Thursday morning began with breakfast at the hotel before traveling to Central Christian Academy. While spending the morning at the academy, both the Basketball team and cheerleading squad guided elementary age Korean students in a large clinic consisting of 80 boys and 80 girls.

The children at the basketball clinic played many games, led by the Patriot Basketball Team, who also taught them the fundamentals of basketball. Sophomore Jordan McGowen was able to share his testimony to all of the individuals in the clinic.

The Lady Patriots taught the Korean students a DBU Patriots Cheer along with many types of cheerleading techniques during the clinic. At the end of the clinic, the girls performed the cheer they learned for the students that were in the basketball clinic.

Both the players and cheerleaders were very popular at the clinic, with it ending in a small autograph session for the children!

Lunch was served in the cafeteria at Central Christian Academy where we were served baked chicken and sausage with rice and fruit.  It was a good meal that revitalized our taste for American food.

After lunch, the basketball team was set to play their third and final game of the trip at 4:00 PM. We arrived at Chung Ang University early and were met with yet another beautiful Korean college campus.

The game began quickly with both teams shooting the ball well. At halftime, the Patriots led by a mere three points.  The second half was an intense fight for the Patriots as they trailed by only a few points throughout.  With 43 seconds left in the game, the Patriots were down by five points and needed a basket. DBU was able to bring it back with a dominant inside game, but time management by Chung Ang did not allow enough time for the Patriots who lost by one point.

After the game, the final dinner in South Korea was at a Korean style barbeque restaurant, where the group was served pork, rice, kim chi, and many other authentic Korean side dishes.

“Today was truly amazing! Being able to teach these young students the fundamentals of basketball while sharing the love of Christ is the reason we are in South Korea. I am anxious to share my experiences with my friends and family when I get home.”

-DBU Basketball Player, Braxton Adamson

“I am so proud of the girls this week! They have been able to bless hundreds of lives through their teachings, while providing a great service for these elementary schools.”

-Head Cheer Coach Skyla Alvarado

Friday morning we are scheduled to attend early morning prayer service at a local church at 6:00 AM, then will be traveling back to Dallas.  Our flight is scheduled to leave from Seoul, South Korea at 2:00 PM.  Thank you for all of your prayers throughout the week and for following our trip through this blog.

Wednesday morning started at 9:00 AM as the group headed to a local
park in the center of Seoul to perform a clinic for the Global Home schooling Academy.  The academy was operated by the Global Mission Church and was comprised of elementary age children.  Both the basketball team and cheerleading squad were able to give these children lessons as well as being a positive influence throughout the day.

After the clinic, we traveled across the city for lunch that was provided by the Global Mission Church at a Korean style restaurant. We had the opportunity to experience a traditional meal called “shabu-shabu,” which is a “fondu” style meal including vegetable, dumplings, noodles, and lean beef cooked in a broth on each table.  While eating, the group was required to sit on the floor at small tables.

After lunch, we were invited to tour the Far East Broadcast Company
(FEBC), where we experienced a tour of the broadcasting complex and learned about its history. The FBEC is a broadcasting hub that airs Christian radio and sermons throughout the eastern hemisphere including China, Japan, and Russia.

The afternoon was filled with shopping at one of the largest markets in downtown Seoul.  Hundreds of small shops lined the streets, similar to a flea market, where we were able to interact with the local vendors to buy souvenirs.  After dinner at a food court in one of the downtown malls, we traveled to “Seoul Station” to minister to the homeless individuals by providing them with a small meal to show the love of God in a special way.

“Getting to play with the young kids and teach cheerleading was an exciting experience.  It was really great to see their smiling faces.  It is amazing how we can share the joy of the Lord through loving others and using the talents God has given us to bless others.”
Sophomore Cheerleading, Laruen Wulff

“Despite the language barrier, I was able to see God work through prayer with the homeless people.  It was so moving to see the Holy Spirit intercede during prayer to impact a homeless man.  It was so evident that he experienced the love of God tonight.”

Junior Cheerleader Michelle Grose

“I had a great time working with the youth today.  It was amazing to see God work through us to bless somebody’s life half way across the world.”

Sophomore Basketball Player, Jordan McGowen

More updates to come…

It was a long, but exciting day for the group in Seoul. We began the day at a Christian school here in Korea performing clinics for the students during their PE hour.  Students ranged from middle school to high school age.

The basketball team worked with three different groups of students teaching them fundamental basketball skills.  Each session lasted from around one hour.  At the end of each session, one DBU player shared a short testimony on their experiences with basketball and how the Lord led the team to South Korea.

While the players were leading basketball skill sessions, the Lady Patriot Cheerleading Squad led cheer clinics for many of the girls in the school.  The cheerleaders were able to teach the girls cheer fundamentals, while helping them create cheers that could be used for the schools athletics program.

Lunch was spent in the school cafeteria, where we were able to experience a delicious Korean dish.  After lunch, we were provided the opportunity to visit and take a tour of the DBU Asia office located in the heart of Seoul. DBU has planted a satellite campus in Seoul, South Korea, where Peter Lee as the Director of DBU Asia is able to help lead Korean education towards having a DBU focused mindset that of provides individuals a Christ-centered university where they can become more than just students, but life long learners who are led by the Lord to do great things for the Kingdom of God.

