Want to go to Africa on a Mission Trip?

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 Missionaries on Candid Camera    Want to go to Africa?

Go to Teen Mania.com for all the details on going on a mission trip and how to get there.

Then if you decide Africa is where you want to go, here are some pointers...

If you have questions after reading this email Brandon at

brandon.lilly@gmail.com

If you bring travelers checks  make sure you have cash as you are not always able to exchange the travelers checks into Zims and you need to do this with a group as you can get cheated.

Beware of phone calls on the streets of Botswana as you can be cheated on these also.

 You will be drinking the water in Botswana -- The water is fine to drink and you will have no problems. If you have two water bottles that is all the better as you fill up once, maybe twice a day. This water is used for drinking, brushing your teeth etc. It is best not to add drink flavors to the water as they found out that this can get them dehydrated. It takes a few days to get used to the taste of the water, but then it's ok.

Bring diaper wipes this will be your only means of bathing. When you head out to the villages and they tell you to pack only essentials in your backpack as everything else is left behind be sure to bring those wipes with you as you will need them. You may not be bathing for 10 to 12 days.

If you want to bring something to exchange with the people in Botswana the things they need are clothes, shirts, skirts, pants, shoes, socks, underclothes, women's personal items these all precious items. When the you go to the market there is a lot of bartering - you can barter almost anything you have.

Bring toilet paper for personal use and a bed roll as you will be sleeping on the ground in a tent. Also you will want to bring  extra snacks. Put these in a small Rubbermaid box. When it is empty you can bring home delicate wood carvings and they won't bread.

You get a basic breakfast, peanut butter and jelly for lunch and the suppers vary. Animal crackers are great to bring, anything with substance. (cookies, cheese crackers etc. Powdered drink mixes are great.)

 
Make sure if you want to see Victoria Falls you need $20.00 for the end of the trip in American money as that is what it will cost them. Do not exchange all of your American money into Zims as at the end of the trip. You not able to exchange it back in to American money.

One girl brought back about $40.00 (US) worth of Zims as that is what she had left and she sent it along with thank you notes to everyone who supported her on this trip.

Keep enough money to get something to eat in the Atlanta airport on the way home.

Pack an ace bandage.

Bring extra underclothes. Laundry is pretty much done in a bowl so at least you will have clean underclothes and then you wear the same clothes over and over.

Bring a journal with you so you can write your daily experiences so you can read them when you get home.

PARENTS:  About one week before the kids arrive back in Garden Valley, send a care package to TX include one or two sets of clean clothes and some of their favorite snacks and part of the journal so they have something to read on their trip from Garden Valley back home. The kids will really appreciate this.   Also, parents, your child will not be calling home from Africa - even cell phones can't get through. Expect to hear from them only in Zimbabwe - and even then there are so many kids waiting to call that they may not be able to get to a phone. Just remember - no news is good news!

You can send emails to the Love Botswana Outreach Mission. Your kids will get the message, but will not be able to send a note back. They are pretty much out of commission when they are there.

Remember they are in God's hands there.