COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou football embarked on a week-long service trip to Harmons, Jamaica, from May 18 – 23.
While there, the 60-individual party spent time building a house, laying foundation for a future home build along the hillside community, worked on an addition to the Harmons Health Center, added a bathroom to an existing home and visited the infirmary. Some of the work would traditionally take the residents nearly three-to-four weeks to do on their own. The team was also embraced by the residents by being welcomed into their homes and even playing impromptu football with the local children.
“I was just humbled and blessed to know that I was able to help out and make a change,” graduate student safety Jalen Catalon said.
“I know they have to do very hard work day-in and day-out and they embrace it. They love it. Because they know that’s their way of surviving. While I’m doing it to help, that’s their way of staying alive. It doesn’t get much better than that. That’s the most inspiring thing. It helped me put things into perspective with football when I’m working out or when I’m doing things to prepare for the season, I can embrace the grind, because here in Harmons, it’s what they do. They embrace the grind and just love each other because they know that love is what is going to keep this thing connected.”
Junior wide receiver Daniel Blood had much of the same sentiments when asked about the experience.
“During the season when things get hard, to be able to keep going and be able to lean on your teammates – that’s what this community does,” Blood said. “There are going to be different trials and tribulations, but you’ve got to continue going.
“If you have an opportunity to go on a service trip to go help people out of the country, anywhere, do it. It’s going to change your perspective on life or just the way you think. Just go. Just go do it.”
