Haiti: Packing Retrospective

I opted for a pretty minimalist list since I didn't know if others on my team would need to use space in my suitcase. I definitely could have fit more and there are some things I wish I had packed, but it was great having a suitcase that was so light, especially for putting it in the overhead bin or carrying over my head at the Port Au Prince baggage claim (no room for rolling it along the ground). I weighed it when we were leaving Haiti: 26 lbs.

Things I am especially glad I brought

- Wide-mouth, unbreakable, BPA-free water bottle w/measurements up the side and splash guard (Nalgene)

- Instant iced coffee (Starbucks)

- Quick dry pants for the daily hour or so of rain

- Pants with reinforced knees for kneeling in rocky dirt at the site

- Bandana for keeping the sun off my head and neck

- Broken in pair of workboots*

- Nice little black dress and black flats so I could look nice for church (It is important to Haitians to dress as nicely as you can for church.)

- Shampoo and facewash

- Tweezers

- Nailclippers

- Loose-fitting white t-shirt: it was probably the most comfortable thing I worked in all week, although it is risky with the rain

- Hand sanitizer

- Fitted sheet and sarong (bedding)

- Hair elastics and bobby pins for keeping my hair out of my way and off my neck

- Washcloth

- Towel


Things I am really glad other people brought/were provided

- Flashlights: no lights in the bunkhouses or outside

- Sunscreen

- Very serious earplugs: donkeys, roosters, cows, storms and mangos falling on a tin roof

- Food

- First aid kit and blister care items

- Bug spray: after a day or two you will not care about getting cancer from DEET

- Aloe for sunburns

- Mosquito netting

- Air mattress


Things I wish I brought

- Flashlight

- Liquid soap ("body wash" in girlspeak)

- More shirts, maybe more sleeveless shirts or tank tops, maybe a quick dry shirt. Shirts are what get really wrecked when I'm working, and modesty isn't a huge issue in Haiti. We ended up doing laundry, and that was huge waste of water.

- Flat sheet would have been more comprehensive than the sarong

- Notebook and pen








*I brought both a pair of workboots and a pair of combat boots because another girl needed a pair of boots. She was kind enough to switch to sneakers so I could use the broken in workboots. Most of the local EFCA people wore sneakers to the worksite. I think most of the Haitians wore sandals (They would hang out and jump in when they felt like it).

The Portable Life: Forget What You Think You Know

After Jesus had been teaching and performing miracles for a while and after he had picked up all 12 apostles (an apostle at this time was basically a combination of a student and a really close friend of Jesus), he sent them out to preach. They packed extremely light. Jesus, interestingly enough, told them what not to bring: “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep" (Matthew 10: 9-10).

I actually imagined myself dressed, but with no money, no keys, no phone, standing in Dulles (because I did not know then that we were flying out of Reagan). We aren't supposed to bring money or phones, anyway, and I won't need keys for reasons more intricate than they are interesting. Picturing myself just standing there with nothing but the clothes on my back freaked me out. The truth is, however, that I would probably be fine like that on this trip. My clothes would get dirty. It might be hard to get used to sleeping fully dressed. There is a lot of stuff that we are bringing as a group (e.g. food, shampoo, hand sanitizer) that was covered by the money we raised (probably technically cheating, I know). Of course, the real point, is that they could pack light because they trusted God to take care of them. More on that later.

It also turns out that the apostles were couchsurfers: "Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you" (Matthew 10:11-13). Again, they could go without knowing where they would sleep and even without money for a room because they trusted God to take care of them.

Why did they trust God to take care of them? God has a history of taking care of those who trust him. For reference see the entire Old Testament/Torah. They also trusted Jesus; so, when he gave them authority (Matthew 10:1), they knew their minds and souls were prepared. Jesus said to them, "Freely you have received; freely give," and they knew it was true (Matthew 10:8). They had everything they needed. If you have travelled, you know this: what you pack or do not pack cannot compensate for your attitude, but your attitude can compensate for what you pack or do not pack.

