Jordan Thurmond, IF/OF
U of South Carolina-Sumter
This is the second time that I have taken a trip with the Pride and Coach Hudak to the Dominican Republic. The first time I went was with a bunch of high school guys when I was 16, but this time I was able to go with the traditional college team. Ever since I had to come back to America from Dominican after my first trip, I knew that I wanted to go again and I could not wait until I was a college baseball player and able to go back with college guys. It is a trip that I wish everyone was able to experience. It allows me to get better at baseball, give help to those who are truly in need, create bonds with people that will last forever, and, most importantly, get closer with God and learn more about His Word. The first time I was down here, my favorite part of the trip was going to the girls’ orphanage and boys’ orphanage and our devotion from the last night. This time, since we were here for a week longer, there are several things that I enjoyed and will never forget. Of course it was amazing having a great time with the kids at the orphanage, it was also pretty cool to play against the Mets and Cardinals, help Pastor John build his house, help Kike build his house, and get the opportunity to eat dinner at the de la Cruz home. Most everywhere we went, the people living there were in less fortunate in the way that they lived, but seeing how happy they were and how much they loved the Lord makes it impossible to not smile and trust that God has a plan. I have also found that the people of the Dominican Republic are always so welcoming and have a great sense of hospitality which can be hard come by these days. This is definitely a trip that I plan on making again and two weeks that I will never be able to forget.
