The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Postcard from Peru: Case McCoy
06.28.2013 | Football
Senior quarterback Case McCoy is in the midst of a 10-week mission trip to Peru.
Editor's note: Senior QB Case McCoy is in the midst of a 10-week mission trip to Peru. He will be back on campus for the start of preseason drills in August. This is a recent message he sent about his time in Peru.
Hey Longhorn fans!
It's Case, here in Peru. I just wanted to give you a quick update on what I am doing over here. I am with a small group of people in the northern part of Peru based out of the town of Piura. Piura is a well developed city with some parts that are thriving more than others. The family that is hosting us lives there and that is where we are on the weekends. During the week, we are working out in the small communities of Malingas and Tambo Grande. These communities are in need of a lot but consist of great people striving to survive and are content with what they have. We are working on two projects during our time here. We work in the mango fields all day until it gets pretty hot, and then in the afternoons we are working on a water purification system for these communities. The number one cause of sickness for children here is the lack of clean drinking water. There is a canal that runs all throughout the "campo" country used to irrigate all the land. This canal is also used as a means to wash clothes, for bathing, used as a restroom, and most importantly, as the communities' drinking water. Seeing it first hand changed a lot of our perceptions about what a "canal" really looked like here, and we decided this was the number one need that we could provide. We are in the process of ordering 100 more filters and then putting them together and installing them before our time is up.
I feel that we are doing good for this community by not only giving them the essentials needed to be healthy, but also teaching them how to live a healthier life. It has been a blast getting to know these families, being able to sit with them in their homes, and overall just submerge ourselves into their culture. I am positive that by the time I hop on the plane to head back to Texas, I will have been blessed way more by the people of Peru than I could have ever done for them.
Let me tell you all one of the many interesting stories that happened to me here that I will be able to tell for the rest of my life.
The first couple of weeks we were here, some friends we had previously met, Micah and Jocelyn (from Boston), knew the "Padre" here at the local church. We introduced ourselves to him and discovered that he was actually from Oklahoma and is a big "fútbol americano" fan! He knew of my brother and I, and was excited that Colt was finally on a great team with an awesome coach -- the San Francisco 49ers. Now this is where the story gets crazy. He told us that the week of June 15 Coach Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the 49ers, would be making a trip here to Piura, Peru, to volunteer for a week. What a small world!
A few weeks went by and before we knew it, Coach Harbaugh and his crew rolled into the big city of Piura. We started out of first day of work building a house with these guys and the padre. It was a blast, and we were able to complete a house pretty quickly with all of us working together. We sat around a dinner table that afternoon and shot the breeze for quite some time!
Quick side note: I actually was blessed enough to be recruited by Coach Harbaugh during his time at Stanford. He made a trip down to my state championship game my senior year and just made a huge impact on me and my family. I knew he was a great guy and probably even a better coach just from my short time with him, but, man, was I just brushing the surface.
I love that I was given the opportunity to come on this trip, and I am very thankful to Coach Brown and Coach Applewhite who were completely behind me in my decision to come here. Luckily, some nights I am able to get a connection from a small WiFi tower and get in touch with teammates back home. It sounds like they have gotten off to a good first half of the summer, and we are gonna pick up next year right where we left off. As for me, I have found an incredible weight room that suits all my needs. I also brought several flat footballs and an air pump. I have started playing squash with the locals on the weekends, and actually was offered a chance to play for the professional basketball team here in Piura after our pick-up basketball games on Saturdays. Obviously, I knew I had to turn them down! All in all, I am in better shape than ever working in the heat.
I am starting to get the itch for football season, though. I know I am exactly where I need to be right now, but I am beginning to feel the urge to get back. I can't wait to be with my teammates and throw to my receivers with a renewed energy. This trip has definitely re-sparked my passion for the game, and I am excited to see what this season holds for the Longhorns. Thanks for all the support I have received in my time at Texas, and I can't wait to be back on the field in August on a mission for the title!
Hook 'em!
Case
