hoops.

So over the course of a week this team not only completed this court, thus making a dream come true for the Mamanwa people, but found themselves moved and touched by the love they received from the community.

“This trip was probably the greatest experience of my life, not only because I got to meet and help new people but also because it pushed me to my limits. It made me realize that you don’t need the newest technology or the nicest clothes to be happy; the most important things are family and friends and with them you have everything.” – Sara, High School Student from Idaho

“They seem so much more relational as a culture – and seem so much happier because of it. They don’t let things get in the way of loving on one another or spending time with each other . . . . It will always be easy to get caught up in things but where I want to invest my time, money and efforts is with the people and relationships around me.” – Nicki, Teacher from Vancouver, WA.

“In the end we learned, more from the Mamanwa than we would ever give.” –Skylar, Coach from Camas, WA.

“This trip has honestly been the best experience of my life . . .   I feel forever changed by the children of the community.  We have a special bond that cannot be broken despite the fact that we are worlds apart.  We are all children of God . . . I will never be able to thank them enough for showing me what is important in life: family.  It is true that the best things in life are not things, they’re people, even those you’ve only known a week.”  – Emily, High School Student from Portland, OR

“The Mamanwa are a remarkable people and I was totally humbled by them . . .  In my wealth I often feel anxious, stressed, and selfish, but the Mamanwa have showed me that they can live joyfully, give freely, and love deeply in their poverty.”  –Brian, Coach from Seattle, WA

“This trip taught me a whole new dimension on life because these people have nothing in terms of materials, but everything in terms of love and togetherness.”  – Trent, High School Student from Camas, WA

Not only did the team work side by side in building the court but both our group and the community contributed to the finances to make this dream a reality too.  In a rural community where the average person makes $6 a day and a bag of cement is around $9, many families in the community made a huge sacrifice by donating a bag of cement.  All week long people came to the court dropping off bags of cement  or bringing whatever they had.  For one elderly woman it was 2 Soles which is about 77 cents.  Another elderly man brought the group to his house so he could donate carrots and beets from his garden for a meal.  The generosity and love of the people of Kuntur Wasi was truly awe-inspiring.

In addition to building the court, the group participated in hiking to some pre-Incan ruins, as well as getting to see the gold found in the graves, displayed in the Kuntur Wasi museum.  On the last day the community hosted an opening ceremony complete with dances, songs, and speeches.  We ended by eating together and playing friendly games of soccer, volleyball and basketball on their new court.  This experience was such a memorable and eye-opening one for everyone involved.

A big thank you to The Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver, Washington, for funding the court in Peru (along with the community) and donating most of the sports equipment to make this dream a reality for the children and adults in the Kuntur Wasi community.

The more profound memory will be of the moment I realized that while this was an exciting and rewarding 1 week vacation for us, what we experienced as challenging was normal life for those we met.  While we all are returning to our more comfortable lives and modern conveniences these come at a cost- perhaps a little less time for family, friends, a more hectic pace of life, more stress, and society’s message that things equal happiness.  I hope I can carry with me a little bit of the Peruvian spirit of hospitality, appreciation for hard work and a resourceful “make-do” spirit, generosity and gratitude with me.             -Kelly, Good Shepherd Parishoner from Vancouver, WA

 I began to see that the kids in Peru aren’t so different than the kids in the US.  On this trip I learned that the people in Peru have less than us but they are happier than us.  Now I appreciate the little things more than the big things.          – Colleen, 8 years old

 I was amazed at how content and able the people were in Kuntur Wasi, given how little they had and the conditions they lived in every day. . . .  I wish myself and all of America was more like the people of Kuntur Wasi, life would be simpler.         – David, High School Student from Portland, OR

It felt like we were both doing something great for each other, we being the “gringos” and the locals.  They taught us and we taught them.  The court I felt like really was the bridge between us and Peruvian culture and people.         – Claire, 10 years old

Friendships were forged, perceptions expanded, and a history and culture of another people was made real . . .  I have gained far more than I gave; tested myself in ways I haven’t in years, becoming part of a greater good.  – Tina, Good Shepherd Parishoner from Vancouver, WA

 Coming to Peru was one of the most rewarding trips of my life . . .   The community is pretty poor and trash covers the streets; water is scares because of the mines and chickens roam the streets.  All of that, however, seemed to disappear when we were welcomed to the community.  The welcome party made me feel like a part of their home. . .  Here , the poorer they are the more they give.  They don’t always worry about technology and the conversations are so genuine because these people live in the moment. . . .  Everyone says hi to each other and I felt a great sense of community here than I ever did in my neighborhood at home.  From this trip I have realized to live in the moment.  I shouldn’t always worry about new clothes or a cellphone when I already have them but instead be gracious for the opportunities I have. – Alison, High School Student from Portland, OR.