He does not stop there. He goes on to warn them of the persecution they would face, but encourages them by reminding them of the power of God and that God is watching out for them because he values them (Matthew 10:16-31). He began by giving them authority, then he gave them their packing list, then he warned them, then he comforted them and reminded them of the truth. The packing list gave way to some serious preaching:

Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39)

Before they went out, he wanted to remind them of what was really, truly important (the spiritual), instead of what is usually treated as important (the physical). Much like the packing list, these words tell them to remember what they really need and leave behind, or at least be willing to leave behind, everything else.

But why should they be willing to love Jesus more than everyone else in their life? Because they knew him. Honestly, it is hard for me to comprehend that they already were so willing to sacrifice for him, but, later, Jesus would experience extreme suffering and die (Matthew 26-27) to take the punishment of mankind on himself:

He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:3-6)

The truth is that even before Jesus sacrificed himself for them, the apostles were willing to die for him because he was actually worth dying for because he was willing to die for them. This is a man I can trust. This is a God I can trust. What I pack...not so important.

Portable Life: Panic Attack

The Situation:
Zero hour approaches. Everything but the bare (bear) necessities gets moved out Sunday after the church luncheon to raise the last of the financial support for the Haiti trip. DISTURBINGLY LITTLE PACKING PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE! Anyway, it is pretty tricky packing around the Haiti trip.

I am also realizing that it's likely that I'll have to buy specific items for this trip, which I am hesitant to do, especially due to the uncomfortable contrast between buying new stuff and suffering a debilitating earthquake. Nonetheless, especially considering that this might not be my last trip to a sweltering place to do manual labor, the money would hardly be wasted. Purchasing appropriate clothing is tricky as I have pledged myself to buy only fair trade clothing and accessories when at all possible. So far the exceptions have included only items that are difficult or impossible to obtain via fair trade vendors (e.g. high heels for work and weddings, hosiery*, specific belts**, sunglasses). Casual clothing would not be much of a problem, but the fabrics made to wick moisture, dry quickly and generally handle more extreme situations are made from synthetic materials (OneBag), which fair trade organizations tend to steer clear of, probably due to the environmental and cost factors. The good news is that natural fabrics can sometimes be cooler (OneBag, again).

Patagonia looks very promising. I find the Footprint Chronicles particularly compelling. The clothing that gets the most passionate approval from my friends for its performance is Ex Officio. They have a code of conduct, but no mentioned enforcement. Specific honorable mentions go to Fair Indigo's tees. Some are made in the US, others are fair trade. Most if not all are "organic cotton," cotton grown with minimal chemicals. Purchased with a loose fit and in appropriately light colors, I think these could work quite nicely. I have one that I sleep in and work out in and it is very, very comfy. Patagonia has some pants that look like they might fit the need, especially the Borderless (no longer on the site) and Rock Guide designs. Ex Officio's Nomad is very tempting, very full-featured.

Current forecast for Haiti: 90s and thunderstorms! ADVENTURE TIME!

*I find it increasingly difficult to make myself buy from American Apparel, and, even given the prices I am often willing to pay for ethically made clothing, their hosiery is expensive. While I originally fell in love with its vertical integration, the legal problems it has experienced and its nasty advertising turn me way off.


**I have only been able to find very skinny and very wide belts on fair trade sites. Neither will hold up my jeans properly.

The Portable Life: First Few Boxes

What got packed up in the first round:

- Cold weather clothes (It's hot outside)

- Books I wouldn't miss for a few weeks

- Scarves (between the books to keep them from shifting)

- Spare bedding and towels

- Shoes I wouldn't miss for a couple weeks

- Clothes drying rack

- Personal TV that I don't really use. It's tube style complete with faux wood, oh yeah.

- Papers sorted into files in a file box (bank statements, benefits info, etc.). Sorting the paper took several hours, but wasn't as painful as I thought it would be.

