Daily Devotion - Wednesday, October 26

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

“Teach me your way, O Lord. Lead me on a level path.”
-A song from an ancient seeker

Wednesday: Baseball in Casa Blanca
Note: This particular devotion was written several years ago; I’ve been asked to use it again and so, here it is:

You may recall a hurricane named Hurricane Mitch. Mitch settled in over Honduras and Nicaragua, totally devastating the mountainside villages like Casa Blanca, Nicaragua. I will always remember my time with the Nicaraguan people. Mitch decimated the village of Casa Blanca. I’d seen poverty, but none like Casa Blanca.

As the 17 Americans sat together assessing our first day, we were keenly aware that we had packed more for our ten-day mission than the entire community of 400 owned. We were really humbled. Two teenagers and their dad were part of the group. As we reflected, Danny’s eyes lit up. He asked for our first aid kit. He took a little ball he had brought from home and started wrapping rubber bands around it. Then he took some gauze and all of a sudden a baseball was starting to emerge. He then took some duct tape. The adults joined in and soon a very fine “baseball” was made.

He showed it to the teenagers. They knew baseball. Soon a couple of tree limbs were being formed into bats. On the final day of our work camp, friendships had grown to the point that it was time for a baseball game. The Nicaraguans of Casa Blanca were playing the North Americans from Indiana. What a fun day.

As you sit back and let the commentators take you out to the World Series ballgame, allow your spirit to do some thinking about ways you can bring healing to our brothers and sisters around the world. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have an opportunity to play in a World Series. I truly enjoyed my World Series experience. Have a good day.

A Prayer: Holy God, take me to the ballgames I need to play. Amen.

--Ben Keckler
10.26.11