Over the fall break weekend, 33 TCU students piled into three vans and one truck and headed west for a mission sprinkled with evangelism and adventure.

These students, along with 12 leaders from Christ Chapel Bible Church, drove 13 hours to Denver, Colorado and packed in mission work, evangelism and a retreat all into a five day trip.

“I wanted this trip to have a twofold purpose. I wanted it to have a missional aspect to it where we go serve in the city,” said Josh Storie, an associate minister at Christ Chapel Bible Church who planned the trip.

“But I also wanted it to be worshipful. I wanted to provide some time for students to rest and recharge in the middle of a crazy semester,” Storie said.

As part of their service mission, they worked with different ministries and nonprofit organizations like Hope for our City, which offers public housing to refugees from many African countries.

“One of the ways they like to bring the refugees from different African countries together is through planting and gardening, so we helped with their gardens since it’s coming up to fall. We dug up and turned over all the soil,” Parker Abercrombie, a senior mechanical engineering major, said.

“For me, we didn’t get to talk or interact with refugees but it was cool. We did behind the scenes work,” Abercrombie said.

“I met a lady, Judy, and she had more joy in her situation than anyone I have seen, so it was really inspiring,” Abercrombie said. “Her joy of just being able to smile and be so excited about one of life’s simplest tasks like gardening. She encompasses the trip as a whole.”

Another destination they visited was Washington Park, which is known for encouraging sports activities and community involvement.

“We went to Wash Park to play games and start conversations with people and talk about Jesus,” said Hailee White, a senior nutrition major. “It was really cool and exciting to hear about other people’s lives.”

The trip was also interwoven with adventures of hiking and camaraderie.

“I really enjoyed this trip because it was like a retreat. It involved mission work but we also got to go hiking and explore the city,” said White. “It was refreshing to be somewhere near nature!”

“It was really cool to meet people. It was awesome for me since I’m a freshman,” first-year biology major Cassidy Shabay said. “I just felt like the Lord was calling me on this trip and I could really make something of my fall break.”

Abercrombie said the experience was as fun as it was rewarding.

“It was a pretty legendary trip. It was one of my favorite times,” said Abercrombie.