Stay Safe!

Stay Safe! The top 10 tips!

1. Go in groups or pairs because this deters pickpockets
2. Walk one behind the other and keep a look-out
3. Don’t be fooled by scruffy appearances. Pickpockets are usually well-dressed and travel in pairs of female/male
4. Don’t leave the premises at night
5. Don’t become distracted
6. Don’t accept drinks and candies from strangers. They could be drugged and you could be robbed.
7. Beware of airports. That’s where you’re most vulnerable
8. Stay with your travel buddy – especially when you retrieve your bags at airports
9. Be smart around warning signs that pickpockets are lurking. When you stop to read such signs, you often pat your wallet to check it’s there. In reality, you’ve just signaled to thieves the whereabouts of your valuables
10. Don’t hail cabs on the street. And don’t get into a cab with strangers. You could become the victim of an “express kidnapping” wherein thieves take you by cab to an ATM machine where you’re forced to empty your bank account

Reverend Canon Kim’s Top 25 tips for “packing with perfection”

1. Water bottle (empty through security then fill for your carry-on luggage. Refill on the aircraft with the bottled water provided not from the tap)
2. Wet wipes
3. Medical kit with:
 Cipro for intestinal problems (Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic known most commonly used to treat infections of the skin, sinuses, bone, lung, ear, abdomen, and bladder)
 Knife (although never in your carry-on)
 Thermometer
 Aspirin
 Bandages
 Imodium
 Gravol
4. Plastic bags (for dirty shoes)
5. Lightweight laundry bag
6. Water shoes
7. Pens in plastic bags (they explore at high altitude)
8. Ear plugs
9. A personal journal
10. A change purse (with toonies for luggage carts in Toronto)
11. Travel alarm (never use hotel wake-up service. The Timex Indiglo Digital Alarm Clock at Wal-Mart is a recommended)
12. Head band light (for black-outs and reading at night)
13. Nivea Lip care (SPF 30)
14. ID card holder
15. Bible (lightweight, New Testament)
16. SPF 30 lotion
17. Luggage tags (with your business address and not home address as thieves will know you’re away. As well put a luggage tag inside your luggage too!)
18. Luggage locks (lock your bags during the day so hotel staff aren’t tempted)
19. Toiletry kit with:
 Toilet paper (1/3 roll pressed flat)
 Imodium
 Hand sanitizer
 Wipes
20. Money belt underneath clothing at the back (include a photocopy of passport). Access this only in a private place such as a bathroom but don’t forget it)
21. Keep your passport and tickets at the hotel safe
22. Extra shoe-laces
23. Duct tape
24. No jewelry
25. Collapsible bags (if you donate a bag full of mission supplies, you may need another for your souvenirs)


2 suitcases at 23 kilos maximum each (split your personal belongings and mission supplies in each) + 1 carry-on (8 kilos) + a purse


Clothing

 Bring as little as you can. There will be many inexpensive opportunities to wash
 Bring lightweight gloves, a hat, rain jacket, and windbreaker for the boat trip and Amazon
 Think Miami in July for Amazon
 Think dry and cool summer for Lima
 Think cool and cold for Cochabamba (late September/early October weather)
 Hiking boots for the Amazon, Inca Trail
 In anticipation of losing your luggage, make sure in your carry-on you bring:
o Camera
o Laptop
o A change of clothes
o Your personal medical supplies
o A swim suit (0ptional)

Niños con Valor Children – Children and women’s home, Cochabamba

Mission worker Cheryl Van Order feels her work in Cochabamba will be challenging on multiple fronts. First of all, Cheryl won’t be residing with the man in her life while she’s there. Husband Brian Van Order is with the Construction Team that will reside with Reverend Agustin Zubieta and his family in the city. Reverend Agustin or Pepe is the new Administrator of the Diocese of Bolivia.

Cheryl and her team will stay at the New Tribes Guesthouse which Reverend Canon Kim Beard describes as a “self catered” establishment - simply translated that means the team must learn enough Spanish to visit the grocery store. :)

At the mission meeting April 4, this team received some good tips on preparing food carefully. Ideally bottled water should be used in cooking. Team mate Cassie Williams has even suggested “Javex” tables for washing fruit and vegetables to attack bacteria.

Cassie, Cheryl and teammate Janice Day are researching basic first aid. As well, Cheryl says they have the “responsibility of finding techniques for staff to better help the girls with special needs particularly in the areas of homework, discipline, compliance and social skills.” To this end, they are seeking out games to teach cooperation. Cheryl admits she’s not a “games person” and she is tenaciously trying to absorb all of the instructions in a book of marble games that one of her co-workers kindly donated. Full marks to our “non-gamer” Cheryl for discovering a great co-operative Bingo game and a quiz on preventing HIV.