Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Packing Preview

It’s hard to believe that just over a month from now, we’ll be back in Papua New Guinea. This furlough has hurtled past us. We’ve enjoyed all the precious time with friends and family, and I think know we’ve gained some extra weight from all the delicious food. I admit, we’ll miss all the comforts and conveniences of the States when we leave, and we’ll especially miss the relationships we have here. But we do also miss our lives and friends overseas.

We still have several weeks left here (we leave on March 6), and we’re soaking up all the time with Clint’s family in Oregon. But we’re also starting to pack and purchase items that we will be taking back with us.


Since there’s no Walmart or Target in PNG (and no Amazon Prime… or Amazon at all…), we have to stock up on a few things that are difficult to get overseas. Here are just a few:

  • Little kids’ clothes – you can find some in town, but the selection is limited and the clothing isn’t too durable. We even grabbed a few sizes up so our kids will have a some things to grow into in the coming year


  • Electronics – when the closest Apple Store or Best Buy is thousands of miles away, you have to stock up on your charging cords and ear buds 


  • Kitchen items – it can be hard to find durable, good quality kitchen items so we grabbed some reusable muffin cups and a cast iron griddle to take back with us  


  • Homeschool books – homeschooling is still a few years away for our gang, but we have to plan ahead a bit since the cost of shipping books can be astronomical. Thankfully, we have access to a good-sized library at our mission base, but we’re still bringing some textbooks with us. 


So there you have it. Just a few of the items on our packing list. What would are some things you would take with you if you were moving overseas? I'd love to hear your comments!