The long baseball journey from New York City to the Dominican Republic begins with just one small step.
In gratitude for that love, I thought I'd tell you a little story of the journey of one box. The last box I sent. In January 2015. Um, a year ago. Yikes. Here’s how the box grew in New York City during the final week of December 2014. My Big Santa Christmas box.

Organizing it takes some time, people. And space.
I sort gear into piles. Then I re-sort them.
Then I spend a couple of days stepping over the piles while thinking about what should go in the box this trip.

Then I get out a fresh box. Gotta have a big, deep box.
I start to fill it. And then I re-sort one more time.
Serious.

Creativity is key. I fold and roll and shove jerseys into cleats, and caps and balls into batting helmets. You get it.
Next I wrap it with a whole lotta packing tape so it won't break open. And to keep others from opening it.

The shipping company picked up the box on January 17th.
Here it is heading off to its cargo cruise across the sea.
The box was heavy. The guy was having a hard time getting it down the stairs.
No worries. A couple of smart, savvy, don’t take no shit women calling from New York City and Boca Chica (that’s me and my friend Rosi Vásquez) got it sorted out. The box got to my friend Luís Hernández. And Luís distributed the love. Here's what went down.
Liga Mejia is located in La Caleta, a neighborhood in west Boca Chica, close to the airport. Here is señor Mejia with some of his player trainees and your donations on the field they practice and play on.
Through sport clubs like these, baseball is applied to help young people make sense of the life that is. And to prepare them to make a better life in the future. Not everyone can become a Big Papi. But, as Luís says, they can become good persons.
Small steps. A long journey. Well worth it.
Thank you for your generosity.
Dios bendiga a ustedes. God bless you.