USC Trojans Build Homes in Haiti

Sixteen members of the 2012 University of Southern California Trojan football team, as well as several other USC students, recently returned from a Haiti deployment focused on the "Houses of Hope" project. The team built four homes, participated in a gift distribution for children in the Child Sponsorship Program, delivered supplies to local schools and orphanages, and brought the ministry of presence to a nation still recovering from 2010's devastating earthquake. In addition to a number of other players, the Haiti team included past USC football captains and all four current off-season captains: Matt Barkley, T.J. McDonald, Khaled Holmes and Devon Kennard.

The Trojans are an NCAA Division 1 football team boasting 11 national championships and six Heisman trophy winners since the program was established. In 2009 ESPN solidified the team's reputation as a college football powerhouse by rating the USC football program second best in all of NCAA history. Ranked number one for the 2012 season by ESPN, this year's team is expected to live up to the Trojan standard of excellence.

The Haiti team was headed by QB Matt Barkley's father Les, who was a Hope Force responder and team leader shortly after the earthquake in 2010. "For these young men who live in a world of hype and glory to come here and work as a team ? it's quite amazing," Les said. "We all love the victories in this field, but we've had a new realization of who the man within can become. I'm thankful to the Hope Force team, and I'm excited to see how each young man on the USC team can take what he's learned back on the football field."

Safety T.J. McDonald was among the players who represented the Trojans on the deployment. McDonald commented that "When we first drove through Port-au-Prince, we saw people whose homes were sheets over sticks. We could not say much -- we were in awe of what we were seeing. These people are here day in and day out. The storms are crazy, and when it rains they're wet for the whole night, and their homes may blow over."

For cornerback Nickell Robey, Haiti's response to these dire conditions was inspiring. Robey said that interaction with the Haitian people, especially the children, was a highlight of the trip for him. "They are so resilient, and they keep smiling despite all they've been through," Robey said. "I was talking to one kid, and he said that love came through his heart when he saw us. He told me that one way they get through the troubles is to sing. He said music helps them feel like they are one community."

Punter Kyle Negrete also commented on the strong spirit he witnessed in Haiti. "Coming in, I knew that Haiti was the poorest country [in the Western hemisphere]," Negrete said. "I did not imagine it could be this bad. To hear Haitian people say how grateful they are to God in the midst of their pain is incredible."

Over the course of their five-day trip, the team built four homes for families in the Child Sponsorship Program who were still in desperate need of improved living conditions. "Building a home is really hard work," linebacker Dion Bailey said. "It is more tiring than football practice or a game."

In addition to providing durable shelters for families in Sous Savanne, the Trojans also visited local schools and orphanages and delivered gifts to sponsored children. McDonald said that he saw the Haiti deployment as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "We came down here to serve," McDonald said. "We did not expect to have so much fun. Lots of us want to do it again. This trip was a great experience."