Exposed

Exposed
When I signed up for ‘Real lif-Kenya’, I imagined being picked up from the airport, nervous and scared and then dropped off at a summer camp for training and going through the basics of travel and the kenyan culture.  I was a little off. After saying my tearful good byes to my family and friends, I set off  from Colorado to Atlanta. I landed, and terrified, I met my fellow teammates that seemed like strangers with friendly faces. We were handed an envelope with money and an address, it felt a lot like the Amazing Race! We ended up at a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta. I have to say I have never been so scared.  We were told to go talk to homeless people until midnight. It was at that moment that I had never missed home so much. I wanted to get out of the unknown, if I can’t survive Atlanta how can I survive Kenya ?!? I was exposed to people who call the streets their home and a park bench their bed. My team quickly eased my mind, and after walking through the streets of downtown, tears running down my face, I had made it back to my bed at the ‘safe house’ homeless shelter. I have been pushed to my limits here at camp,  it has already made me stronger as a person, and our team is growing stronger and stronger each day. God had a bit of a sense of humor by allowing ants to crawl in my bed the first night at camp AIM, guess he is preparing me to camp the next three months of my life. To all the future AIM kids, go in with an open mind and open heart. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone and you will probably wonder how you go to this place, but it’s all for a reason. We leave for Kenya tomorrow, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store when we land!