Three Statements I Made On The Way Home from The Mission Trip

Me to youth as we’re packing to come home:

“Make sure you have everything: water bottles, hats, shoes–whose shoes are these?!-chargers, socks. Everything. If you leave it here it’s gone.”

Me to the chaperone on why such an announcement is needed:

“They’re teenagers, so they’re paying attention to what’s in front of them just right now. Plus they’re tired after a long week, and now that they have their phones they’re distracted.”

Me in an email to our host site, as we’re riding in a van to the airport:

“I left a navy blue hardbound Moleskine notebook with a white pen attached to it in the sitting room of the house. If found, can you please mail it to me at  . . . “