You probably have a good idea of what to pack but what about those few things that you aren’t sure about? Here is a list of some things not to pack for you mission trip.
1) Birth Certificate and Social Security Card
You may be tempted to pack these “just in case.” Resist the urge! Your passport and license will be all you need to travel internationally. And if something ever happens to your passport, a photocopy of your passport will be the most useful, not your birth certificate or social security card.
2) Books
You don’t need 6 books and 3 magazines to keep you busy on your mission trip. Yes, reading material is great for the plane ride and down time, but just choose one. You won’t have as much time (or brain power) to read as you think.
3) Jewelry
You won’t need to wear much (if any) jewelry on your mission trip. Not only can jewelry get lost or stolen, but it can also make you stand out in the community that you’re visiting and can send the wrong message to the community that you’re serving.
5) Technology
Phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches… the list goes on. Leave what you can at home. The goal is to get away from your normal life to dive into serving Christ by connecting with others. This is hard to do if you are on your iPod or computer the whole time.
Plus, if your gadgets require a data plan or wifi, they won’t be too useful anyway (international data plans are expensive, and wifi is not as widespread in developing nations).
6) Too many clothes
If you’re going on a week long mission trip, you don’t need to pack 20 t-shirts. Decide while you’re packing what you’ll wear on each day, and avoid the, “I’ll just pack all of them and decide when I get there,” mindset.
Avoid overpacking on bulky things that take up a bunch of space in your suitcase. If you’re traveling to a colder climate, pack only the cold weather clothing that you need.
by Dogwood