 Even though the Peruvians don’t have many of the things that I enjoy, such as warm shower, iPods, and TV’s, they are happy.  Seeing the Peruvians living with so little makes me realize that many of the things I think are important really are not.  Because of their lack of material things the Peruvians have more time for relationships. . . .  Another thing I noticed about the community was how welcoming and friendly they were.  The welcoming ceremony they had for us was really special.  It made me realize how important and special something as simple as a court was for the community.  – Sabrina, High School Student from Portland, OR

 When we were hugged and kissed by the parents, teachers and kids on the first day, in no way did I feel different or foreign.  I felt as part of the community and part of the Kuntur Wasi family.   –Andrew, High School student from Portland, OR

The Courts for Kids team and the people of Cuchilla worked 8 hours a day, for 4 straight days, in order to complete the construction of the court. At times the court seemed impossible to finish, but the team persevered by developing a work plan; volunteers broke into teams of 5 and rotated through 4 workstations: shoveling sand, shoveling gravel, shoveling and wheel barrowing cement, and break/rest. Once the grueling workload was evenly distributed, the construction of the court moved swiftly and the Courts for Kids volunteers and people of Cuchilla cheered each other on!

A special thank you to Columbia Sportswear for donating money for Cuchilla to have their first ever sports jerseys!

While not working on the court, the Courts for Kids team spent time with the people of Cuchilla, learning about their lives and culture. Some of the highlights included playing baseball, braiding hair, singing and dancing with the youth, herding cattle, and chewing on freshly cut sugar cane. The team also visited an area where locals mined larimar, a beautiful turquoise stone that is only found in the Dominican Republic, and seeing the beauty of the Caribbean beaches. Once the cement had dried and the hoops were raised, people of all ages celebrated the court with games, speeches, and a presentation of the new Cuchilla jerseys. The community elders expressed their gratitude for everyone’s hard work, and then the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down. It had not rained in months so it was a true sign that the court had been officially inaugurated!

Some quotes from our team:

A more serious story that will stay with me was when I was talking with Andy. He told me that he was 15 years old but he looks way older. I thought he was kidding so I asked what his birthday was. He told me he didn’t know because he never got his documents. It really hit me when he realized that he had no idea when he was born or any proof of being a citizen.

This trip has been one of the most amazing yet difficult things that I’ve ever had to do. The working and drastic change and living conditions were hard to get used to. Overtime I’ve learned to adapt and I believe that it has made me grow as a person. I have the learned the importance of hard work and relationships.

Batey Chuchilla has impacted me in more ways than any other single experience I have gone through. It has made me so much more thoughtful for everything I have in my life because it was just by luck I was born into the family and place I did. I learned so much about myself and the direction I want to head my life in. I have learned so many priceless things from the people I can’t even start to explain. I know I will be changed when I get home but it’s hard to say in what ways exactly. I know that I’m going to miss this and the people and the lessons I learned from them.

In this community many kids did not have a second pair of pants, shirts or underwear. Many would wear flip flops or crocs and they didn’t mind the cement all over their bodies. There was no cold water or even room temperature water and I realize how selfish I am when I complain about the stuff that I have.

Aside from the new food, language and climate, the biggest adjustment for the group was not having a set schedule everyday, and not knowing exactly when the court would be finished.  On some days, the boys were sent out in small teams to complete a checklist of activities that were specific to the Dominican culture.  This turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip, as the boys were asked to complete tasks such as: have a local woman brush your hair, ride a donkey, kill and prepare a chicken, sing a serenada (traditional love song) and catch a river crab, just to name a few. These activities not only got the boys out of their protective comfort zones, but it also helped them forge extremely close bonds with the youth of the community, as well as learn a great deal about the Dominican culture.

With 22 strong young men on the trip and a much smaller court size due to the topography, the team was able to finish the court work much quicker than the average Courts for Kids group.  After doing prep work and working on a retaining wall the first couple days, there was one incredible day where all the boys joined forces with some local workers to successfully pour the entire court, as well as dig five foot holes for the hoops.  Observers of the work being done that day would surely describe it having seen a machine in motion.  It really was a sight to see, and a day the boys will never forget.

Add 'orchestral performance' to list of uses for a court!

With electricity only available for a few hours in the morning and night, it was crucial that the work that required electricity, such as welding, was done during that window of power. It was fitting then, that on the last day, when the court was fully ready, apart from the backboards being welded onto the poles, there was no electricity in the community the morning that the welder came in.  The excitement and eagerness to play ball from the locals and the Courts for Kids group in that moment could have been enough to power his tools.  When the electricity finally came, it was literally a matter of minutes before the backboards were up, and the court was in full use as the first sports and recreational space in the community’s history.