My Trip to Kentucky: Part 1

 Kentucky.  Once I had been super excited to go there: a chance to get away, a change of routine, meet like-minded people, and be around horses. Then, my first volunteer application got lost in the mail and I had to fill out the 21 page application again.   Because of this delay, I was usable to go in June like I had planned and had to wait for the July27-Aug 2 camp to volunteer at.   During that time of waiting, God used the responsibilities and opportunities at home to diminish my excitement for leaving and increase my desire to stay at home.  I am glad God made me wait or I would have set my expectations too high and been disappointed once I got to Kentucky.  Instead I went bringing no expectations, just my service and an open mind willing to learn. 

After about 10 hours of driving we pulled in the long lain of the Higher Ground Ministry Mission, other wise known as the Reckner Family's Ranch. The huge mansion like house with the white pillars stood out at the top of the hill and about 10-15 slender horses grazed on short, dry grass. One of their sons came out to see who had arrived and Sarah one of their full-time volunteers came out to invite us inside. The Reckner family was very friendly and hospitable. They readily welcomed us for supper offering us Chili and Sweet tea (which is like sugar water! If I'd been a gumming bird I would have slurped it greedily!) It was a good supper and I was beginning to feel at home. Although the outward appearance of the house gave one the impression of a wealthy family, the atmosphere inside was just the usual down to earth ranch family that was using their house to minister Christ's love to others. I talked to their twin girls Kimberly and Bethany who were close in age to me—19.

 It wasn't till 10 p.m. that I was shown where I would be sleeping.  I was taken into the bunkhouse where the girl staff had been staying.  It was actually a small shed-type house with the one bedroom that had three of the four walls lined with a bunk bed that was three high. “Oh, my,” I thought when I saw my sleeping choices.  It was either a middle bunk or a top bunk which was about eight feet off the floor.   Because of my past nervous feeling about heights, I chose the middle bunk and proceeded to figure out how to climb into it.  I had three choices.

1      Step on the bottom bunk and do a push up combination jump while quickly ducking my head.
       
2      Climb up the end and try to avoid the ceiling fan blades while swinging into my bunk.
              
3      I resorted to climbing through the two foot by three foot gap on the end into my bed.  It worked and by morning, I was a pro at it! It made me smile to think how this camp was unique and different from large scale camps. It was truly something that this family had to just made do with what they had and hey, it worked!

I woke up around 6:30 a.m,  quickly stumbling about in the dimly lit room groping for my clothes and all the while trying not to waken the other girls. I hoped to catch my parents because I knew they hoped to see me before they left. I stepped out into the cool morning, a mist hung in the air.  The Reckner's big friendly border collie, Gunner, came over to greet me and as I bent down to pet him, I heard the van breaks squeak as my family's van stopped beside me. I gave Mom, Dad, Rachel, and Elijah all a hug and watched the van go down the drive way.  I looked down at Gunner sitting at my feet with a big doggy smile.   Crouching down, I sunk my fingers into his thick coat and asked,  “What have I gotten myself into?”