Women's Volleyball | 6/10/2022 10:45:00 AM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – John 17:22-23 states, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." 
 
After a long wait through three years of planning and multiple reschedules, Head Coach Megan Lenhart shared the focus of the Golden Eagle women's volleyball mission trip to the Dominican Republic being that of uniting. Uniting as a team, uniting as believers, and uniting as witnesses of the love of Jesus Christ to those around us. 
 
In May, Cornerstone had the opportunity to send their first team on an overseas mission trip since prior to COVID, with 19 women's volleyball players and coaches getting the experience to go to the Dominican Republic with an organization called SCORE International. The team had the opportunity to travel with the missionaries stationed in the D.R., and follow them around to multiple villages where they served in vacation bible school, a girl's home, and through the sport of volleyball. The players had the opportunity to work with many young kids, speak and play volleyball against some of the top club teams in the country, as well as experience the culture of the villages within the Dominican Republic. 
 
Senior libero Patsy Morris shared some of her experience on the trip, stating that the trip was an amazing experience and that "realizing the differences that come in a different country really brought our team together where I felt that I was uniting my close Cornerstone family with other brothers and sisters in Christ in a new place." 
 
Morris went on to talk about how one of the most impactful experiences she had was during her time at the girl's home. She discussed the fear that the team had with many of them being on their first mission trip out of the country where there was a language barrier. But, she said once they got to the girl's home, despite the language barrier, you could tell that every one of those kids wanted us there and enjoyed the time spent together. Morris also shared that members of the girl's home started to sing a song to the team and how despite the language barrier, God used the gift of music as a way to unite them. 
 
Lenhart added that the trip "could not have gone smoother." With so many obstacles along the way, Lenhart could tell that this trip was special to her team, knowing that they were not just there for their own experience, but they were there for all of the graduating players that were scheduled to go and could not due to the delay's in travel caused by COVID-19 over the last three years. 
 
For more on the experience, check out the video below with Coach Lenhart and Morris:


 
Director of Athletics, Aaron Sagraves and Cornerstone are thrilled to continue experiences like this in the upcoming years. CU strives to provide every athlete with at least one overseas mission experience in their four years. To support the student athlete experience, donate HERE.  
 
Volleyball Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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