After the DBU Asia visit, we headed to the OSAN Air Force Base right outside of Seoul. The base itself is an impressive site, and seems like a little American town within the country of Korea with well known restaurant chains such as Subway, Pizza-Hut, and even Chili’s. More than 5,000 men and women were stationed here, which is only a part of the U.S. Military presence in South Korea.  Each division of the Military has at least one base located around Seoul. To know the sacrifices these individuals make on a daily basis to keep us safe is truly amazing.

The Lady Patriot Cheerleaders had the opportunity to lead a clinic for about 20 of the young girls that lived on the base with their parents, who were stationed at the OSAN base.

The Patriots were able to play a basketball team from the base that was comprised of the best players stationed in Seoul on the OSAN base. The gym was small and locker room space limited, but what few bleachers they had were full of fans. It was an exciting game with both teams showing true character throughout.  DBU showed some good improvements from Monday night’s game.

The Lady Patriot Cheerleaders showed great passion for the players as they performed cheers throughout the game, while leading the crowd during each halftime.  The spirit from these young women was something for the players and coaches to hold on to during a hard fought game against a loud crowd.  The cheerleaders were also able to have the give the girls from the clinic earlier in the day an opportunity to stand along side them and cheer during the game.

The Air Force team had some very talented players, but DBU took control midway through the first half to never relinquish the lead. It was fun to get a win and we had an opportunity to pray with those soldiers after the game and to thank them for serving our country.

We did not get back to the hotel until after 11:00pm (after leaving this morning for the first clinic at 7:00 AM). Thank you so much for praying for our group on this trip and please continue to pray for health and safety along the way.  More updates to come…

After a good nights sleep, we started Monday morning at 10:00 AM with shopping at a Korean market in Seoul, where the teams were able to experience authentic Korean culture. The shops lined the streets, as the entire group was able to interact and carry on conversations with storekeepers and many locals from the city of Seoul.

After the busy morning of shopping, we headed down the street for lunch. We were split into three groups due to our size because restaurants around the market could only sit around 50 customers. The teams were able to experience many types of food including authentic Korean cuisines and even an Italian style setting.

Scheduled for 4:00 PM on Monday afternoon was the very anticipated basketball game against Kyung Hee University, a well respected university in South Korea. We arrived at the university to be amazed by the size and stature of the schools architecture.

After a friendly exchange of cultural gifts and handshakes the game was ready to begin. With the cheerleaders stretched along the baseline yelling for their team, the Patriots were able to win the opening tip.

DBU had to make a few changes as the game was directed by the Korean officials using international rules including the use of four quarters instead of two halves played within the NCAA. Kyung Hee was able to create an early lead on the Patriots by sharp shooting by their wings, but DBU used their size in the middle to keep the game within reach. As the game progressed, Kyung Hee extended their lead, with DBU only playing eight players due to injuries. The Patriots were unable to overcome the deficit, but were able to learn in order to take their experiences into their upcoming games against Korean opponents.

After an injury free game, we checked back into the hotel to get ready for a Korean style barbeque dinner. Everybody enjoyed a great dinner feast where loads of meat was cooked the group “fondue” style on grills that were inset into each table. Side dishes included radish, rice, pasta salad, lettuce wraps, and kim chi (a type of cabbage that is served with almost every dish in Korea). We are scheduled for an early morning on Tuesday as we plan to visit the U.S. Air Force base. We ask that you continue to keep our group in your prayers especially as we travel throughout the day and to keep us free from sickness and injury. More updates to come…

The third trip of the DBU Global Sports Initiative kicked off with the Patriot Basketball Team and Cheerleading Squad traveling to Seoul, South Korea. The group left DBU at 4:30 AM on Friday morning and after a layover in San Francisco, arrived in South Korea at 6:00 PM on Saturday night Korean time, 4:00 AM Dallas time (14 hour difference).

After clearing customs and immigration, the teams had their first taste of American chain food in Korea, McDonalds and KFC. Saturday was a national holiday in South Korea, very similar to the American Thanksgiving holiday, so traffic was pretty heavy and most restaurants and stores were closed.

After checking into the hotel, most of the group was exhausted and retired to bed before midnight.

Sunday started early, as we left the hotel for the first of two church services at 6:45 AM. The first service was at the Central Christian Academy, home of Wonchon Baptist Church. Dr. Billy Kim, the “Billy Graham” of Korea, delivered the message and recognized DBU, all in Korean, which was very interesting to say the least.

After breakfast with the congregation, we boarded the bus and headed to Suwon Central Baptist Church, a more traditional service. The church was also all Korean, but they did offer headsets that translated the service into English.

The second service finished around 12:15 and the group was invited to the International Food Festival hosted by the church, where we experienced Bangladesh curry, kim chi, Phillipino egg rolls and many other foods from across East Asia.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel for relaxing and downtown shopping. The evening ended with a meal at TGIFriday’s near the hotel. Everyone is having a good time and thankfully there are no illnesses to report. Just a little jet lag…but nothing too extensive. We thank you for all of your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for safety and guidance for the entire group throughout the trip.  More updates to come…

Welcome to The Patriots Men’s Basketball Team and Lady Patriot Cheerleading Squad’s South Korea Trip home page. Through this page you will be able to keep track of the Patriots as they carry, for the first time DBU’s “Global Sports Ministry Initiative” to a country outside the western hemisphere: 42 DBU students, coaches, trainers, and staff will be in Seoul, Korea for Fall Break.  Log on to see daily updates throughout the trip.