BASEBALL TEAM HELPS BUILD A HOME FOR A FAMILY IN MEXICO

Grant Wiebe '24 and his family have built homes three times in the past with Homes of HOPE, an international organization that partners with the "building industry to invest in underserved families around the world for their holistic flourishing unto the glory of God." On the Wiebe family's most recent trip in 2018, they worked with the Bells, another RJ family. Todd Wiebe and Michael Bell got to talking and decided an experience like this would be a great way for the RJ Baseball team to work together building camaraderie and teamwork, while also helping others. They approached Coach Darr, who embraced the idea. From there, they reached out to Hope Sports, a partner organization of Homes of HOPE that works to unify teams around a cause greater than themselves, to put the wheels in motion.

The team was paired with the Peralta Guzmans, a family of six who lost their home in 2017 to a fire in which one of their daughters was also severely burned. Over the last few years, the family worked to save enough for a downpayment on some land, but couldn't afford the cost of the home itself. Over a two-day period, they worked alongside RJ Baseball team members and Homes of HOPE staff to create a simple but functional home. In the process, hearts and minds were transformed. "It was an amazing experience to change this family's life in a tangible way," Todd Wiebe, one of the trip chaperones, commented. Micah Lui '24 recalled, "It's just very eye-opening to see what you can do with a team and two days."

RJHS Baseball Team Participants
Jake Burnett '24
Ryan Dunne '25
Jace Filleman '25
William Houtsma '24
Christian Lopez '25
Micah Lui '24
Pierce Martin '24
John May '24
Sam Morton '24
Luke Reasbeck '25
Andrew Schilling '25
Grant Wiebe '24

Adult Chaperones