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 3

This day started out well at about 4:00 a.m. when I arose to try to finish up last minute details, such as proofing documents and getting them sent off to the Board and Executive Committee, Setting up polls on the Board website so Board members can vote on various issues, responding to last minute emails, giving instructions to George as to how to handle mail, etc., in my absence.
We planned to leave the house at 10:00 but knew we have allowed plenty of margin, so we ended up leaving at 10:38 and stopped by the bank for cash. That's when I realized I'd forgotten the $50.00 battery charger we'd gone out of our way to purchase the day before. It was still plugged in at home, charging the battery for the video camera. We made a mad dash back home to retrieve it, then headed to our daughter's in Brighton.
George had taken five pieces of baggage to our daughter, Melinda's house, on Friday where he met Vicki who had brought two more, plus the cash people had sent her for the trip. Melinda already had those items loaded into her vehicle when we arrived, so we loaded two more, plus my two heavy carry-ons, ate the lunch Melinda had prepared for us, stopped by Radio Shack to purchase a firewire (to transfer video footage from the camera to my laptop) and headed for the airport.
Half way there, I realized we had left my pillow and jacket back in our car at Melinda's. I do not recall forgetting important items on any of my three prior trips to Africa. I certainly hoped that we weren't setting any precedents for the trip!
The flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was without incident. I had a very quiet seatmate and was able to sleep most of the way.