Volunteers Want Cebu Youth to ‘Dream Big’

A team of American volunteers visited the Province of Cebu from July 9 to 12 to give the Cebuanos a unique treat.

These volunteers, composed of basketball players, doctors, dentists and other volunteers, the Soldiers of the Lord Team of the American Christian Missionary, are prepared to teach the youth to ‘open up their minds, to dream big, to desire to be the great player that they think they can be and become the players of tomorrow of this country.’

Coach Lawrence Crawford and assistant coach Carl Foster described the basketball team as persons with “character, skills, size, speed, shooting ability, athletic and close to the top.”

The players who have played in school and commercial leagues in the U.S. are Tyree McCreary, 6’8”; Donald Johnson, 6’7”; KK Alexander, 6’6”; Udon Usaque, 6’6”; Mike Harris, 6’5”; KJ Jones, 6’0”; Brandon Cole, 6’1”; and, Sammy Gayeres, 6’1”. All of them had good impressions of Cebu, including the Cebuanos and the food.

Crawford and Foster, having been to the country seven times before for the same mission, assured the Cebuanos that the team is ‘close to the top’ and can give a ‘healthy serving’ of fancy game, including passes and slum dunks.

Foster acknowledged that the young people are their ‘really great fans’ and are their ‘real focus.’ In the basketball clinics that were part of their itinerary, they aimed to impart to the youth the importance of having a ‘healthy mind and spirit’ through basketball and assured them that ‘we’re here to provide a healthy spiritual encouragement.’

The team played against select groups of the host local government units of Talisay City, Asturias, Barangay Don Andres Soriano (Toledo City) and Mandaue City during their four-day stay.

Meanwhile, the volunteer doctors and dentists some of whom come from Manila and Cebu conducted medical missions in Pinamungajan and Toledo City.

The group is optimistic that with the visit they will be able touch and change one person’s life for the better.

They met the Cebu media in a press conference at the South Town Center in Bulacao, Talisay City last July 9.

www.cebu.gov.ph