|
Tips for Travelers on missions You can email from India but power outages challenge the amount of
communicating you can do. It costs about
50 rupees per hour. There are many centers where you can rent time
in most villages and cities. There is often a waiting line. Take your
email addresses along, your host may be able to get you on their account
easier than you can get on yours. Banking
needs:
Debit is the easiest. Any visa debit can get you currency without loosing
money to exchangers. You can get out 300-400 dollars worth at a time. We
found ATM places in big cities only. Take an extra smooth and new card
just in case one gets scratched or lost. We found this helpful. 1. Gratitude gifts: Personally handcrafted special items to give your
generous hosts, translators, taxi driver, daily porters, special helpers
at meetings. (We take hand crafted wooden pens and perfume holders of wood
native to our region) We take about 10-15 items. Then we take hand lotion
gifts, extra flashlights for helpers,
and perfume and CD’s as extra gifts. Think how they feel when
they see you carrying around more than they own in their whole household.
They are small people and often go without eating so they can give you
something. Take a few extra granola bars
to share. Think of how they feel watching you eat and drink good
things when they have gone without to help with the meetings. Custom
dictates that they do all they can for their guests.
They will even give up their beds for you. These are very loving
people. 2. Small pocket size Bible, pocket size Christian Service by EGW, and
another favorite EGW book. I always take Desire of Ages ( take an
extra one or two for translator’s gift) Also take a journal for writing all answers
to prayer and texts special to you. These are excellent for helping you
keep a positive attitude and for telling your mission stories upon return. 3. List of promises for doing Battle with Satan. Expect to
pray, go prepared with battle promises (find on web: illustratedbible.com
under “battle promises” and “help promised”. These are under the
section of mission stories. 4. Gifts for children (Color markers with fragrance are a
favorite world over. 100 can be found for 5-6 dollars packaged in buckets) 5. Attendance rewards: Pictures of Jesus and or angels. 6. Medical supplies for own health emergencies: Activated
charcoal capsules- you can open and sprinkle in water and not really taste
it. (Excellent for diarrhea, fevers, wounds, scorpion stings, spider
bites, etc. Keep with you at all times) Don’t leave home without it.
Don’t leave motel or place of lodging without it. Emer’genC ( This is a nice powder in packets to add
to your morning water. It has many vitamins, B vitamins will help your
nerves and stress. The zinc and Mg will give you a great boost if it seems
you are coming down with a cold. It is found in the Nutrition center of
Fred Meyer in many flavors. We like Tangerine. Take one a day.) This is a
popular remedy in helping the sick you meet. They love “potions”. Eucalyptus oil to add to vapor treatment for
breathing difficulties during respiratory infections. Leaves can be boiled
for the same effect. The trees were seen growing in the 4 states of India
we visited. Bactrim antibiotic (other names: Cotrim, sulfa, etc.) Triple antibiotic cream Antimalarial medications (spendy items!!) Something to soothe your stomach for indigestion
caused by the hottest foods you have ever tasted. Even cooked breakfast
cereal is seasoned with hot peppers and other spices that are round like
poppy seeds. (charcoal water helps) Also yellow colored fruits have
vitamin A which is excellent for healing of cells in your gastrointestinal
lining. 7. Cotton clothing and very comfortable, durable sandals
with cushion. Medical team comfort is good in scrubs. Space tips: Rolling clothing in suitcases doubles and
triples what you can get in. 8. Something familiar to eat from home.
Costco’s Nature Valley granola bars and trail mix bars are great energy
boosts when a meal provided is too hot. Keep in your pockets of your bags
at all times. Don’t leave motel without this and bottled water. We take
10 cases of these for our team of teenagers. Some also take along a jar of
peanut butter. Raisins and dried fruit are great but triple pack in
plastic and eat the first 3 days or you will have an army of ants in your
bags. 9. Good hand pump water filter that takes out microbes.
(Expect cost 100 dollars for good one with charcoal filters) Many bottled
water bottles are resealed having been filled with local water. Watch out.
We filtered many of our purchased water bottles. It is much easier to
prevent diarrhea than to cure it. Don’t brush teeth with anything but
this filtered water. Don’t wash dishes in tap water. Boiling is good but
does not get the bacteria and microbes with the strong durable jackets on.
