Our class returned to Three Springs after nine days of traveling, adventuring, and experiencing a culture few of us had ever encountered before. We learned about God in some atypical and incredible way. We began our trip by staying at Broken Arrow Bible Ranch in Vanderwegen, New Mexico, and we concluded our time in Ouray, Colorado, at a KOA campground.
Our first full day in New Mexico steered us to the Navajo Nation Museum, where we learned about the intense history of the Navajo people. We learned about the importance of art and mathematics to Navajo culture, the history of the Navajo’s spiritual beliefs, and the turmoil that was imposed on the Navajo people. The next day, we took the bus to Canyon De Chelly, where we took a hike along the rocks and down into the canyon. We learned about the role the canyon took in the grueling Long Walk for the Navajo, and saw the remains of where the Navajo lived for a time. To end our time on The Reservation, we attended the Navajo Nation Fair, where Native Americans arrive from all over the country to celebrate their culture together every year. We spent the afternoon exploring the fair and attended a pow-wow in the evening.
The following day marked our bus ride to Ouray, Colorado. During our time spent there, we took intentional time to take in God’s creation around us. We sang around many campfires together and hiked to watch the sunrise. We spent several hours hiking the Perimeter Trail, where we took in the waterfalls, trekked the mountains, and had great conversations together while doing so. To end our fun yet exhausting day, we settled into Ouray Hot Springs’ warm waters for the evening. Our final full day in Colorado was spent on a jeep tour in the mountains above Ouray. Our guides took us on the Million Dollar Highway, through Colorado’s trees, and high up into the mountains. There, we stayed for a small part of the afternoon to admire the landscape, appreciating God’s immense power and artistry. We spent the last two days driving, flying then driving again!