And they're off

This morning, as rain pelts the windows in this part of the world, some friends are departing on the first leg of a journey that is bound to mark them for the rest of their lives. Before the travelling is done, they will have spent more than 24 hours in motion, and will have covered three continents, but it's only when they reach their destination sometime tomorrow night that the true adventure will begin.

Almost an entire family: father, mother and four of their five children are destined for the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro where they will spend the next three weeks working in a variety of schools and orphanages.

They've set up a blog which will be updated periodically, every time they can get to a computer - things that aren't necessarily as readily available in that part of the world.

The idea for this journey came from one of the children, and the rest of the family quickly jumped at the possibility. Much planning has taken place to get everything in place for this three-week adventure. As I visited one last time with them last night, some of the bags had already been packed, closed and put out for 'pickup'.

One thing is sure: the people who walked out the door this morning will be changed by the time they return. How exactly that change will take place, and to what extent each of the adventurers will be affected will possibly only come to light long after their return.