Off one mission, Rawlin Melendez is on another.

Yet the last mission he was on was an eye-opening experience. He and members of the church to which he belongs, Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, spent a week in the Dominican Republic knocking down a “shack” and building a new home for a woman from Grace’s sister church there who tends to underprivileged boys and girls in the village of Juan Tomas.

Melendez, 17, is a senior at Marian Catholic High School, Hometown, where he is focused on a second mission - a scholarship that would open doors for him as a star football player, but, more importantly, to a career in the world that lies ahead of him.

A son of Martha and Raul Melendez of Hazleton, Rawlin and his brothers, Rammy, 21, and Ryan, 19, joined other church members, and a group from two other churches, in the trek abroad.

“Our church has one every year and I volunteered. I wanted to help,” said Rawlin, a massive 6-4, 275-pounder who will undoubtedly not go unnoticed when he lines up with the Colt football team this fall.

“It was important to us, my husband and I, for our children to see our roots and culture,” said Melendez’ mother, a native of the Dominican Republican, who with her husband made America the home for their family some 30 years ago. “And you could see the joy in their faces how happy they were to be able to help a sister church member.”

Strength to rebuild

To be sure, the missionaries were able to use Rawlin’s strength in the Dominican Republic, as they literally pushed down the decrepit structure that served as the home for the village mother figure and then spent a week rebuilding her a home in one of the poorest villages of the world, where there is no running water nor electricity.

The mission work, said Marian Coach Stan Dakosty, is a credit to Melendez and his family.

“Rawlin comes from a real good family,” he said. “He was raised the right way. He’s a gentleman and is really respectful. It shows the kind of young man he is. He has his priorities straight.

“When a player comes to you as his coach and says he’s going to miss a week of workouts to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, I shook his hand and said ‘that’s great’. You win in life that way … Forget about games. It’s how you win in the game of life that counts,” Dakosty added.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience

“I was in awe by the experience,” said Rawlin, who said the missionaries’ work consisted of everything from mixing concrete to doing framing, roofing, shingling and drywalling. “The work was all done by hand, but it was fun. It was very humbling in a way, and it brought me great joy to be able to help her with her community,” he said.

Yet the journey was eye-opening, to say the least, Rawlin said, explaining, “It has to rain there for the people to get a shower.”

More than anything, witnessing the living conditions of the boys and girls of the Juan Tomas village gave the Marian senior a perspective on life. He commented, “My mom and dad grew up in not the greatest conditions, but they came here to the U.S. for a better life. We’re comfortable as a family here in Hazleton, but seeing how those less fortunate are living had me in awe. When I saw how poor those people are, that stayed with me for a long time. It made me grateful for the things I have and thankful for what God has given me.”

Before departing, the missionaries gave their sneakers, shorts and other clothing to the children of the village, Martha Melendez said. “They realized those children are poor and didn’t have the kinds of things our kids take for granted, things like clothing, for example. The boys and girls who received them felt so fortunate to receive them as gifts, and the boys felt just as good by their act of giving.”

Second mission

Blessed with size and strength, Rawlin is now on another mission, “focused on football,” as he calls it, where he has aspirations of someday receiving a scholarship that will enable him to pursue his education.

“My parents aren’t wealthy, but they’ve provided us with a good life,” he said. “My goal is to receive a scholarship to play football and to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, possible in engineering or as an architect.”

“There’s no question Rawlin’s best years are way ahead of him,” said Dakosty. “He really only saw the field as a varsity player as a sophomore, and to see the player he is today is a tribute to our coaching staff in the way they develop players.

“He’s a pure example of how work makes you better; the way he has learned the game, and as a result of it, he is getting a number of good looks from Division 1-AA schools. At the next level, he will be bigger and stronger.”

Having enrolled at Marian for his sophomore year, Rawlin has been a three-year starter for the Colts, garnering numerous honors last year as junior, including the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association North Second Team offensive tackle, Standard Speaker All-Area First Team, Pottsville Republican Herald All-Area Second Team offensive tackle, Morning Call All-Area Honorable Mention and Times News All Star offensive lineman, and offering even more promise for a better senior year.

“I never imagined I’d be in this situation, but I am thankful for Marian,” he said. “It was a new environment for me, and Coach Dakosty and his assistants have guided me all the way.

“I’m thankful to be here, the teachers always want to help; the coaches are great and the kids are friendly and treat me just like I’m one of the family.”

His mother added, “Our concern was that Rawlin would be uncomfortable here, but, since day one, the people here have made him feel welcomed. They have made him feel good, and he is proud to be a part of something …

“We praise God for the opportunities given him.”

As he prepares for his senior year, Rawlin will admit the upcoming season is paramount in his mind. But so too are the boys and girls in Juan Tomas. “I want to go again,” he said.