One backpack containing 11 months of clothes, equipment, toiletries, medicine and anything else I might need while abroad.. Is it possible? I’m here to tell you that it is in fact possible, but it’s not easy.
Over the past few months I’ve been trying to decide what the essentials I need to survive are and what items I can live without. I’ve realized that I really don’t want to live without the comforts I enjoy every day because they’re just that – comforting. I love waking up in my fluffy bed, using all my fancy cosmetic products and doing my hair and makeup every morning. I enjoy opening up my closet and having tons of options on what outfit I would like to wear that day. I like choosing between 20 pairs of shoes then heading to my jewelry box for accessories. All of this is how I’ve lived for the past 5 years and all of this is coming to an end.
It’s time to make a change. Instead of putting so much important on what I look like it’s time to put important on what I act like and where my heart is. My identity should not be found in the looking in the mirror at my polished face, hair, nails and outfit – my identity should be found in Christ alone. That’s so easy to say and way harder to do but The World Race is forcing me to abandon many of the things that used to make me feel beautiful and worthy and now I’m stuck with only myself – vulnerable, raw and with frizzy hair as I step into the world.
Paring down my life to 8 shirts, a couple pants and three pairs of shoes is scary but also.. I feel free. It’s not about what’s on the outside anymore – it’s all about what’s happening on the inside. So here we GO! This is my packing list. Paired down as much as possible and living only on necessities:
In my Gregory Deva 70 Backpack
– CLOTHES: 8 t-shirts, 2 flannel shirts, 1 jacket, 1 sweatshirt, 1 rain jacket, 3 pants, 3 shorts, 2 scarves, 5 headbands, 2 hats, 10 pairs of socks, 10 undies and 7 bras
– SHOES: Running shoes, chacos and a pair of flip flops
– TOILETRIES: 4 bottles of contact solution, a year’s worth of contacts, 3 bottle of face wash, acne spot cream, 3 toothbrushes, 1 bottle of toothpaste, 3 deodorants, 2 face lotions, baby wipes, sunscreen, and 2 mini aquaphors
– MEDICINE: 150 malaria pills and 3 additional bottles of pills the Travel Doc gave me for various illnesses I could get on the trip
– ELECTRONICS: Laptop, kindle, camera, 2 headlamps and lots of extra headphones
– EQUIPMENT: Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, blow up pillow and tarp
– MISCELLANEOUS: Resistance bands, 2 eye masks, ear plugs, journal, Bible and pens
It’s all in there!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Stay tuned for more updates – 5 days until I’m on a plane headed to Tocopilla, Chile!
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