Hulne: BP’s Swenson gives back in a big way
Published 5:44 pm Monday, July 22, 2013
Blooming Prairie grad Shelbi Swenson established herself as a state champion as a pitcher for the Awesome Blossom softball team past spring, and she has also found a way to make an impact that goes way beyond softball.
Shelbi and her mother, Sonja Swenson, recently returned from their second mission trip of this year to Haiti, where they teach Haitian women to create bead designs for Haitian Creations.
Shelbi Swenson, who pitched the Awesome Blossoms to a Class ‘A’ state title this spring, recently went to Haiti with her mother, Sonja. While in Haiti, the Swensons helped teach Haitian women how to design beads so they can have an income. — Photo provided
The skills Shelbi and her mother teach the Haitian women gives them a chance to earn money in a country where some residents earn as little as $2 per day.
The one-week trip was an eye opener for the Swensons when they made their first trek to Haiti on Christmas day of 2013.
There were people selling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the street, and local men had no problem making kissing gestures at a woman passing by, even as the men were with their own children.
But Shelbi also saw the locals make a living while not having very much money and the image stuck with her.
“Your jaw just drops. It was a culture shock right away,” Shelbi said. “I loved getting to know the culture. They learn how to survive with so little, and we have so much excess.”
The most recent trip was a little less stressful as the Swensons knew what to expect. They even saw some of the same women whom they had taught on their previous trip.
Shelbi brought a few softball gloves and she taught some of the locals how to play catch.
“It’s much better than any vacation I’ve ever had. They taught me more than I taught them,” Shelbi said.
Sonja initially came up with the idea to go to Haiti when she had some beads left over from her shop ‘Sticks and Stones’ which has stores in St. Peter and Mankato. A co-worker suggested that Sonja could bring the beads to Haiti and help teach Haitian women to design beads under the Heart Line Ministries.
Shebli Swenson gets a little help from the locals in getting her hair done while she was in Haiti to teach Haitian women how to design beads.
Shelbi didn’t hesitate when her mom asked her to come with, but her dad, Steve, wasn’t immediately sold on the idea.
“People thought we were crazy when we went the first time and my dad was a little worried about us two women going to Haiti by ourselves,” Shelbi said.
It was also tough for the Swensons to leave on Christmas Day on their first trip, but they made it back two minutes before New Year’s Eve.
While in Haiti the Swensons, who worked with an interpreter, found the Haitians to be hard workers.
“They’re amazing,” Shelbi, who will play softball at Bethel University next season, said. “We only had five things planned for each day and they did so well that we had to come up with other things for them to work on.”
Shelbi said she plans on continuing to go to Haiti twice a year with her mother in the year’s to come.
Shelbi has left a big mark on the BP softball program as she played in four state tournaments and pitched the Blossoms to a second place finish two years ago and a first place finish this year. But she may end up leaving an even bigger mark in the country of Haiti.
Rocky Hulne is the sports editor of the Austin Daily Herald. Follow him on Twitter @RockyHulneADH.