It is hot and humid here with lots of rain.
There are a lot of cultural hurdles: poverty, superstition, and things that are hard to adjust to, BUT… incredible mission, beautiful, humble people, and such a joy to serve here.
Elders often wear KEEN sandals. Missionaries walk a lot in this mission, so bring several pair of comfortable shoes that can hold up in muddy and rough terrain.
There is filtered water in every apartment, but a filtered water bottle might be a good thing to bring along. A good probiotic is helpful for some gut issues.
They often experience power outages, so bring a headlamp or solar lantern. It is also a good idea to have a rechargeable fan and back up power banks.
They use WhatsApp to communicate.
Bring a pair of good work gloves. Missionaries often end up doing lots of service and gloves will save your hands from blisters.
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Tips on Vaccinations like Yellow Fever and Typhoid: The cheapest options mentioned are Costco, GoodRX (request coupon), Walgreens, and County Health Department. You often have to request these vaccines and may have to pay for a travel consult. One helpful tip is to ask your doctor to send in a prescription for the vaccinations — some have had insurance cover the cost that way. Because of taking Doxycycline daily to prevent Malaria, probiotics have been recommended as very helpful for gut health. The Doxy also makes you more susceptible to the sun, so sunscreen is important.
Serve shirts have a ventilation panel in the side of the shirt making them noticeably more breathable. Missionaries serving in hot or humid places absolutely RAVE about this feature. The most popular shirt for hot-climate missions, for sure.