Jim Harbaugh - Mission Trip to Peru

Submitted by That's Just Kramer on

For those who don't know the story...

Barrows asked Harbaugh how the experience affected him, and for once, the coach opened up. "In some ways, it's a little uncomfortable talking about it," he said. "The scripture says, 'Don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing,' you know? On the other hand, it's so good. It's not only been a great experience for me but my friends that I want to tell people about it. I feel like I should share this. I'm lucky to participate and be surrounded by so much good."  

Now, Harbaugh brings his friends down, and each person sponsors a child in the nearby town of Lima. People really need the help down there -- according to Barrows, 60 percent of the population lives in poverty, and 20 percent in extreme poverty.

The first time he went down, Harbaugh was wearing a University of San Diego shirt, which may be the reason the locals call him "Diego." He really isn't sure. All he knows is that he got the name on that first visit, when he was helping to build new houses.

"I was building the house and they would say, 'No, Diego, no,'" Harbaugh told Barrows, imitating someone hammering nails. "After a couple more days it was, 'Muy bien, Diego. Muy bien.'"

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/shutdown-corner/jim-diego-harbaugh-man-mission-peru-200347986--nfl.html

Peruball: Jim Harbaugh in South America

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RuebenRileyonRye

May 15th, 2015 at 1:54 AM ^

That's the stuff we need to hear about.

 

Also, how will the name "Diego" be incorporated into the MGoBlog language?  I think Brian can do a weekly piece entitled - "Muy Bien, Diego".  Just a thought.

Joined: 07/06/2008

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StephenRKass

May 15th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

I'm glad you put this piece up. Harbaugh's interest in service trips to Peru has been there to see for those who are interested. If you do a Google search, you will find more stories about Harbaugh in Peru.

I will say, for MGoReaders, that service trips like this are life changing. Years ago, I spent months in Cuernavaca, Mexico as a child, which greatly impacted my worldview. Spending a half year in South Korea, studying, and teaching, was cool. More recently, I spent several weeks at the largest refugee compound in Central Europe, about an hour from Vienna. A couple years ago, I spent Thanksgiving week working in slums in Conception, Paraguay. And you don't have to leave the country:  helping out in areas in the States hit by hurricanes or tornados or just by poverty is huge.

The point is, any one of us can serve others. If you Google "Service Trips for Atheists" or Agnostics or Jews or whatever flavor of belief system you have an affinity for, you can find something that will work for you.

Some of you know I'm a preacher, so this kind of thing is right up my alley. But you certainly don't have to be a Christian to serve those who are hurting. And if you happen to be a Catholic, like Harbaugh, or a Protestant Christian like myself, service trips like this give you a chance to practice what you believe in, and to think about what is really important in your belief system.

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taistreetsmyhero

May 15th, 2015 at 6:17 PM ^

2 4th years, and 2 doctors. We ran a clinic out of the community center. It was a very...interesting experience because the program that we teamed up with in Peru was run by an American ex-pat who didn't really believe in Western Medicine. There were lots of struggles to get her to let us give people the medications that we brought. She was concerned that people would become "addicted" to Western meds. However, we intentionally didn't bring anything that would require long-term refills (blood pressure med, diabetes meds, etc.), and instead brought antibiotics, etc.

We also got to go to Machu Picchu, which is easily the most spectacular place I've ever been.

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