By LINCOLN MYERS
Tiger Media Network
What started as a plan to serve in Alaska turned into a meaningful week of service in the mountains of Colorado for a group of Fort Hays State University students. Over spring break, Christian Challenge – a campus ministry at FHSU – took a team of 14 students, four adults, and one infant, to Trail West Lodge, a Young Life family camp near Buena Vista, Colorado. Their goal was to serve and help prepare the camp for its upcoming summer ministry season.
The original plan for the trip was to serve at North Star Bible Camp in Willow, Alaska. However, on February 17, the team learned that their plans had fallen through. Faced with an unexpected challenge, they pivoted and secured a new opportunity at Trail West Lodge.
“Last fall, the staff members of Christian Challenge began planning a spring break mission trip for students,” said Tarah Stockebrand, one of the trip leaders. “I was able to be a part of this planning and use the entire process of planning and attending this service trip as my project for the Voss Advanced Leadership Experience Program (VALUE Program).”
Stockebrand shared that the change in plans was difficult for her.
“As a member of the planning team for the project, I felt a huge weight of responsibility when our plans had to change, and it was difficult for me to mentally shift. I was also unsure coming into the week of service how much of an impact our team could truly have on this camp,” she said. “However, throughout the week, my perspective changed as I heard from many leaders of the camp how blessed they were by our team.”
Despite the unexpected change, the group embraced the opportunity and put in a full week of hard work. Their daily schedule started with a 7 a.m. Bible study, followed by breakfast at 7:30. Workdays ran from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with breaks for meals. In the evenings, the team gathered to share testimonies and pray together, creating a meaningful time of connection and reflection.
During the week, the students took on various tasks to help prepare the camp for summer. They raked pine needles, installed trim and baseboards, built a rock wall, sanded and stained doors, painted, did laundry, and more.
For many students, the trip was not only a time of service but also personal growth.
“My favorite parts of the trip were getting the opportunity to get to know each person on the trip better, learning everyone’s testimonies, and getting the chance to serve,” said Ray, one of the students. “It was my first time serving, and it was a great experience bringing spiritual clarity and learning more about myself in the process.”
Another student, Rebekah, reflected on the impact of the experience.
“It was a great experience to serve, and I would go back again,” she said. “The team put in a lot of work, and it fulfilled my soul.”