Hey All!!
I’m so thrilled that I’ll have a chance to keep you updated over the course of the trip! We officially leave for the airport at 11am today after completing a mind-blowing training camp. Our leaders suggested we should pick specific experiences to describe rather than giving you all a play-by-play of our days (even though I know you definitely care what time I brushed my teeth this morning) so here goes!:
I think until this week, I never really understood the importance of homeless shelters. I would occasionally volunteer at a local shelter in high school to complete my volunteer requirements but I mostly just remember it being fairly smelly, unclean and thoroughly second-hand. My first night in downtown Atlanta completely changed my perspective. After leaving Colorado Springs, I spent all day in airports, hauling around my only possessions for the next two months. After arriving in Georgia all of us tired travelers took a crowded bus to downtown Atlanta and walked for pouring blocks in the rain to the Atlanta Safe House. My clothes, my luggage, everything I owned was soaked and I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. For all intents and purposes, I was actually homeless that night, and by the time I discovered the letters my family had written me were wet and unreadable, I was also pretty miserable.
However, when I walked into the Safe House to spend the night and saw an empty mattress I could sleep on, it didn’t matter that the Safe House wasn’t super clean or resort quality. It didn’t matter that our beds were all stacked on one another and I only had two feet between the bottom and top of my bunk. As I stared at the graffiti on the top of my bunk that proclaimed to future sleepers “Shop Firefly.com you suckers!” I was just so so grateful that I had somewhere warm and dry to sleep. And when someone handed my my own PB&J for dinner, I was in heaven. After spending the night at that shelter, I feel like I truly understand how important it is to provide beds and meals for God’s people. Even though it started out a little rough, I’m so glad we spent the night there and God could start teaching me how to be grateful.
Love you all and next time I will be posting to you from Uganda!!!
Katy
