We at Hope for Opelousas have much to be thankful for as we look back on our beginning year of 2008.  God called us to love our city with His Love and He promised He would be there with us and in us to do the loving.  It is now early December and as we look back, we see that He in fact was faithful to fulfill that promise.  Let’s recall how He was our Big Loving Father during HFO’s first year:

• Loren Carriere became HFO’s first Managing Director.
• Bryan College of Tennessee and Northwestern College of Iowa were our first two college groups to utitlize what we call HFO Immersion Experiences.
• We were officially incorporated and approved for 501c-3 status.
• Our first board of directors was formed and first board meeting held in February.
• Our first 2 college interns served during the summer.
• We purchased a van and our house on Madison St.
• We held our first summer camp for the kids on The Hill.
• God sent the first group of tutor volunteers and has kept sending more.
• We began our afternoon tutoring program in August.
• The children have enjoyed several field trips.
• We have met many great neighbors in The Hill and Opelousas has come to know about Hope for Opelousas even through newspaper articles.
• We have sponsored and continue to support a neighbor who is now at Home of Grace, a Christian Rehab Center located in south Mississippi.
• We have been blessed by numerous generous donors who gave time, resources, money, but most of all, love.

Yes, we have much to thankful for as we look back.  But, to our surprise most of the times, we got to see our Loving Father be Big as we sensed our smallness and inability to get HFO off the ground, and even love our neighbors.  Thanks to all of you who have joined us on this journey, you know who you are.  Thank You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit !!

This picture was taken during our mission week last spring. As we worked with the kids in the Hill each afternoon we could see the adults in the area observing curiously. I’m sure it must have been a sight to see from their point of view. Thirty white people asking for permission to play with their kids and continuing to come day after day. We not only played with the kids but had the opportunity of meeting neighbors and people that were warm and welcoming that were genuinely moved by our efforts. The majority of white people in our town would tell you that if a white person when into the Hill they would be lucky to make it out alive! Well we didn’t just make it out alive physically we left feeling more alive than words could describe. Bringing ourselves and the love of Christ, we experienced a response that broke down stereotypes in our hearts and I’m certain in the hearts of those we encountered. The last day of our work in the Hill all of the neighbors got together and cooked a meal for our workers from Northwestern college. Now in Louisiana that is the truest display of acceptance and gratitude.

This was a picture of one of our college leaders Derrick, and “Bull” from the Hill, working together to get a ball off of this trailer for the kids. A simple picture but to me a picture of progress!

loren

Hope For Opelousas held a summer day-camp during the week of July 28th, 2008 for 16 youth from our city.  The kids had opportunities to learn and sing some new songs, hear stories from the Bible, play games, do some crafts, go swimming, and even travel to Clark Creek Natural Area for some hiking and playing in the waterfalls.  Check out the photo gallery for pictures.

Hope For Opelousas is starting up an exciting new ministry called Hope on the Hill.  It’s a tutoring program for school-age children in the Hill neighborhood of Opelousas.  It will run Tuesday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. each week, beginning in August when the public schools are back in session.  We have made many plans and obtained lots of resources to get this program started, but in order for it to be successful, we need volunteers who are willing to serve by helping to tutor children with homework, practice math and/or reading skills, or providing food (meals or snacks).

Now, if you think you don’t know how to tutor kids, we’ve got just the prescription.  Hope For Opelousas will provide an orientation and training session on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. Stop by for a while to find out what this is all about and learn everything you need to know to help our young people in the Hill neighborhood strengthen their reading and math skills.