To most, seeing someone with
their face stuck into one’s baseball mitt would just be down right silly. But,
for a twelve-year-old boy, the smell from the leather of the glove and that of the
ball, well, it was just heavenly. Add to these the warmth of the California
sunshine, the brilliant blue sky and diving into the lush green grass, nothing, no nothing else came close to
perfection in this boy’s mind.
The 'Hall of Famer'
It was 1970, beginning what was
my third year of playing baseball, my first as a Dodger. Seriously, Los
Angeles, baseball, Dodger…perhaps you can’t imagine the thrill that this twelve-year-old
was experiencing. Though both the great Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale had just
recently retired, still there was Hall of Famer Don Sutton on the mound, Wes
Parker at first base (Steve Garvey, soon to be the starter), or my favorite, Willie Davis
in centerfield. It was a time that, well, I knew baseball like the back of my
hand. No, better than the back of my hand.
I would go on to play more than
200 hundred games during those childhood and youth years. I would have even missed
meals just to get into a game. I imagine that there were times when I questioned
where he was, but typically, just playing was worth him not showing up. To my
dad’s credit, other than my ‘Babe Dahlgren’ story, which I shared in a post called,
‘Baseball and the Babe’, that Spring afternoon game at Dodger Stadium stands
out as the greatest.
The Dodgers had just returned
from Vero Beach, where they played their preseason games. They had one more
game before the season began. It was against our own College hero’s, the USC
Trojans. Both teams had three championships over the past decade, and the
future looked bright.
'Man Wall' with Baseball Memoirs
Seriously, the only part of the
game that I recall, was when the Dodgers took the field for warmups. The
infielders were warming up in make-believe style. That is, they didn’t have a
ball. They pretended to throw the ball on the ground and in the air, making
great throws and leaps in order to keep the ball in play.
My 'Dodger' Team
On this particular afternoon … an
amazing beautiful day, at Dodger Stadium, playing the Trojans, with my dad
sitting next to me. Memories.....they just don’t get much better.
Fathers...you, we have a great opportunity to make lasting impressions upon our sons. My encouragement, make this your life's goal. Paul says, "Fathers, bring your children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
It always seemed like it was ‘just a matter of time’ before
my journey would return me to San Luis Rio Colorado. Over the past four years
that reality has been more than an itch, it has become a determination. And
that determination came to fruition in February of 2019
After two deployments with Team Rubicon in Southern
California, I continued south through the border at Algodones and then the
short distance onward to San Luis.
In preparation for this trip I had decided on three primary
goals. One, for it to be a trip of Spanish immersion. Two, to bring baseball
equipment, coaching baseball clinics. And three, well three is whatever or
however the Lord might direct.
Angel & Luis - an hour before my departure
So why San Luis? For five years between 1998 and 2002 I had
the privilege to join and co-lead teams, mainly composed of youth, to this city
about the size of Salem, Oregon. During those years we were able to accomplish
many projects including VBS, and building a church, named Betania, as well as a few homes. Typically we would arrive on Sunday afternoon, with our building supplies not far behind. Though in the year 2000, we never saw them until Tuesday
afternoon. So, the obvious question was, what do we do now?
With the Vega Family - 2002
A key goal for Jon and I during those years was ‘relationships’.
It would be one thing to build a home, but without building relationships in
the process, well, would we not be missing the point. One such relationship was
with the Vega family. Heriberto, Gudelia and their six beautiful children had already
a special place in my heart. So, it was natural to ask Heriberto if there was
anything that needed repair or that we could assist with on their home. His
reply, priceless! “No necesito nada, yo tengo mi salud, mi familia y
Jesuscristo es mi salvador”. That is, “I don’t need anything, I have my health,
my family and Jesus Christ is my savior”.
Heriberto & Gudelia y Nietos
The following two mornings, with our supplies still delayed,
I would ask Heriberto the same question and he would give the same response.
Finally, late Tuesday morning I decided to attempt one more time. This time he
relented. Melody, one of our youth, and I went over in his Ford Bronco. What
happened next has never left my memory. Might I just say that I was glad that I
was wearing dark sunglasses as his quote echoed in my head. His simple and
humble life overwhelmed me. Right then I mentioned that I would love to build
him a house one day. To which he repeated, “No necesito nada, yo tengo mi
salud, mi familia y jesuscristo es mi Salvador”. In March of 2002 we were able
to fulfill that commitment.
