Mola Lenghi, NBC 5 Arlington Reporter
A little league group joined an Arlington family in taking America's national past-time to an impoverished village in Ethiopia.
Introducing Baseball to an...
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An Arlington family and a local little league group brought America's national pastime to a remote village in Ethiopia.
Moody Alexander and a team of family and friends to Ethiopia to provide medical, educational and religious services to the village of Duba Bute, where his adopted son, Easyu, was born.
"The first time we went, we had to walk an hour just to get there," Alexander said. "It's where there's no electricity, no running water, no appreciable schools."
Two of his sons pitched the idea of bringing baseball.
"Two nights before we left, we put out a little plea saying, 'We're going to Africa. Let's take some baseball equipment.' Within 12 hours, our living room was completely full of gear," Alexander said.
The Arlington Southwest Little League donated several containers full of baseball equipment.
"Never in their life had they seen a glove, never in their life had they seen a bat, which was a little frightening -- you're taking these bats and we're trying to teach them, it's just for balls," Alexander joked.
"For them to get to go and experience joy and laughter and fun is a pretty dramatic opportunity for them," he said. "A little distraction like the love of sport can be a remarkable thing for a child that is struggling to eat and struggling to have clothes."
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