Packing

Gail presented information about our Honduras trip in church yesterday.  She seemed to stumble for words when she talked about our safety.  She probably didn't want to concern them too much.  After the service I mentioned to several that Honduras had the second highest murder rate of any country in the world.  Last evening while reading about Honduras online I discovered I was wrong.  It has the highest rate of all countries.

However UMVIM is sending teams in and out of the country on a regular basis so we project that we will be safe.  Most murders are connected to gangs and drug trafficking, and we don't appear to be related to either.

Other major events of the months are past and we are packing.  Prescription to prevent malaria, sunscreen, anti-diarrheal pills, water filter, flight insurance papers; yeah, I think we have the safety measures covered, not that there are any.  OK, so there are precautions that one must take.

With the list in one hand, the items are spread out across the table and room and we are moving forward.  Batteries, chargers, cameras all charged and ready.  Fortunately the electricity is the same there as here; so I've read.  Baggies are overfilled with clothes and flattened before closing them to minimize space.  Special towels that take very little space and dry quickly, and shirts that don't stink even after a week of wear are on the pile are on the pile.  Passport and tickets are in safe and ready-to-go locations.

And there are the lists for home: what the house sitter needs to know about watering plants and feeding animals, what we need to do before we leave to ready the place for the house sitter and our absence, what we need to do for committees and volunteer work before we leave, and what we want to buy to take and leave for the children and people where we are staying.  Back-to-school sales are best at this time of the year.

There's also the posting on the blog to keep people informed or over-informed.  Check!