Hey guys… we’ve got some clarification on the packing list for you. As we continue to finalize our setup plans we may add to the list, but you will definitely need the following things. This will be a long post but please take the time to read through it all. If you need it emailed to you, or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
Packing List and Ministry Supply List
You can bring one personal suitcase or bag, and one suitcase or bag for your ministry supplies. These bags may not weigh over 50 lbs each and your sleeping bag MUST fit into your personal suitcase. You must be able to dead-lift your bags ON YOUR OWN without assistance. This means that you will be able to bring less personal items, but don’t dismay! You will be living out the Acts style lifestyle-sharing everything! So you don’t have to worry about not having enough “stuff”. You will most likely be taking one team carry-on bag (or guitar or sound system) onto the plane, but you may also bring a personal carry-on bag or backpack to carry on to the plane.
Ireland is first-world, modern nation. When you look at what clothes you want to bring, think “fashionable.” Your clothes must be within dress code limits, but that doesn’t mean frumpy! We will posting more on the blog about what clothes would “fit in” for Ireland. A skirt is not necessary (unless you prefer to wear skirts), but you will need a NICE outfit for church. Guys, you should bring slacks and button up shirts for church.
For your personal suitcase or bag:
1. Sleeping bag and a travel pillow.
• We ask you to you bring a crushable sleeping bag that can fit into a compression sack and be packed inside your own personal suitcase.
2. Air mattress (optional). We will be sleeping on the floor, but you could save space in your luggage if you can do without.
• This must be able to fit into your own personal bag, not your ministry bag.
3. Pump for your air mattress if needed (Do not bring the kind that you must blow up with electricity. Bring a hand-pump to blow it up or bring a self-inflating Thermorest)
4. All necessary medications with refills.
• If you use an inhaler, bring an extra one. Please have your pharmacy and doctors number with you personally at all times in case of emergency and we need to speak with them. You will not be able to get refills in-country.
5. Backpack for your personal use every day.
6. Extra backpack if needed to tote craft supplies and possibly leave with someone who needs it in-country.
7. Sun protection
• Hat
• Sunscreen
8. Unbreakable water bottle
• These can be purchased at outdoors stores or wal-mart, and are a necessity. We will not be using cups in most locations, or at training camp-your water bottle will be your constant companion.
9. Baby wipes for your body, face wipes for your face.
• You will not have time to get a shower every day. Baby wipes are a great relief from the grime!
10. Personal hygiene items (deodorant, soaps, toothbrush and paste).
• Also, bring your own pair of toenail clippers. These also work for fingers.
11. Your drama outfit.
• Ladies: Two solid black XL men’s t-shirts, and solid black skirt.
• Guys, White or khaki pants, Two solid white XL men’s t- shirts, black pants, Two solid black XL men’s t-shirts.
***Both girls and guys will be bending over a lot. We do not want to see your skin, even at training camp when you are learning them. Please bring and wear “safety shirts”, such as a very long undershirt that can be tucked into your shorts or skirt.
12. Bible, lots of pens (people always lose these!), notebook for your personal scribblings, Journey given to you by AIM, journal
13. Instant hand sanitizer (big and travel size). This will be necessary when working with little kids with snotty noses!
14. Headlamp with extra batteries. If you don’t have one, you can bring a flashlight.
15. Walkman or discman or iPod. However, you may not have the ability to charge your iPod, so you should bring a battery pack. Be sure you have batteries for ALL electronics. There will be a limited amount of personal time that you could listen to music.
• Christian music only, please.
16. Stationary or note cards to write Thank-you letters or encouragement notes to people we meet
17. Host gifts.
• These will be given out at the end of your trip. Your team will buy a basket and put together the stuff you brought, along with your financial donations, to give your host pastor or pastors. Please bring one small gift for a man, one for a woman, and one for a child. Great gifts are ball caps from your school or home state, candy made in your area, neat writing pens,
Christian books or resources, Christian t-shirts, etc.
