what you got if you ain't got love,
the kind that you just want to give away.
it's ok to open up, go ahead and let the light shine through.
i know it's hard on a rainy day,
you wanna shut the world out and just be left alone.
but don't run out on your faith,
cause sometime's that mountain you've been climbing, is just a grain of sand.
and what you've been out there, searching for forever, is in your hands.
and when you figure out love is all that matters after all,
it sure makes everything else seem so small.
it's so easy to get lost inside, a problem that seems so big at the time.
it's like a river that so wide it swallows you whole.
while you're sitting around thinking about everything you cant change,
and worrying about all the wrong things, time's flyin by, moving so fast.
you better make it count, cause you can't get it back.  - so small, carrie underwood

the lyrics above are a good way to describe how i have been feeling the past few days. i think it all started probably friday ish. This weekend my family got to spend some time together in ohio on a mini family vacation. It was really great to spend time together; but at the same time it was hard. I've been tearing up for no reason. I will just watch a friend or family member and just tear up; or even think about something. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to leave tomorrow. I absolutely cannot wait. It's just been tough the past few days. I'm not someone who struggles with leaving for a long period of time, I thrive on it. However, I think all of my emotions and everything im going to do is just hitting me. I have a lot of anxiety and my stress level shot up this weekend. Im not worried or stressed about where im going though. Im not scared, and honestly, im not really nervous either. It's just basically the process of the past two days. saying goodbye to family and to my best friends. the past few weeks I've been traveling and seeing family and I got to see my friends at college, and I would tear up but I would
  fight back the tears. But yesterday afternoon my best friend megan came over and helped me pack. My other two friends, tony and aaron (the four of us are inseparable) came over last night and the four of us hung out and watched a movie. It was so hard for me to say goodbye to them. I lost it. Everything I have been holding in came pouring out. i have the best friends though and they were their for me. Im going to miss them so much. Tonight I have been spending time w/ my family and everytime I look at my mom and dad I just tear up. Its so hard for me to leave them. I have enjoyed my summer at home so much and I feel like I have grown and got closer to them. I know that amazing things are ahead. God has some amazing things planned for me. I know I am going to fall in love with africa and with everyone there. I cant wait to meet my team. Im leaving friends and family but im gaining so much at the same time. I have an amazing team and amazing leaders. I am so excited. It's just been an emotional few days to say the least. Well, its about 10 pm on Tuesday night - my last night at home

L
. I am all packed. My bags are even a little over the fifty pound weight limit , but hopefully they let me take them still on the plane. Ill pray for that!!

J
I cant imagine trying to take things out of the suitcases at the airport, they are packed FULL. Oh well, it will all work out. my schedule for the next eight months goes a little bit like this:

September 12:

5 am: leave for indy

10:55 am: fly from indy to Atlanta

12:30: arrive in indy & meet up with the rest of the FYM's.

September 12 - 19:

Training camp @ AIM's headquarters in Gainesville, Georgia.

September 19-20:

4:30 pm: fly out of Atlanta

7:20 am: arrive in Frankfurt, Germany

10:40 pm: fly out of Frankfurt, Germany

8:55 am: arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa

Week one: ill be at alabanza in Johannesburg, South Africa

Week two: ill be in Swaziland

Week three: ill be back at alabanza, in Johannesburg, South Africa

& then im off to Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa for the next 7 months!

May 15:

7:15 pm: fly out of Johannesburg, South Africa

5:30 am: arrive in Frankfurt, Germany

May 16:

10:40 am: fly out of Frankfurt, Germany

2:40 pm: arrive in Atlanta, Georgia

6:55 pm: fly out of Atlanta, Georgia

8:30 pm: arrive in Indy ( im home ! )
                 

Oh I thought you might like an update on support too… I have all of my support in! Actually, I'm roughly $600 over. However, that money will still help me out while im in Africa. I have paid for so much out of my pocket, and I get reimbursed for all of this. You can support me at anytime even though I have reached my goal, it still helps me.

One more thing while I'm gone you can contact me a few ways…

1.) email me :
rechambers@anderson.edu

2.) by leaving a comment on this website or by clicking on the "talk to me dude" link… it sends me an email.

3.) by writing me letters!!!! Which by the way, would be so cool. I would love to receive mail! You can do that by sending mail to the following address:
    AIM Jeffrey's Bay

                Attn: Raelynn Chambers

                P.O. Box 1015

                Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa 6330

Well, im off to bed… ill try and get a few hours of sleep. I will be leaving my house around 5 am to head to indy & begin this adventure of mine

J
. I don't know the next time I will have a chance to update this , but I will do it as soon as im able to. Thanks so much for all of the prayers and encouragement and support. I ask one thing of you while im gone, PLEASE pray for me and my team. I know god is going to do amazing things and I cannot wait! God bless!