The University of Georgia football coach is a good man. A very good man, in fact. There's a book about called "Every Week A Season" in which author Brian Curtis shadows and profiles a team every week of the 2003 season. With most schools he chronicles the various happenings, the players, the coaches, the tradition. However, the Georgia chapter is almost singularly devoted to the life story and good works of Mark Richt.So it comes as no surprise to see the Dawgs' front man taking a rare week's vacation to do something good as part of missionary work in Honduras.
"We believe it is important to serve the Lord whether we are here or overseas, but to take a trip away from this country is going to be very important for our children to see how other people live and that everyone does need the Lord," said Richt. "I have wanted to go on a family mission trip for the longest time, but we have always had our summers so busy we just never found the time. Knowing that this was my oldest boy Jon's last summer with us before he goes off to college, I figured this was our last chance."Richt will split his time between good works and missionary activities.
The Richt family will be serving with World Baptist Missions, a ministry headquartered in Barnesville, Georgia. The ministry consists of a hospital (Hospital Bautista), a feeding program, a day-care ministry, and several other programs and services. [snip]His weeklong "vacation" is almost over, but I'm sure he'll come back a better person for it. These kinds of trips only further cement Richt's status as one of college football's truly good people, even as he works to rehabilitate a team with a growing list of off-field indiscretions.
Richt and his sons will be doing construction work around Hospital Bautista in the morning and having the El Campo de Futbol de Mark Richt in the afternoons--a ministry intended on sharing the Gospel with the men in and around Guaimaca. Katharyn and daughter Anya will be working in the day-care center, ministering to children in the feeding program.
"Guaimaca is a town of about 30,000. Running water and electricity work about half the year to about half the people," said Unzicker. "There is one paved road that goes through town but it is probably more bumpy that the dirt ones. Basic necessities are poor at best. The idea for the ministry here is that people will come for miles for food, water, and medical care; once they are here, we can tell them about Jesus."
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Dont forget that Richt was one of Bobby Bowden's protege's, serving as his offensive coordinator for many years. Bobby, too, is a very religious man and takes a chaplain to each game who is often seen praying with the players after they come off the field. It's very heartwarming to see members of opposing teams on their knees after a game, forming a circle on the turf with their helmets off as they are praying together.
Posted at 11:07PM on Jun 19th 2007 by Lynne
2. I'm a UGA student and a rather devout fan. I'm also a devout Christian and I have to say, immediately after the 2006 Sugar Bowl (we lost) I was fuming, but was calmed a bit by seeing the large crowd of Red and Black with the Yellow and Blue of WV at midfield, on their knees, all praying together. It was a rare and welcome sight, and a reminder what really matters. Even so...Go Dawgs!
Posted at 11:38PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Adam