Aurora, Colorado (by Billie Wright) - At just 11 years old, Bryson Reine hiked nearly 15 miles in one day to raise money for a missions irrigation project.
“There are like drip systems in like Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. You can plant more food and it has more taste and it has more like taste and more nutrients.”
The Aurora, Colorado kid scaled Mt. Massive, the second-tallest peak in the state. Dad, Shawn, accompanied him, "It just made me so proud that he would do it, not just for himself to get a picture on the top of a mountain but to do it to help others."
It was not an easy hike. Bryson explains, "My legs were hurting pretty bad and then I thought to myself, 'Well, we're doing it for the kids in Africa.' It kept me pushing really."
The donations towards the project grew from Bryson's original goal of $5,000. He shares, "And then one of our friends wanted to double it." The funds kept coming in and he was able to raise a total amount of $28,000.
Bryson encourages others to take on projects they may think are next to impossible. He says, "If an 11-year-old can do it, you can do whatever you want."
Hear more about the surprise gift they received near the end of their hike here: