Category: Helpful Resources

As we are on our second furlough, I wanted to make a list of ideas to help other missionary families as they travel on deputation or furlough.  At this time we have 5 children ages 10, 8, 7, 2 and a 6 week old baby.  Of course you may not use everything on this list, this is just things that we do to make the trip lighter.

1. Leave with a clean vehicle. A few days earlier clean out the car. Everyone will feel so much better in a clean car.  Of course it won’t stay that way for long. J You can keep a small bottle of Febreeze in the glove box to keep it smelling clean.
2. Cut the trip in half. Many hours on the road are hard on the whole family. If you have time to travel, try to break up a 9-10 hour traveling day into 2 days.  Or leave very early in the morning so the kids will continue to sleep if you are a morning person and can stay awake on the road.
3. Use a GPS! Long gone are the days of figuring out a map.  I’m sure this one is a given, but it is worth the investment and you can even use them in the country that you are going to by installing the maps of your country.
4. Have lots of patience! We have 5 kids so our vehicle is full.   There is not even one empty seat to stretch out into. J  Remember to keep your cool when things get “rough” and they will!  This is usually an indication that it’s time to get out and stretch.
5. We have a small emergency bag of clothes and toiletries in the car. If a church is less than 3 hours from home, we will usually drive back home after the meeting.  Once we were stranded in a city because of slick roads and had no clean clothes for the following day.  After that I started keeping an emergency bag in the car.
6. Make a list of things that you need to take so you don’t forget anything important. I keep a list on my I pad and just go over it, as I’m packing.  Some important things that I try to take are:
   • DVDs for the kids
   • Extra car key (in case you lose or get locked out of your car)
   • Wet wipes (great for sticky hands for the little ones), Antibacterial gel,
   • Thank you notes (to leave at prophets chamber, in homes you stay in or if someone gives you a gift)
   • Small recipient of Dish soap for washing out no-spill cups and bottles in hotel rooms
7. Plan your trip ahead so you can call and find a Prophet’s Chamber instead of spending tons of money on hotels along the way. There is a list here: http://www.mwbm.org/images/propetschambers2006.pdf

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