Initial teacher education programs are continuously looking for ways to grow and evolve to meet the changing needs of pre-service teachers (PSTs) who will face a diverse student population when they begin their careers. This study examines a short-term, cross-cultural, service-learning immersion undertaken by 21 undergraduate PSTs to an internally displaced people's (IDP) camp in Kenya for three weeks. The PSTs worked in the local school, a home for orphaned children, and in the IDP. The impact of the trip and the subsequent affiliation with the school and the community has had a significant effect in shaping the perceptions of the participating PSTs. This article explores the impact of the service-learning experience from the perspective of the evolving personal growth and professional competencies of the PSTs and the importance of implementing such programs with PSTs to enhance learning and improve perceptions about the importance of education