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Earlier this summer we began our preparations for what would be an amazing eight day adventure to Durango, CO.  The kids trained every day to get ready for what was going to be challenge of a lifetime for some of them.  As the details started coming the anticipation grew stronger and stronger.  And on July 18 everyone piled in the van with trailer in tow ready embark on the HFO’s longest road trip to date.  By the time all was said and done we would be on the road for close to 45 hours and have logged 2500 miles on the odometer.

After a full day of driving we stopped in New Mexico for the night.  While in NM we were able to have dinner with Matt’s (one of our kid’s) family.  This was a very special time for everyone.  Matt had not seen them for over three years.  Tears were shed not only by Matt and his family but by the rest of us that were able to witness the reunion and all the love that was poured out.  That evening set a tone for the rest of the week and we couldn’t wait to see what else God was going to do in us on the trip.

We arrived in Durango and were once again blessed.  This time it was by the kindness of the people at the First Presbyterian Church in Durango.  They went above and beyond to serve us.  They opened their church to us to sleep in which was wonderful.  But then they decided they wanted to have a BBQ with us as well, so their church members could come meet us and hear about what we were up to.  The kids enjoyed interacting with the members of the church, sharing stories, and getting advice on hiking in Colorado.  I think the church members were quite entertained by our kids as well.  After the BBQ it was time to get everything ready because in the morning we were catching the next train to “nowhere”.

That’s right, the next morning we woke up and boarded a train that stopped in the middle of the wilderness, no depot in sight, and let us off with about 25 other backpackers.  The ride was an amazing experience in itself.  We were on the train for about 2.5 hours and this old steam train was winding through some beautiful gorges giving us both heart pounding and breathtaking moments the whole time.  When we got off the train we began hiking what would be the most challenging of the 4 days we would be on the trail.  By the end of the day we had hiked 6 miles, mostly uphill, rising 4,000ft in elevation.  With some encouragement we made it to our first campsite and settled in for the night.  We were just outside of the Chicago Basin in what some called the Lower Basin.

Our goal for the next day was to make it to the Chicago Basin and set up camp early so we would have time to do a day hike up to Columbine Pass which is a Pass at about 13,000ft.  It took some encouragement to get the kids moving but we got back on the trail.  As the hike went on it became clear that they were not all going to make it to the top.  Upon the suggestion of one of the kids we let them all set their own goals on how far they would get.  Tavian, Dartanian, and Ariel all made it to the top.  I was extremely proud of everyone though because even though some of them were not able to make it all the way they were still encouraging the others as they continued on.  It was one of those moments that wipes away any frustrations that may build up along the way.  I was proud!  Ariel and I made it up last and we had about 2 minutes to enjoy the view before a storm began to roll in.  It’s amazing how fast you can get down a mountain!

The next day was a relaxing day.  Loren gave the kids the option of climbing Mt. Windom, which is one of three 14,000ft peaks in the Basin.  There was one taker.  So that morning Matt, Loren, Tim, and Ben conquered that mountain while the rest of us stayed back and played Uno and slept.  It was an overcast day for us at camp but once all of our gear was dried out we decided to pack up camp head back to our first campsite.  However, the weather was not very cooperative.  As we got back on the trail we were hiking through heavy rain and hail, racing to get to the camp.  This was another one of those moments that doesn’t go the way you hoped but in the end makes you stronger.  In this hike I could see the kids working as a team to help each other across streams and setting up camp quickly.  As we made it down the mountain off the trail the next day we were able to catch the train into Silverton and eat lunch and walk around awhile before we got back on the train to return to Durango.  I think all the kids were ready to be off the trail and see a hamburger.

On Saturday morning before we left we were able to surprise the kids with a rafting trip down the Animas River.  They loved it!  The river was perfect and there was even a place where they could get out and swim, which of course they loved.  After rafting it was time to pack up and get on the road again.  We made it back to Opelousas Monday morning.  After cleaning all the gear the kids were returned home safe and sound.  Another successful trip!

We had many times of trial and many times of joy on this trip, but overall I think the kids grew closer together, began to trust each other more, and learned what it means to push themselves.  We left with some kids excited about what our next adventure will be, some questioning if they even want to go on that next adventure, and some too overwhelmed to think about it.  What a wonderful place to be able to encourage them through their struggles and to show them what they are actually capable of.  I’m looking forward to the conversations to come with them about the joys and hardships and to continue to see God shape them through this trip even off the trail.

