Katie Snyder’s Story--http://www.katiesnyder.com/costa-rica

Can a mission trip change a life? Can teaching someone the sport of softball really make an impact on his or her life choices? The answer to these questions, I believe, is yes.

This past week, I had the privilege to travel to San Jose, Costa Rica with FCA and Score International. Our mission: to teach the sport of softball while sharing about our personal experiences with God.

Our group was quite diverse. Four softball players from four different high schools, one softball coach, one 16 year old missionary, two adult business owners, one FCA leader, and one photographer/ex-softball player (that’s me).

From the very beginning, there were trials. Upon arrival at the airport, one of the teenagers was told that she did not have a ticket, forcing an additional $1800 ticket to be purchased and a lonely girl flying by herself to Costa Rica by way of Miami. This initial incident was followed by vomit, a sprained ankle, a manna ray sting and several long days of hard work filled with tired, achy muscles and sunburn. The flight home would not have been complete without an emergency landing (causing a missed flight), sleeping in the Charlotte airport and renting a rental car to make it home.

In addition to these trials, there were many victories. On Sunday, we arrived at a local park at 7 am to find 40+ women of all ages eagerly awaiting our arrival and already passing softballs. From Monday-Friday, we taught clinics at 3 different universities, a foster home, an elementary school, and an under-privileged neighborhood. In addition to the clinics, we were able to play games with younger children at most of these locations. One day, we were able to hand deliver over $100 of groceries to a small group of women in an area slum.

Everywhere we went, we were well received. It was invaluable to us that there were missionaries on the ground in Costa Rica who had already begun making relationships. Because of this, we could identify where the specific needs were in order to make the most of our time.

The eagerness of the students cannot be described. I’ve never seen anything like it in the United States. They deeply desired to learn this sport that has not been played in their country for forty years. Men and women alike worked extremely hard practicing the techniques we demonstrated day in and day out. At the end of each clinic, we were able to share a little about our personal walks with God or a little tidbit about the ways in which playing sports helps you in life. Almost every time, there were people who came to each of us to let us know how much what we had said meant to them and why.

I enjoyed this trip because we were able to relate to people in a very tangible way. By teaching them softball, we gave them an additional skill in life. They were interested in hearing our personal journeys and what brought us to Costa Rica. By delivering food and handing out toys and clothing, we proved that God does provide.

In addition to having an impact on the people we served, this trip had a lasting impact on all of us. Many of the group members had not seen poverty like we experienced. Some had no idea that teaching a sport could mean so much to someone. All of us left changed for the better. It was an incredible week!

Katie Snyder – Photographer & Retired Softball Pitcher