As we come to the end of the calendar 2009 year, we also come to the end of the second year of existence for Hope for Opelousas. I find it so easy to forget how we got here, how we remain here, and what’s really going on at HFO. 2009 was a year of stress, turmoil, and economic struggle for the whole world. I got caught up in the struggle in my role at Dupre’ Logistics, this has been a very tough business year. 2009 has been a year where my idols let me down, really stomped on me. 2009 has been a year where God’s law did what it and only it can do, lead me to Christ for Life. What does this have to do with HFO? 2009 has been a year for me to see that only through God’s Grace am I where I am and HFO is where it is.

In a year where lots of governments, businesses and ministries shrank in size, HFO expanded. Growth could be measured in number of kids tutored, number of volunteers, tutoring space at Hill House, number of ministries serving Opelousas through HFO, and number of board members. HFO was recognized by local newspapers, TV and radio stations. Loren was able to introduce HFO by speaking at civic clubs, churches, local schools and to various local political and civic leaders. At our year end board meeting, we approved the hiring of our second staff member. These are only some of the milestones of growth at HFO during 2009. We have much to be thankful for.

“What does HFO do” is a common question asked. The most visible aspect of HFO is the Tuesday-Thursday afternoon tutoring program. Many of the same children tutored are able to go on field trips which venues vary from Chinese acrobat performances to LSU football games. Several of the older children made up what we call the HFO Adventure Crew which completed several days of outdoor high adventure in the mountains of Tennessee this past summer. HFO also partners with several ministries such as Home of Grace in Van Cleave, MS. HFO provides transportation and facilitates financial support for men and women addicted to alcohol and drugs who are recovering and finding Life at Home of Grace. HFO also works closely with the Opelousas Lighthouse Mission, a shelter for homeless men. HFO and OLM have done renovation projects, fund raisers, and bible studies together. Some men from OLM are volunteer tutors. HFO has been the destination for church youth groups, college mission teams and provided summer internships for college students over the last 2 years. This gives some of the answer to “What does HFO do” but not all the answer.

As I stated above, 2009 has been a tough year in business but it has also been a trying year for another love of mine, LSU football. At a game early in the 2009 season, my Tigers were not looking good at halftime and I was really disappointed with them as I wanted a “beatdown.” Many times when I’m disappointed with one aspect of my life, the gloom colors all of my life. In this disappointed state I asked a close personal friend and supporter of HFO, “Is HFO making a difference? Are we making an impact on those we interact with?” My friend and his wife are supporters and have been from the very beginning of HFO. She is a regular tutor and interacts with many of the kids on field trips, parties and other activities. His immediate response was, “You know HFO is making a difference. It may not always show up on report card improvement but yes, HFO is making a difference.” My friend and his wife are not real religious people but God has used both of them to encourage me and show me how to love and accept people with different backgrounds and viewpoints. Through a close, non religious friend, at an LSU football game God reminded me of what we really do at HFO. HFO is a place, a platform, a point of intersection for God’s love to overflow onto us, and through us. Not just our loving the forgotten people of Opelousas, but their loving us. HFO is not a one way street where the haves help the have nots. It is a place for all of us to realize none of us has what it takes for joy, peace, and rest in this world. At HFO the haves and the have nots can come to the One who has Love and Life. HFO exists because God makes it exist to be a place where we live out of His Love and reflect that Love to each other. It’s hard to measure what’s done at and through HFO. It’s hard to measure Love and Life. 2009 was a year for me to see why HFO exists and what we do; we Live and Love out of His Love and Life. That’s how He changes us, others, and this tiny piece of the world known as Opelousas. I now realize I have been asking and answering the wrong question, What does HFO do? 2009 helped me see it’s what He’s doing!!! Thank You Lord for 2009 and for HFO.

Reggie

Fall is here, school is in session, and the Hill House is rockin! We are currently working with 20 students which doubled the amount of students we worked with last year. Due to a great response from the community we have also doubled the amount of volunteers serving at HFO on a weekly basis.

We have been blessed to have a new volunteer, Miss Raegan Quebedeaux, who is employed as a Reading Interventionist at North Elementary. Raegan is helping us do testing with each student to asses independent reading levels and know exactly where to begin working with students that are behind. This has been very exciting but also bitter sweet to see how far behind some of our students are.

With this information we have begun to meet with teachers, principles, school board officials, and parents trying to come up with a cohesive plan to help our students.

We need your prayers!

1. Pray that God would bless our efforts to help these struggling students.

2. Pray that we could have fruitful discussion with School Board Officials and Principles about interventions and class sizes. (we have 5 students in a class with 34 students and 1 teacher all day).

3. Pray for our parents that they would have the courage to do whatever it takes to help their kids succeed.

4. Pray for our students that they may make strong relationships with our volunteers and staff.

As usual I find myself somewhere between excitement and being overwhelmed. Excited about the great things the Lord has done, but overwhelmed by how far we have to go. Today I’m believing that things can change, and tomorrow we will look back and see how God is leading us and loving his people!

Special thanks to our volunteers for being the change, and being changed in the process.

loren

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