What got purged:

- Envelopes of received correspondence

- Receipts and packing slips for things I won't return

- Obtuse toiletries like eye make-up remover and ancient hotel mini-shampoo

- Church announcements and sermon notes from more than 2 weeks ago

The Portable Life: The List

This is a terribly rough, first-world first draft. Currently no limitations on number of scarves, books, jewelry, movies or Tupperware. Disposable items are excluded (e.g. Ziplocs, light bulbs, garbage bags, etc.) with a few exceptions.

This is, more or less, a list of necessities to pack and move from my current place to my next place.

1-2 Hairbrushes
Shampoo
Razor
Shaving Cream/Gel
Deodorant
Tweezers
Nail file
Make-up
Conditioner
Face wash
Toner (Right around here is where I start feeling guilty and vain. I HAVE BAD SKIN OKAY?)
Cotton bolls
Face moisturizer
Body lotion
Nail clippers
Bathrobe
Hair dryer
4 towels, 3 washcloths (me, guest, spares for laundry day)
Glasses
Contacts
Contact solution: cleaning and re-wetting
Sunglasses
Q-tips
Enough professional clothes for 5 workdays (all seasons)
Enough casual clothes for one week of vacation (all seasons)
2 bathing suits
Sunscreen
2 little black dresses
3 dresses appropriate for weddings (I have a lot of friends who know each other getting married right now in quick succession)
2-3 sarongs
Work out clothes for a week (7 old shirts, ~2 pants, [solid pair of sneakers])
Ski gear
Bags: 1-2 everyday purse, 1-2 special occasion purses, 1 backpack, 1 laptop bag (1 bag may perform more than one role)
Suitcase
Passport
Financial documentation: hard copies of banking, tax, giving records
Clothing drying rack
Laundry basket
2-3 sets of sheets (mine, guest, extra for laundry day)
Up to 5 blankets (bed, guests, couch)
2 [good] pillows (mine + guest)
Place settings (plates, glasses, utensils, mugs) for 10 people
Tea kettle
Coffee maker
Medium-sized pot
Large wok
Small fry pan/sauce pan
Cookie sheet
Cake pan
2-3 bento boxes
Toolbox: hammer, screwdrivers, nails, screws
Knife
Compass
Cell phone
Laptop
Roku
GPS
Camera
Flat sink stopper
Notebook
Pens

Ha! I am such a college kid still! I totally forgot FURNITURE!

Bed
Chest of drawers
Desk
Coffee table
TV Stand

I originally included some "necessities" I am missing in [brackets], but for now I am leaving them out. You may notice that the list includes a Roku and a TV stand and no TV, for example. There is also a desk but not a chair. I figure that if I can't fill in the blanks later, maybe I don't need those things. There still may be anomalies where I specify numbers. I don't know how many towels I have.

I don't know how to deal with decorative item limits and craft projects.

Soaps, detergents, etc. which are more than half full and cost more than $10 may be packed. Soaps, detergents, etc. which are less than half full will not be packed.

The Portable Life: The Plan

I'm moving again.

I have too much stuff. I know I am not the only one, so don't look at me like that with those eyes of yours and that disdain and with your eyebrows judging me...yes I am stopping now with the self-recrimination. I am still surprised that I have too much stuff because I have been moving every 2-6 years since I was born (more like 1-3 if you count moves within the same state). And, since childhood, I have been saying to myself, "Next time, I am selling everything and buying new stuff when I get there." My parents pointed out that this would be expensive, and I forsook the scheme.

Usually, packing begins, as it does with many people, with careful sorting, wrapping and packing. Boxes or bags are designated for trash, objects to be given away and objects to be packed and moved. Boxes are given themes like "Bedroom" and "Kitchen". Eventually (Day 2), this breaks down. Maybe you have to move tomorrow and only half your stuff is packed or maybe you are losing it or maybe your themes are no longer holding up ("Extension Cables and Knitting Supplies"). The biggest consequence of this, in my experience, is that I end up packing everything quickly. Maybe that sentence doesn't make my point. To save time and energy, objects are no longer judged before packing and the trash and give away bags and boxes are disregarded. Everything gets packed.

