I woke up at 7:30 this morning. I had intended to sleep in, perhaps quite late, but the sunshine and thoughts of all I have to do this weekend got me up. I’m going to nap a bit this afternoon.

It was a great trip. The soapmaking workshop went well, and when I was preaching during one of the evening services I kept going even when the church’s generator failed, plunging us into total darkness. (Dad will be so proud.) The team was great.

Transportation was a bear. I broke my digital camera. And I was bitten by a spider or other critter, causing me fever, chills and a red spot that wrapped two-thirds of the way around my calf. But I survived all of it.

Debrief at the safari park was great, too. Also, during our nine-hour layover in Amsterdam, we got to leave the airport for a 2 1/2-hour bus tour of the city.

Right now, most of my efforts are being directed towards the five-part series I’m writing for the paper next week. I will post links to those stories as they are put up on the newspaper’s web site, and I’ll also post other details and stories here that don’t fit into the series.

Thanks for all your concern and support.