As an eighth grader, Morgan Buursma took a trip to Ethiopia that would not only change the lives of her family, but ultimately Hope College women's soccer as well.
Today, the Flying Dutch kick off the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 1:30 p.m. first-round match against No. 22-ranked Lynchburg, Virginia at Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
A defender, Morgan Buursma will try to help Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion Hope (15-3-2 overall) advance to Saturday's 1 p.m. second-round match. She's played in every game this season.
Morgan Buursma, a nursing major from Grandville, Michigan (Calvin Christian HS) has brought more to the Flying Dutch than just her soccer skills.
It was in that spring trip six years ago, Morgan Buursma's parents would adopt a 8-year-old boy named Sam. The adoption would lead them toward a couple by the name of Berticon and Nesibu Kebede, the founders of an organization called Yezelalem Minch Children and Community Development.
A non-profit organization, Yezelalem Minch Children and Community Development is committed to providing care for orphaned and vulnerable children, doing so by giving them the health, educational, and psychological support they need. Operating in three sub-cities of Addis Adaba, Ethiopia, the organization has four branch offices located in the Orama region with over 1,500 children registered between the four cities of Sebeta, Alem Gena, Holeta, and Menagesha.
As fate would have it, Sam's orphanage happened to be right across the street. This would be how the ripples of Yezelalem mission would make its way to Holland.
From there, the Buursmas immersed themselves within their efforts to help Yezelalem in any way they could. Participating in fundraisers, raising awareness, and eventually beginning to sponsor children themselves. This in turn then led to Madison Buursma, Morgan's sister bringing the idea to her Hope women's soccer team and head coach Leigh Sears.
"Our first introduction was her sister's senior year on the team," Sears said. "We've sponsored Samuel for three years since then."
Now because of that idea, once a year, each member of the Hope women's soccer team donates $10 to Samuel and the Yezelalem organization. This yearly donation funds all of Samuel's educational needs.
Picking up where her sister left off, Morgan has since taken more of a leadership role within the leading work with the Yezelalem, Sears said.
"Originally we had Mr. Buursma come in and speak to the team about it and he brought in literature and a video," Sears said. "The second year the entire family came in - their son is from this organization and the family goes to Ethiopia every year to visit his village and they have met the boy we sponsor. We also donate old gear and they take it over with them each year. In the third year Morgan has presented the organization to the newcomers on the team, and we get updated pictures."
As it would seem this sort of philanthropy would go hand in hand with the very nature of a nursing career which Morgan Buursma plans to build off, coupling her experiences with her love of helping others.
"It's always been a dream of mine to become a nurse, go to grad school, then move back there to help out the community medically," Morgan Buursma said.
Now whether or not this becomes a reality for the sophomore defender remains to be seen. Regardless of her future's potential endeavors, Morgan Buursma plans to continue supporting Yezelalem Minch.
"I'll definitely always be supporting in some ways," she said. "I support a girl myself just on my own, she's six."
Morgan Buursma's selflessness is not only something to admire but a testament to her character and giving heart.
"When you travel to see these things first hand, it creates empathy and a willingness to serve," Sears said. "They have servants' hearts and always put others before themselves. It gives you a sense of what is really important."
— Benjamin Schroeder