Not even autoclaving can kill them all. FILTER boiled water and you have a
safer water to drink. 10 Limit carry on luggage to equipment and one change of clothing.
Clean socks are a pleasant thing to change into during 24 hours of
flight and treks through ports. Feet take quite a beating. Tooth brush and
comb on board are a blessing. Of course take nothing sharp like scissors,
nail clippers, knitting needles etc. Batteries were taken from us in some
airports. Steel in shoes slowed us down in many airports. Take 2
extra sets of CD’s, DVD’s in case of heat warping or scratching
by helpers putting stuff away. Take in CD’s for potential
computer crash and need for reloading programs on lap tops. Take
Amazing facts CD Bible lessons for gifts to Pastors,
or friends you meet
who are computer literate. Tenali/ Hyderabad area is a computer capital
for India. Expect to meet many who would benefit from more Bible lessons. 11. Take appropriate transformer for your equipment requirements for enough watts of 110. We powered graphics proctor and computer with a small 8 pound transformer. Jade Mountain in Montanna supplies these for best prices. Extra fuses are important, however you can do something dangerous in emergency, wrap the fuse with tiny copper wire and bypass the fuse. Expect the transformer to raise questions in customs checks. Expect luggage loss and carry with you all you need to run your program. Your luggage may not go where you wish it to. We have had the same one since 1993. 12.
Simple
projection screen:
King size white sheet. They are creative for mounting anywhere. 13.
Take
sheets for bedding that you can give away. Take clothes and shoes that you
can give away. Then there is room to bring home their gratitude gifts to
you. 14.
Toilet
paper 15.
Antibacterial
soap, alcohol for dabbing under arms to cut out odor. 16. What you wear preaches louder than what you say: Navy blue or black skirt for ladies and slacks for men with white tops looks very dressy always and does not draw attention away from your message. Discard all jewelry and paint. This only draws attention to yourself and you want to lift up Jesus. The
sanctuary shows God has a preference in regard to the dress of those who
minister for Him.--There should be no carelessness in dress. For Christ's
sake, whose witnesses we are, we should seek to make the best of our
appearance. In the tabernacle service, God specified every detail
concerning the garments of those who ministered before Him. Thus we are
taught that He has a preference in regard to the dress of those who serve
Him. Very specific were the directions given in regard to Aaron's robes,
for his dress was symbolic. So the dress of Christ's followers should be
symbolic. In all things we are to be representatives of Him. Our
appearance in every respect should be characterized by neatness, modesty,
and purity. But the Word of God gives no sanction to the making of changes
in apparel merely for the sake of fashion,--that we may appear like the
world. Christians are not to decorate the person with costly array or
expensive ornaments.--Ev 268. {PaM 61.2} We only want to draw attention to Jesus. That is our
point in going. On all our trips our team does not wear any make up or
jewelry of any kind. No rings are worn for these have different meanings
in the minds of different people. 17.
Pack
personal items for grooming plus meds in nice clear plastic zip lock bags
for easy access. More hints: Avoid all milk for it may contain bacteria you are
not used to. Diarrhea consequences are not pleasant neither is Typhoid
fever etc. Methods of Jesus: “I, if I be lifted up, I will
draw all men to me” “Christ's method alone will give true
success
in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired
their good.” (medical clinics, house visits,
live simply among them, pray with them) “He
showed His sympathy for them,” (share things
with and visit the sick, pray with the
families of the dead, if no remedy for disease is seen, pray and do
something like hold the sick child and sing to them) “ministered
to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow
Me.’” --The Ministry of Healing, p. 143.
{ChS 119.3} Many have asked questions about what to take so this has been placed on web. It would be great to hear from you. Tell me your mission stories. Tell me when you are going and I will pray every day for your success. I love talking with other missionaries. Tropical Disease books I have used: Tropical diseases Handbook. Go the web site amazon.com and look for it. You can order from there as we did.  As the stars for ever and ever: what does
it mean?
"They that turn many to righteousness" shall shine "as the stars for ever and
ever" (Dan. 12:3). That is how we shall shine. The glory of God will rest upon you. You cannot become interested in a soul but that an
angel of God will be close at your side and will move that soul. {2SAT 18.2}
|