Moving the story forward to February 2nd, 2019, I
went to the most logical location in which I assumed might be just the place to
set up my tent. You see, I had the baseball gear, I had my own clothing, I even
brought some food for just in case. But, where I might actually stay, and what, exactly might I be doing, these things I did not know.
Sister Ylda Praying For a Worker
Before my arrival to Betania I decided that I better replace
my SIM Card with my Mexico card and charge it with minutes at an Oxxo (the main
‘7-Eleven’ store of Mexico). There was but one small problem. I could not get
the SIM Card out of the phone. After nearly an hour, three stores in an attempt
to find even a paperclip, finally a cashier asked if an earring might work. “Absolutely,
I said!”. With the card exchanged and the phone charged I continued the few
blocks to the Betania/Bethany church.
Now nearing dusk and no one at Betania, I decided to drive
past Templo Berea. How this church even becomes part of the equation is quite providential.
You see almost four years to the day I concluded a three month stay in Jalisco Mexico
with my last night in San Luis. Through a series of events I was able
to find my sister-in-the-Lord, Ylda, pastora of Betania. That late afternoon in
February 2015, we drove to a couple of the comedor’s (food kitchen’s) that she
had set up. And finally to Templo Berea, where I would enjoy a brief visit with
the Vega’s outside of the church before they went in for the evening service.
Now one picture you must set in your mind before I continue
is that most of the homes and churches in this area are guarded by fence and
locks. Betania had such and Templo Berea the same. As I arrived a man and women
had just stepped out of their house adjacent to the church. Now recall, that I
would have driven past about an hour prior if I had been able to exchange the
SIM cards. And with the fence, well, it's unlikely that I would have even stopped.
Chuy, Andrea, Lupe & Family
I stepped out of my Nissan pickup and walked up to the fence
saying, “Hola, me llamo Ricardo Williams yo soy un amigo de Heriberto y Gudelia
Vega”. That is, hello my name is Rick Williams, I am a friend of the Vega’s.
Before I could say anything further, the wife (Andrea) motioned to her husband
(Lupe) and said something. Being more than thirty feet away I could not hear
what she had said. Andrea then continue to her van and was off to
run an errand and Lupe escorted me to a lovely
studio apartment, with a full bathroom, on the second story of the church.
Baseball Clinic #1
What had just happened? How had I gone from most likely setting
up camp in my tent to sleeping in a ‘castle’. Well, as providence would have
it, Andrea is the baby sister of Gudelia. She had heard the story of this gringo
who built a house for her sister over a decade and a half ago. And she even seen my picture
many times. You see, in the living room of the Vega’s home are placed six
pictures. Five of their family and one of yours truly in front of their newly
built home in 2002 with the entire Vega family.
Orfanato with Abraham & Alan
Sobrina Rita, Miguelito & Players
Oh, and Templo Berea, just happens to be a block and half
from the only baseball field in the area. Over the next two weeks I would have
the privilege to have some Spanish immersion, enjoy six baseball clinics, come to build a new and lasting friendship with many, most notably Lupe, Andrea and Chuy and
that “whatever or however the Lord might direct”, well, it was changed to “Por
amor de Cristo”. That is, “For the sake of Christ” in our English bible. Found
in Philippians 3:7 where Paul says, “I count all things to be loss for the sake
of Christ”.
Bethel Orfanato
And if you need more evidence of our Creator’s providence,
perhaps being in San Luis exactly at the time that they had planned to visit
and assist one of the local orphanages. Or perhaps the discovery of the ‘Algodoneros’
baseball caps. Having searched three different times at multiple stores and
coming up empty handed, I went out one last time. While nearing downtown, I
could see in the distance the light poles of their stadium. As I approached there
was one remaining player, who had just placed his gear into his truck, and was about to head home. Speaking in Spanish I asked if he might perhaps know where I could find baseball hats for the local team. In perfect English he says, “We can talk
in English if you’d like”. And, “Yes, I know exactly where you might purchase
them”.
All With Algodoneros Hats & Evelyn With Her New Uniform
So, a trip, in planning for more than three years had just been
concluded. The lessons learned, much more than what one blog can hold. Suffice
it to say, travel slowly, listen deeply and wait for much more than one can
even imagine.
Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to him who is able to do far more
abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within
us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. The song was one that I heard while waiting the three hours in line to enter back into the United States of America. 'Gracefully Broken' sung by Matt Redman and Tasha Cobbs Leonard.Powerful!
