If you go to South America, take these things...

What do you take when you leave America to live in another country for three months?  How can you pack it all in one carry-on each and one checked piece of luggage each?  This was our dilemma when we were assigned to Ecuador for three months.  More of a challenge than we had faced when leaving on two-or-three-week trips, we began to make lists (see February 10, 2012, "Sticky Notes and Lists").  We gathered and took a lot of stuff, and, surprisingly, used just about all of it (Linda didn't need her running skirt!). 

On our flight home from Miami to Phoenix on June 30, 2012, we sat next to an Occupational Therapist who had spent the previous two weeks with a medical team assigned in Haiti. She was a fascinating person and during the conversation, we asked her what was the most valuable and most useful item she had taken with her to Haiti.  Without hesitation, she answered that her Surefire flashlight was her most valuable and useful item.  Her team had been assigned to a remote area where they helped those in need of prostheses and/or physical therapy.  Electricity was unpredictable and her flashlight became especially necessary during the nights.  She asked us, "What was the most valuable/useful item you took with you?"  Without hesitation, we answered, "Our Marmots."  Our weather was just as unpredictable as her electricity.  Whatever we layered underneath, our Marmots were faithful to keep us warm.  

For future reference, just in case you go and spend time in South America, here are some things you should consider:

• Get all your shots - Tetanus/Diphtheria; Hepatitis A and B series; Typhoid; Yellow Fever are the important ones
• Take those travel-sized packs of Kleenex, the ones made in America
• A packet of medicated band aids, variety of sizes ( or you can go to the pharmacy and buy 2 band-aids for a nickel)
• Visine (for the volcanic ash)
• All the Germ-X packets your backpacks will hold
• Peanut butter - don't chance trying to find your favorite brand and breaking the bank to fund it when you finally find it
• Decaf tea bags - while there is plenty of good tea and coffee there, decaf anything is difficult to find and when you do, it's expensive. Hot water is free.
• Ziploc bags of all sizes - you'll be SO glad you have these
• Ear plugs - good ones, no kidding
• Twistees like those you find in the produce department and use on the plastic bags that you have filled with fresh fruit and vegetables (These are valuable little items)
• Taco mix (you can NOT buy this there) and your favorite gum - which you CAN find, but you will need to have your family members send funds
• 

• Buy a local phone, put minutes on it and keep minutes on it....it could save your life
• Bring a Jansport or Northface or similar backpack (fitted to your weight/height) with a detachable daypack (forget the purse thing)
• Lint roller to roll off the cat/dog hair that stays on AFTER the taxi ride
• Your Kindle loaded with good reads
• Spanish for Travellers

This list includes things that you either can't buy or are expensive when you do find them. They make travel easier, cleaner, and healthier.  They remind you of home.
  
-Your Bible and devotional book - above all.  When life is going smoothly, we think we don't need these.  But when life leads us into scary places, when our heart is pounding out of our chests, when we don't know who is on the other side of the door, when we don't know where the road goes, when we aren't sure whom we can trust, when we can't see the next steppingstone...but we are delivered, then we want to fall flat on our face and say, "Thank you, Jesus!"  For us, there was no better way to say 'thank you' than to dig into our backpacks, pull out the Bible and read about the Refuge He was and is.  

...if you go to South America, take these things....

Keep Looking Up and we will, too!   Jim and Linda