Wow! What a special night. It’s always great when you prepare and plan and then all of the variables that you had no control over make the night spectacular. Just in time the weather turned from overcast and stormy to cool with a beautifully painted night sky as our backdrop. We had a mixture of old volunteers/supporters and new people who were hearing about HFO for the first time. Our students and their parents did a wonderful job of preparing and serving dinner and the Adventure Crew was there to lead us in song.

These events always cause me to reflect and take in how special these experiences have been. Its amazing to think of all that has taken place in the last year! Its usually then that I find myself able to look forward with courage and excitement, and pray a bigger prayer for this next year!

Special thanks to everyone who made this night possible. If you were unable to attend and are interested in how to get involved please email me at loren@hopeforopelousas.org.

Blessings,
Loren

Hope for Opelousas makes the front page of the Daily World! If you didn’t get to read it in print check out the link below.

Click here

After a hard day’s work helping get things ready for a benefit garage sale, we had a few minutes to wet a line at the Carriere Farm. Trevon and Tavian had recently had a fishing trip in Nashville, but they had only caught small brim. As we got the poles ready Tavian said, “I’m gonna catch a big one today!” The pond had been hit or miss and it was a very hot day so I wasn’t expecting much, but i didn’t say anything to the boys.

So I quickly set the boys up on the deck with stoppers and worms, showed them how to get the worm on the hook then ran to the house to get something. As I ran off I was consumed with thoughts of my to do list, and how this was slowing down my afternoon. All of a sudden I hear the boys screaming at the top of their lungs, “Mr. Loren!! Come quick!” I thought to myself, someone got hooked or fell in, but as I came running I saw them giving each other high five’s. Tav had called it, he was smiling from ear to ear dangling nice big bass on his line! Over the next two hours the boys caught a total of 9 bass all probably ranging from 1 to 2.5 pounds.

I was able to teach them how to bait a hook, hold a fish, and take a fish off the hook. Trevon took the fish to his grandfather who cleaned and fried em up that night.

It’s amazing how much we take for granted the experiences we’ve had in our lives. How many times did my dad, uncles, or poppa take me fishing? This little make shift trip with just a couple of hours of time will be something these boys will never forget!

God has a way of forcing me into situations where He arranges my schedule (without me even realizing it), lets me totally doubt (hot weather for fishing), then does something amazing! I’m so glad His work doesn’t depend on me, and I’m so glad He lets me know it!

Loren