Well, the trip has finally arrived and there are so many emotions going on inside of me! I have never experienced so much fear and anxiety than the moment I stepped away from my family and got on the plane to get to Atlanta. However, I was put very at ease once I met my group and joined with the other groups traveling to the nations. We were greeted at the airport, given an envelope with $25 and an address and told to get there. It was a lot of fun to use our resources and figure out how to get to the Safe House. Well, as about 40-50 college aged students hiked through downtown Atlanta with our huge bags, reality sunk in and we were really beginning our adventure. We were challenged as we listened to our leaders that we can change the world and that we have the ability to be the generation to make a difference. We were given the opportunity to begin ministering that night by going out and speaking with homeless people and learning about where they are with Jesus. As we talked to Jennifer, we realized that she actually was teaching us about God's grace. It was the most humbling experience. But after days of lessons about losing our expectations, checking our attitudes, listening to God's voice alive in us and how to be culturally safe, we finally get the chance to do God's work tomorrow. The past 4 days have prepared us and shown us God's love in surprising ways. They have pulled not only our team of 7 closer, but all of us closer together. It has been life changing already, and the trip has not even really begun. Now, the biggest challenge is for me to put aside my fear of what is to come, the unknowns, losing relationships back home and diving full force in to what God has in store.