Please make sure that the gifts you bring are things that you would personally like to receive. Remember again, Ireland is a first-world nation so think of things that your friends or your pastor would like to receive.
These must be carried in YOUR bag.
18. Personal money to purchase your favorite kind of peanut butter and (if you want) jelly. If you would rather bring them, that is acceptable, but we will make a grocery store run in Ireland.
19. Single-serve Gatorade or Crystal Light or some kind of drink mix.
• You will be drinking more water than you’ve ever been used to. If you can add a little flavor to your water bottle, it may make it easier to keep hydrated.
20. Shower shoes (a must). Open toe sandals work.
21. Clothes: The dress code for your team is strict, due to the cultural expectations of the country you are going to be ministering in. There will no variation from this, and we ask that you do not try to compromise this dress code in any way. Many people have the attitude that “we are going to a third-world country; I’m going to wear my ugliest, worn-out clothes. It doesn’t matter how I look”. But you are representing Jesus Christ to the people of Ireland, and we want to do all things with excellence in order to bring glory to His name. Please do not bring clothes that are stained, torn, or have holes in them. Do not bring clothes with large American logos and advertisements. Something simple like Old Navy is ok, but remember that what you wear is a physical representation of who you are.
Both guys and girls, do not bring clothing that is tight, too small, or form-fitting in any way. Do not bring pants that are low-cut. If you can bend over and touch your toes without showing any skin in the back, then your shirt and pants are ok. If you can raise your hands all the way above your head and not show your stomach, then your shirt is ok. Shirts should not have scoop necks or low v-necks. THIS GOES FOR TRAINING CAMP AS WELL.
As previously mentioned, we want to be fashionable in Ireland. However, we also want to always look modest. We do not want to see your back or your stomach or underclothing for any reason.
Clothes packing tips:
• When packing for a mission trip, most people become frustrated with the lack of room available in their suitcase! Please do not over pack when it comes to clothing. You can hand wash your outfit and wear the same one over and over. Bring the bare minimum when it comes to clothes so that you will have room for other things.
• You may hand-wash your clothes with a bar of soap in a bathroom sink. Bring clothes that can be hand-washed.
• Before packing, you need to check the web to learn about the climate in your country. IT WILL RAIN! A LOT! When it rains, we will still do ministry. You need to have a raincoat or umbrella and appropriate shoes with you at all times. The weather will be cool for summer, so you will need a sweater. The average temperature will probably be 70.
• Tight-roll your clothes in your suitcase. Don’t worry about wrinkles, just roll them up like a sausage and lay them beside each other in the bottom of your bag.
Shirts must have SLEEVES. (Girls: No cap sleeves… full sleeves only please. Sometimes you might find it hard to find fashionable clothes that fit the dress code. Think in layers. It’s okay to wear a sleeveless shirt if you wear a t-shirt underneath)
Guys: Tasteful t-shirts are ok, but you need to wear a collared shirt and look your best for ministry presentations. Do not plan on wearing blue jeans during your ministry presentations.
Girls and Guys: you may bring one comfortable outfit of your choice to “bum around the house in” during our group teaching times, team meetings, etc.
22. Ziplocs.
• You need to bring two big gallon-size boxes of Ziplocs, plus one smaller box. We will keep the bugs out of our food by putting everything into Ziplocs!
23. Towel and washcloth (a fast-drying towel will be best and keep mold out of your suitcase)
24. One pair of really good walking/hiking shoes or boots, and one extra pair of comfortable shoes (tennis shoes). I prefer Teva Tennis Shoes which are comfortable for around town, or for hiking a mountain or walking through a stream.
• Sandals are ok, but remember it may be cool.
• Goulashes are okay, but most people are not used to wearing them and they end up just taking up space. If you will REALLY wear them, you might appreciate them. But we will be in the city most of the time (city=sidewalks).
• You MUST bring close-toed shoes to wear at training camp (no sandals of any kind).
