The day after Annual Conference we left for Denver Colorado in two vans with all the youth and four adults. Later that night we arrived in Denver (exhausted) and crashed for the night at Bethany United Methodist Church. We met our host Rev. Denise who had planned all our missions for our week in Denver.
The first morning we went to the Food Bank of the Rockies and worked all day. It was hard but very fulfilling. I packed bread all morning along with several of the youth. They were amazed at all the different kinds of bread. It took a little convincing but they finally believed that we have all that bread at home as well.
Day 2 – Extreme Community Makeover was next on our work agenda. We spent all day cleaning one alley in Denver. It was much harder than the day before because we had to contend with heat. The youth did an excellent job. I had to take 1 1/2 hours to get on a zoom call with the Clinton Foundation so I felt like I had got off easy. I did learn how to administer NARCAN so it wasn’t wasted time. Afterwards, we went and watched the Colorado Rockies. It was the first professional game for many of the youth. The team lost but they did win the next day.
Day 3 – Free Day and it seemed like we were going all day long. First we visited the Hammond Candy Factory. Then on to “Slide” an indoor event with huge slides that the youth and 3 of the adults played on. I was the designated purse watcher and official photographer. And then the event that all the youth had been excited to participate in “Meow Wolf”. I don’t think I can even explain it but it was a huge five floor place of interactive museum-like stuff. We ended the evening in downtown where we got to hear the Rockies win their baseball game.
Day 4- My favorite day of all “Ecology Nature Walk”. Denise took us to Evergreen Colorado for a lesson in the ecology of Colorado. We spent the day hiking and learning. We did eat in Morrison and run up to Red Rocks. The window of the van got hit by the hail. It was intense. We weren’t allowed into the concert venue but we did see a herd of Mule Deer. It was a beautiful experience.
Day 5 – Our last day on mission – we cleaned up flower beds in a low income housing project. It started raining as we finished so we went back to the church and Denise divided us into three teams. Each team had to shop, with different objectives with only $20. It as hard for me to because of my background (It hit a little close to home). We ended the day with the Youth’s game of charades. Tiffany’s team won beating Trey 94-80.