We are sharing with you the journal entries of Esther, the Director of Hearth to Hearth Ministries.  This journal consists of her thoughts about the trip she is on  to visit orphanages in Africa.

February 5

After sleeping on the plane from Detroit, and arriving at the hotel at about 11:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. at home), I found it impossible to sleep. It did not help that there was a nightclub somewhere down the street with music blaring until after 3:00 a.m., and I'm sure the fact that it was still daytime at home had something to do with it as well. Somewhere after 3:00, I did get to sleep, and was able to sleep until 8:00 when my alarm went off. Five hours of sleep was not too bad considering it was about usual for the past several weeks.
This morning, after a breakfast of bread, papaya juice and bananas, we met Andrew and Sasha and Brigitte -US citizens now living in Jordan. Ten-year-old Sasha is all set for an adventure. He had already purchased a "football" in anticipation of playing a game with the children as soon as possible after arrival at Glory Center. Andrew and Sasha will be with us for only two weeks as they need to get back to their family-Andrew's wife and four younger children. Brigette is Andrew's sister-in-law. These three are staying with friends in the Nairobi area during our time here, so after a bit of orientation and instructions, they returned to the home of their friends.

Most of all, I was thrilled to meet my good friends, Fred and Olpha, who had cared for me so tenderly two years ago during the week I spent under treatment for malaria in a Nairobi hotel. Fred has a stall in a Nairobi market where he sells artifacts, many of which he makes himself. He is always very good to anyone coming from our ministry, showing us around and getting us the best prices.     I was also happy to travel by bus to their home and meet their beautiful children, a son, Hill and a daughter, Esther, just one year old and named in my honor. Olpha is a sister to Pastor Moses, our Glory Center administrator and their younger brother, Dennis was visiting from the Center. Dennis is an orphan who is sponsored by our youngest daughter's family. Imagine his surprise when I made a quick phone call and he was able to speak to her and her husband in person. He remarked about it several times and how happy he was to have been able to talk with these people who have supported him for the past several years.
I was happy to be able to meet with an attorney regarding some of our paperwork and to also connect with Nick of Kick Start International. Though I did not meet Nick in person due to his heavy schedule, I did make the acquaintance of his lovely wife, Rose, who is directing a work for widows and orphans further north and west of our work. She was able to give me many good pointers and is putting me in touch with several other people who have programs going that will be of help to our work. We spent some time in my room at the hotel, looking through photographs, and Rose was very touched and impressed to see the work we are doing.
Pastor Moses had arrived from Kisii just before I was scheduled to meet with Rose, and was promptly dispatched to go to the airport to meet John and Jenna from the state of Washington. John and Jenna have been married only a month, so this trip is sort of an extension to their honeymoon. I believe it is Providential that they were able to come at short notice after we learned that Vicki would not be able to make it. Jenna's mother is our new Projects Department Director, and Jenna will be her eyes and ears while she is here. John is an educator and artist of thirty years, who is keenly interested in the older youth and who loves to paint their portraits and tell their stories. I am thrilled that he is here with us and in a position to tell the story of our work so eloquently.
It was late by the time I was able to meet John and Jenna, and after a few words of orientation and instruction to them, we all retired for the night.