Yosemite GO Week

By Samantha DePriest

Well we saved the best for last!! It has been such a blessing to learn about each of the 2023 GO Week trips our students and staff went on this past January. The chance for them to share their Faith and serve others while visiting and exploring God’s creation in new places making new friends. With teams visiting 3 different continents, we loved sharing about their trips to Arizona, Ecuador, Europe, South Florida, Montana, Puerto Rico, and Yosemite.

Our Yosemite GO Week team was led by High School Science teacher Mr. Taylor Bouma, High School Counselor Department Head Mrs. Kayla Whittle, and High School AP Geography Teacher/Finance teacher Mr. Brian Fourman. The team ran into some bad weather upon arrival and had to make some last minute adjustments to their trip, but they weathered out the storm and made the best of it. The team of several staff and 50 students visited Dave & Buster’s until the storm passed on, then hiked Land’s End and Golden Gate Park, explored Fisherman’s Wharf and even rode bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exploring the west coast of our beautiful country was both eye opening and memorable for this wonderful group of students and staff.

Mrs. Whittle shared, “It was certainly an adventure! We are so thankful to Joshua Expeditions for ensuring our lodging and safety. We are so thankful for God's faithful hand of protection. The conditions where we were in San Francisco were a little damp/rainy with mild wind as well. The students were phenomenal, we were truly so proud of them! Mr. Fourman led a great devotional on the bus, reminding all our students that even when our expectations are busted, God is in control and His sovereign plan is bigger and better than we can comprehend. Thank you for trusting us as we navigated this challenging situation. As always, safety and care for our students remained our top priority. We love you and your children and were committed to ensuring this experience was quality!”

Mr. Bouma shared, “The weather our group ran into was more than just some "bad weather". We had to deal with what they were referring to as a "bomb cyclone", the first of its kind. Truly just the BEST news you can have when you are 2,000 miles from home travelling with 50 students! However, I think it brought about some great conversations and teaching moments. Our plans will not always go as we hoped. It's about what you are able to do with what you're given and where you are putting your trust. The students had to trust us that we were making the best decisions for their safety and we had to trust the Lord with leading us in making those decisions. 

We really got to see some incredible sights. The west coast has so much to offer with the Golden Gate Bridge to the incredible sunsets and the Pacific Ocean all right there. I think the biggest impact on the students was having to try to keep a positive attitude, while having a completely different trip than they were expecting. Expecting to go to Yosemite, one of the great natural wonders we have, and not even getting to see it was a huge let down. However, the students were still able to make memories and enjoy each other's company in the process. The entire trip felt like overcoming adversity. We had to wing everything the day of. We woke up expecting to go to the Sequoia National Forest only to find out it was closed to the public due to the storms that had just come in. The trip was full of pivoting and making the most out of the situation we were dealt. Always remembering who was in control.” 

Despite the trip not going exactly as they had planned, when we asked some of the students what their favorite parts were, they shared some of their fondest memories.

Elizabeth Derhammer- "My favorite part was walking around Land's End and seeing the sunset over the ocean and riding bikes around San Francisco."

Hollie Batchelor- "My favorite part of the trip was growing closer with people and exploring Land's End."

Chloe Reed- "I loved getting to go to Fisherman's Wharf and shop around. Interacting with all of the sea lions and listening to them bark was also really entertaining."

Mr. Bouma continued, “All in all, when you consider that everything that could go wrong, did in fact go wrong, it was a cherished time with an incredible group of students that I wouldn't trade for anything. I wish things could've gone as planned, but I know the Lord was teaching us all how to trust in Him even when everything else is falling apart. If at the end of the day, all we are able to say we have are the friends surrounding us and our faith in Jesus, I'd say we're doing more than alright.” 

In closing, Mr. Fourman shared, “Through all the weather adversity the team experienced, God’s hand of protection was on us. The team learned patience and understanding as we were forced to change plans multiple times. The Joshua Expeditions team leaders and those behind the scenes at the corporate offices worked tirelessly to adjust our itinerary to make sure we had the best experience possible given the circumstances. That was a blessing knowing that people were looking out for our well-being.”