25. Extra spending money, and some kind of hidden pouch to keep your money in and close to your body so you won’t get pick pocketed.
ABOUT EXTRA MONEY:
By extra, we mean anything that is not covered by the cost of your trip. This is stated in your manual, but we want to reemphasize it for you.
You will need extra money for:
• Your own personal snacks, candy, soft drinks, power bars, or anything weird you like to eat that will not be bought with team money. Team money will buy three meals a day (one of which is bread for your sandwich), but will not buy a ton of junk food.
• Toothpaste, deodorant, underwear when you run out, things you forgot from home.
• Off–day experiences. For most Ambassador trips, the team will have one day off from “active” ministry. Of course, we are never really “off” when it comes to sharing our faith! All off day activities will be done as a group, and will be planned by your team leader. ***All participants are expected to pay for their own off-day activity. This means that if the team chooses to spend the day away from your base, you will be responsible for the meals that you eat out. Your peanut butter and bread will always be available, so you may choose to pack that and take it with you for lunch.
• Your own doctor visits and medications, should you need to see a doctor. Even if you have insurance, in most cases, you will have to pay up front and get reimbursed by your insurance company when you get back to the states.
• Offerings. Your team will take up offerings at each of your major ministry sights. You will need to be sensitive to the voice of the Lord here, and give as God directs. He will let you know what you are to give. Please don’t determine this by how much money that will leave you for shopping!
26. Your own plate, bowl, plastic or metal mug (for chai and coffee), and silverware. Bring something unique to who you are, so that your stuff can be easily identified! You may or may not use these, so don’t spend a ton of money, but be prepared!
For your ministry suitcase or bag:
Ireland is a country built on relationships. As we come in, without relationships established and with only a short amount of time, it’s very important that we be prepared and intentional about how we do ministry. Much of what we do will be with children. Through the children we also want to build relationships with their parents. We may also have the opportunity to go on the street and do evangelism. In order to be prepared for this, we want to come with certain tools in hand to create a place to build a relationship.
First of all, about the craft supplies. You will be doing many crafts in-country through VBS and other ways. We will be working with a lot of children, and we want to get close and personal to build a relationship with each child. A great way to do this is to make something together, using our hands and our bodies to communicate. It’s personal. When you hand that child a crayon, there is a thirty-second exchange where the only two people in the world are YOU and THAT CHILD. You look her in the eye. You touch her hand as you show her how to use a pair of scissors. As you prepare your crafts, this is what the scenario will typically look like: Picture about 50 kids gathered on the floor of a church, sitting in groups. They have no idea how to act because “church” is either non-existent in their life, or it’s a tradition-filled hour of boring. We are coming to introduce them to a Jesus who is alive, smiling, fun, and incredibly in love with them. Whatever the scenario, it is our job to be completely prepared.
In addition to doing crafts, your team will be taking some “ministry tools” with them, like soccer balls, basketballs, balloon animals, face paint, matching card games to play with little children in the street, and anything else that can help you relate to people cross-culturally. One other awesome tool: a small, handheld tape recorder or video camera. The adults, and hey, even some American people, love to be recorded! They will send messages home that you can play back for your friends and family and give them a taste of your experience. It is also a great tool for doing “interviews” and getting people talking about their faith on the streets. Also, some teams make a “team memories” tape that they can bring home and keep forever!
The ideas are endless. Though we could walk in and share Jesus with absolutely nothing in our hands, we have found that these ministry tools are a big help when dealing with people who don’t know us or have any reason to trust us! They may not want to talk with us, but we can throw a ball with them. We can play and laugh with them. So please think of any other ideas you have in this area and let your leaders know about them.
So, here is a list of things that you could possibly use on your trip. These things are NOT expected to be purchased out of your own pocket. There are many people waiting to contribute to your mission experience. They really want to help, but do not have the money to send a big check to AIM. But, they can afford to buy you a pair of scissors at Wal-mart. These are the people we are asking you to seek out. I repeat, THESE THINGS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE PURCHASED OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET!!!
