At Oklahoma Christian, missional living is at the heart of everything we do– including our athletic programs.

Throughout their time at OC, students are encouraged to cultivate their unique skills and interests to develop a life-long pursuit of servant leadership.
This winter break, members of the OC softball team got hands-on experience using their passion for athletics to serve the Lord and the international community through a mission trip to Honduras. The trip held on December 1-10, 2022, was led by Bible professors Mel Latorre and Dudley Chancey along with softball coaches Shailee Rodriguez, Hunter Hays, Madison Nordyke, and Bailey McKittrick.

During their time in Honduras, students had the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus by serving members of the community who regularly went without access to daily necessities of food or housing. The team worked together to provide over 120 warm meals, lead Vacation Bible School for local children, and build and paint houses for local families.

For both the trip leaders and student participants, witnessing how joyful the community members were at the provision of a simple home was a lesson in gratitude.

“As we were building the houses, anywhere from 10-15 kids from down the street would come help us. The house we were building for them is smaller than our bedrooms in America, but they had no complaints,” said coach Shailee Rodriguez. “It was unforgettable how happy they were with very little.”

The team was also able to serve people’s spiritual needs by partnering with Breaking Chains Ministries, a ministry led by OC alumni Amber Foster. Breaking Chains ministry empowers at-risk youth in Honduras by providing them opportunities to obtain an education and redirect their lives towards a better future.

Alongside their mission work, the softball team’s love for their sport provided a unique bridge of connection with the local community. Their shared passion for softball created the opportunity to play a game with local teams in the country’s national stadium. After their game, the OC team was able to donate their softball equipment to the local teams in Honduras.

Serving alongside their teammates in Honduras empowered the OC softball team to understand how they can use their passion for athletics to advance God’s purpose, both in Honduras and throughout their time at Oklahoma Christian.

“One takeaway that I’ll carry with me for a long time after the trip is just how much deeper I got to go with my teammates in our relationships,” said Kate Paulson, “The shared time together and that experience formed really strong bonds.”

The full list of OC softball players who participated in the mission trip includes:

• Kelsey Gammage (‘23)
• Hannah Pate (‘23)
• Chloe Woodward (‘24)
• Kate Paulsen (‘25)
• Karsyn Iltis (‘25)
• Jill Dickson (‘26)
• Kadence Brewster (‘26)
• Kiley Brewster (‘26)
• Marissa Powell (‘26)