Hi my name is Lekeisha Lyle, but I’m known as Keisha. I have been with Hope for Opelousas since it first started. I am now entering the 10th grade at Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts. The trip to Durango Colorado was awesome. We got to see things that we never thought we would be able to see. Well at least I did. We had a great ride there and back, signing songs, telling jokes, and not to mention sleeping made the time go by really fast. When we arrived the sights were so beautiful……especially the tall mountains because as you know, we can’t see that down here in Louisiana.  And the weather was totally different than what we are used to.

The things that we did on the trip were really fun. The first thing that we did that I will never ever forget is when we road the Durango-Silverton Train. We were really excited.  We entertained lots of people on the train. We danced and sang for them, which made the train ride even better. Then once we hit the trail we all attempted to climb a mountain that was around 13 thousand feet called Columbine Pass. 3 of the 8 students made it up there, I wasn’t one L. But after we left off the trail we stayed at a church and that same night the sponsors surprised us with something. We were going WHITE WATER RAFTING the next day. It was a huge experience a couple of us jumped out and swam in the water next to the raft for a bit. But we still had a blast.

This hiking trip to Durango Colorado was and still is a huge experience for me. When it was first brought to my attention to go hiking this year, I thought it would be easy since I had already attended the camping trip to Tennessee last year. Boy was I wrong! Although the trip was very challenging I saw God working in it, in some of the simplest ways ever.

To me it seems as though He used this trip for me to get closer to my friends and my family. I got to know someone a whole lot better who I doubted when I first met, and now we’re best of friends. Also my brother went on the trip and we got alone just fine, except for small things. But to me it was a big step. That was just some small ways I saw God working in me to be a better person.

I also realized, not only on this trip, but through Hope for Opelousas, that God loves me no matter what and that I can go to Him for anything.

Recently we had a fifth grade class from Westminster Christian Academy come serve with us for half a day.  We had nearly 20 kids and a few adults here ready to work.  That age group is so fun to work with.  They got here and they were excited about helping out.  So after a brief overview of HFO they split up into teams and started digging, hauling dirt, planting, and drilling.  That’s right we put them to work out in the hot sun.  We were building raised-bed vegetable gardens for five of our neighborhood families.  The Opelousas Lighthouse Mission had been selling seedlings that they had begun growing in their new greenhouse.  The greenhouse was built to aid in their organic garden project.  They were able to donate some leftover seedlings to us for our raised-beds.  The kids really knocked it all out in just a few hours.  By lunch time we had five newly planted gardens in our neighborhood.  These gardens will produce tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and watermelon for the families.  Many thanks to the fifth grade class at Westminster.  We enjoyed having you on the Hill.

I am writing to you today to tell you about my trip to Dallas. When we went to Dallas there were 17 kids and 5 adults. The boys were in one van and the girls were in another one. It was 6 hours before we made it to Dallas where everything is BIG!!

Mr. Loren told me that it was just going to be about 7 kids going. Come to find out when he came to pick me up they had almost all of them in there. When we made it to Dallas they said that we were just going to down town Dallas to walk around. When we went to Six Flags we asked “what are we doing here?”, he said that we are coming to PLAY!! First we ate lunch and then went to the park. When I got in I almost rode every ride. We got on a ride that was so fun that we rode it about 5 times. At the end of the first day we got on a ride that looked ok but it was not. It was the TEACUPS!! When DD, Ty, Kaylan, and I got off it we all were sick! After all of that was that was over Loren told us to get together to take a family picture.

That night we all went to the gym to play b-ball and take a shower. When we got to the church it was so big that it was about 2 blocks long. After that it was time to hit the hay. The next day Loren told us that we were going to a play were you get wet. We went to Six Flags waterpark. Over there I went on every ride. The wave pool was so much fun. The waves were about 8 feet tall. We were there for about 5 hours playing all day. Mr. Johnny, Matt, and Keanu were on the biggest ride there, the Sky Coaster. My favorite ride was the Black Hole. When we got back to the car we were ready to eat. We got back to church and went to the showers. After that we played Hide and Seek. The next morning we went to church with the people out there. Their church was the bomb. After church we went get all of the thing and came back home.

Some things I learned on the trip were no matter how far you go in life God can always turn you around. What I mean about that is that me and DD get into a fight and look we was together the whole trip. I also learned that no matter how mean you are to somebody you should always love that person. What I mean by that is no matter how I am to my sister are anybody I should love them because that is what the Lord would want me to do.

So that was
the trip to Dallas where
everything is BIG!!