I AM NOT DOING THIS AGAIN.

I will make a list. The first list will be something of a rough draft, owing to the fact that I am unwilling to abandon my knitting supplies. I will be working toward a list of things that I need. The rough draft will still include superfluities like knitting supplies and nostalgia (knickknacks from Japan, etc.). But if I cannot respect myself and include the item in a list to be posted, it is not coming with (clothing not worn in years, 2 decorative boxes I received gifts in, sermon notes from April 2004, etc.). I'm going to whittle the list down over time.

It is hard to decide where to start. I think the best way to start is with the traditional "Trash" and "Give Away" boxes. I need to get rid of the stuff that's easy to get rid of first. From there I may need to semi-organize some of my physical documentation (bank statements, benefits information, etc.). That is terrifying to me, terrifying. Hopefully I can cut the time consumption of that task down using broad categories. We'll see. The tricky bit may be forsaking doomed craft projects, unworn clothes and, just maybe, some books that I got because I could at a library book sale (fill a box for $10).

Also, if I can get this done before the weekend I can go with my friends to a lakehouse, so the stakes are high.

Hosting Dinner and a Movie for a Cause

I have a group of friends that gets together every Thursday for a themed dinner (Mexican, food on a stick, bacon, etc.) and the Thursday night comedy block: The Office, Community, 30 Rock, etc. People either bring food to contribute or $5, theoretically. Chris P. is the hero of this weekly event since he hosts almost every week. During the off season, we watch movies and try to match the food to the movie.

I also need to raise money for the trip to Haiti.

I hosted Thursdays and coupled it with my trip to Haiti. I am not horrible enough to feature a documentary on the devastation. On the contrary, watched Inception. All the money, however, went to the Haiti trip.

It was possible that I would lose money on this venture, but I really wanted to do it this way. One of my favorite things is when I can pay for something I want or need and it goes to a good cause (as you can tell from my fair trade posts). I wanted to give the Thursdays crowd that opportunity. It is also just such an organic opportunity. The event is already set up as a habit. The people are already my friends.

One of the most common ways for people to raise money is letters, but asking a friend for their address so you can send them a letter to say the same thing you could in person seems awkward, even when weighed against the opportunity to add a reply envelope for a check. So I am had them over and set up a bowl for donations (a last minute scramble). Letters do work, but are best suited to people you do not see on a weekly basis.

The invitation was actually a really good way to bring up the subject. Some people mentioned that they could not come to the event, but they want to support me. Cool huh?


Now, the party itself.

The Movie: If you know the group can handle a vote you can have a few choices, but this can still take up a lot of time. My family (3 people) used to have one person pick 3 movies then the other two would each eliminate 1 of the choices. For this group I think it is important to have an agenda. I picked the film ahead of time, and picked it up 2 days in advance from a movie vending machine rental service (e.g. Blockbuster Express, Redbox). Both of the major ones in my area offer a reservation system so you can reserve a movie in a machine online and then go pick it up.

The Dinner: Easier and cheeper is better. Pastas are a popular way to feed a lot of people. I went with Javanese chicken. Chicken, rice, toppings. I also picked up a lot of fresh fruits and veggies: healthy and no prep work besides rinsing. Remember rice takes a long time to cook.

I also had to run out and buy a TV stand ($60 @ Walmart). Then I had to build a TV stand. It was awesome; you should have been there. Heidi and I were amazing.

I wish I had cleaned more the day before and that I had the DVD ready to go and pre-tested beforehand. We don't have a DVD player, though, so watching a movie requires some cable(s) and computer jury-rigging.

Suffice it to say, my friends turned out to be more generous than I gave them credit for, and I am much closer to my financial goal than when I started. I did not expect this to be a way to get to know them better, but it really was.