Beyond the Finish Line: DBU Cross Country and Track & Field Serves, Worships, and Shares Christ in the Dominican Republic

The DBU Cross Country and Track & Field team recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to partner with Holt's House of Hope, where student-athletes spent their days building relationships, sharing their faith, and using sport as a bridge for connection and ministry.

Upon arriving, the team was encouraged by staff to step outside their comfort zones and engage the boys at the home in conversation. While the language barrier initially made interactions feel awkward at times, the athletes leaned into the experience with intentionality, choosing presence and willingness over hesitation.

What began with arm-wrestling contests and conversations about favorite sports soon opened the door for deeper connection. As relationships formed, a staff member shared a teaching from the Parable of the Sower. Following the message, DBU student-athlete Jeb Williamson shared his testimony, reflecting on the influence of his parents and the transformation he had witnessed in their lives through faith in Christ.

Then came the moment the children had been waiting for: "¡Vamos a jugar!" Immediately, the atmosphere shifted as the boys and DBU athletes filled the field and court with activity. A large baseball game unfolded on the grass, while a competitive 5-on-5 basketball game developed between the Dominicans and DBU athletes. Other student-athletes spent time teaching dances to the children, while several engaged in head-to-head sprint races. The day concluded with an organized relay race that brought everyone together in a shared moment of joy, energy, and teamwork.

Later in the week, the team traveled to a small village north of the coastal city of Ingenio Angelina, where they stepped off the bus on the main highway and began a three-mile run along dirt roads through the Dominican countryside. The group was joined by members of the Dominican Republic national running team as well as a club runner from Cuba. Together, they ran through stretches of sugar cane fields, navigating uneven terrain, stray dogs, and the rhythm of life in the rural landscape.

From there, the team moved into hands-on service in Ingenio Angelina, completing a painting project for a local family. The home, constructed of tin sheaths nailed together, stood alongside a small shed used as a beauty salon. With green paint in hand, the DBU athletes worked to restore and beautify both structures. After more than an hour of work, all three buildings were completed, each marked with a Bible verse written on the exterior as a lasting reminder of hope and faith.

The team later returned to Holt's House of Hope, this time spending time with the girls. Megan Williamson shared her testimony, and the visit once again turned into a mix of activity and relationship-building, including baseball, volleyball, tag, and conversations that continued to deepen connections. That evening, the group attended La Iglesia Fe Apostólica, Inc. de la República Dominicana, where they worshiped through song and heard multiple testimonies. Carson Crabtree also shared his testimony and helped lead the congregation in singing.

On Saturday, the team traveled south of Jarabacoa, where they were dropped at the edge of a dirt road and began a trek through dense Dominican jungle toward a remote village. There, they painted a small shack that served as a local convenience store, along with the owner's home, continuing their focus on practical service and encouragement to the communities they visited.

In the afternoon, the team gathered along the banks of the Río Yaque to witness and celebrate the baptism of one of their own student-athletes, Drew McLaughlin, who had made a profession of faith during a Wednesday night service. As he came up from the water, teammates surrounded him in celebration, splashing him in a lighthearted moment of joy and affirmation.

Across each of these experiences—from mountain trails and village roads to church gatherings and fields of play—the heart of the trip became increasingly clear. The DBU coaching staff reflected with gratitude on what God had done throughout the week:

"I cannot help but rejoice in the work God has done in this five-day stretch," said Jacob Hayes, Assistant Athletic Trainer (Cross Country / Track & Field). "Mission trips produce different results for different people, but there is a common refrain often heard from those who go: 'I came to bring the gospel to them, but in the end, I was the one who was changed.'"

Throughout the trip, that truth came into focus as student-athletes lived out the gospel not only in word, but in action through service projects, shared worship, competition, encouragement, and everyday presence.

In the end, the experience underscored a defining reality of DBU athletics: these student-athletes are more than competitors. They are ambassadors of Christ, shaped as much by moments of service as by moments in sport, carrying a distinct calling to impact others wherever they go.