Post a list at your church, talk to your pastors, talk to your youth groups and college groups. Talk to Target, if you have one in your area. Target will almost always give you a $50 voucher to spend on supplies at their store. Isn’t that nice of them? If not Target, try another store. Shoney’s will donate loads of crayons. Usually, all you have to do is ask. Chick-fil-a is another great place to get crayons. Yes, you will probably run into several dead end roads when asking for donations. But do not give up! Do not lose heart! The precious people you are going to minister to are worth it! Please do NOT be overwhelmed or stressed out by this list! If you can’t find every single item, that is OK! And if you don’t have a Wal-mart, don’t be offended. I’m sure you have some sort of dollar store in your area. And let me say it again: these things are NOT expected to be purchased out of your own pocket.
Please consider the following items:
1. Household scissors-NOT to be packed in your carry-on!
2. Elmer’s glue
3. Craft glue
4. Craft sticks (otherwise known as popsicle sticks)
5. Construction paper. Do not buy the kind you have to tear out of a book-no fun.
6. Multi-colored or florescent typing paper.
7. Sharpies, all colors.
8. Bucket Of Craft Foam. They sell this in craft stores like Michaels, but it is cheaper at Wal-mart (about $6). Sometimes you have to look on the lowest shelf, but it should be back in the craft, sewing material section. They have a new kind that has crosses and churches in it. Get this if you can.
9. Felt, ribbon, extra material, anything that can be glued onto paper or cardboard to make a collage.
10. Small paper bags for making puppets or putting prizes in.
11. Lots and lots of stickers! Look for the sticker books in the educational section of Wal-mart or your local store. The kind teachers give out to students.
12. Packs of animal balloons. They have these for sure at Party City, but other places have them, too.
Anyway, you need about three hundred of these. Your team will go through them like wildfire! If nothing else, you can stand on the corner and make balloon animals and draw a crowd! Don’t know how to make balloon animals? Don’t worry! Alli, maker of all deformed balloon animal dogs, will teach you at training camp if you want to learn!
13. Balloon animal pump. This is a plastic, cheap hand pump they sell beside the balloon animal balloons. If you go to party city, get the big yellow, red, and blue one. The little skinny ones do not work as well.
14. Regular balloons, for parties, for fun decorations cuz they’re pretty, for water balloon fights, for water balloon toss games. People love balloons! They make us smile!
15. Duct tape (any color!), Masking tape, Scotch tape
16. Crayola markers. We’ve tried other brands, Crayola is the best.
17. Crayola stampers. These are markers with little stamps on the end.
18. Rolls of Yarn. Any color, used for making God’s Eyes and bracelets
19. Packs of craft floss. Get any color.
20. Backpacks or craft boxes or plastic shoe boxes. These are so that we can combine and organize our supplies when we get to Georgia. You can put your stuff in some of these boxes and then pack the boxes in your extra suitcase or duffle bag.
21. Balls. We need balls of all types. Soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, nerf footballs, small bouncy balls. You can take the air out of them and smush them into your bag.
ABOUT GIVE-AWAYS
We have a strict personal policy about give-aways, and it is this: When people see us coming, we want them to see Jesus, not a piece of candy, not a sticker, not a free ball-cap. However, Jesus also said to feed the poor. So, we believe there is a thin balance between being a walking, talking give-away, and a walking, talking Disciple! We need to show our love through our actions, not our candy! We do not want to put something into the hand of a poor person that will leave them with a taste for something they will never have again. We would rather use the money to buy a bag of oranges from the merchant down the street, than bring tons of American candy and junk into Thailand. We say all of this because in the past, we’ve had many students bring loads of give-aways. Don’t bring this kind of stuff; instead, let people donate cash that you will bring on the trip and use it to bless people as the Lord leads. You can buy most anything in Ireland, so as God reveals a person’s need to you, plan to buy it there. Just remember that we bring Jesus first, other things second.
