Bible & Presentation Notes
I take a small paperback New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs (like the Gideons distribute) which I can easily access as I travel. Additionally, I pack a personal Study Bible for use while in Uganda. At the end of my teaching at the final venue of the trip, I give this study Bible to a Ugandan pastor. Your presentation notes should be packed in some type of folder or binder to protect them in traveling. Take a few extra sheets of paper or a writing pad, so you can prepare additional presentation materials as the circumstances dictate.

Deet - Insect Repllent
Please visit our section on Malaria which covers deet.

Duct Tape
The best all-purpose emergency repair kit I know of is duct tape. I always carry a small roll in my carry-on bag. It can be used to bind up torn luggage, or repair the cover on your Bible. I have used it to cover a hole in my mosquito netting and as a patch on a tin roof to stop a rain leak. Click here to see an extreme duct tape repair.

Rubber Examination Gloves
I always take a few pair, even carry one pair in my fanny pack so that I will have them should a need arise. I have not used these very much but still always take them. In a couple of public toilets I have used one glove and a sanitary wipe to clean things up a bit. It is better to have a few pairs and not use them than to need just one and not have it.

Sewing Kit
A small sewing kit with several short strands of thread in various colors, a couple of sewing needles, a couple of buttons and several assorted safety pins should be taken in case of need. You can buy such emergency sewing kits at most variety stores and some motels give them away.

Personal Toilet Kit
The contents of your toilet kit depends entirely on your preferences. The key idea is to pack the small quantity/size of whatever it is you take. While it may be cheaper to purchase the "family size" for home use, it doesn't make much sense to take a half-gallon of shampoo when an eight ounce bottle meets your need on a trip to Uganda. In addition to the normal personal hygiene products you prefer, you should also consider including a small mirror, and nail trimmers. With each passing month more and more consumer items are available in Uganda, but I still think it is a mistake to travel there with the idea that they will have whatever you need. Plus a shop might not be convenient to where you are at any given part of the trip.

Toilet Paper
In the early years of Uganda ministry, toilet paper was a must carry item. In recent years, this is no longer the case. It has been several years since I was in a restroom with no toilet paper.

Toilet Pack
A "Toilet Pack" is my own creation. A snack size Ziplock® bag is perfect. I fold up a sheet of a Bounty® towel, a couple of the individual "hand wipes" and a single rubber glove and put them in the Ziplock® bag. Even in first world airport restrooms, I have encountered toilets that needs a good wipedown before use. In Uganda, I ALWAYS have a bottle of water, so with this small pack, I can quickly clean the surface areas.

Shower Kit
You may or may not need your own soap, (I keep mine in a Ziplock® bag), shampoo, bath cloth, towel, and shower shoes (flip flops). See also the section on showering under health issues which includes information about showering at major airports on the way to and from Uganda.

Hand Sanitizer There is a lot of debate about the effectiveness of modern hand sanitizers. But to me, the way it burns when you get it in a cut, has to mean it has some effectiveness and I personally use it a lot in Uganda. I know my hands "feel" cleaner after use. I recommend the type in a container that hangs from a fanny pack or backpack so you can access it without having to put your dirty hands in your pockets or backpack.

Pocket Size Rain Pouch
In all my trips to Uganda, I have only opened and used my rain pouch one time and that was when I was traveling on a bus in which the window would not go up. However, I still take a couple of the cheap, single use pocket pouch rain covers, available at most variety stores. Some companies even give them away as promotional gifts with their company logo on them.

Writing Tablet
It is essential to keep a written record of your trip to Uganda. Our teams operate at such a pace that after only a few days, you realize that people, places, and events begin to run together in your mind. The best way to prevent this is a convenient writing tablet and I have found the traditional spiral bound 6x9 Steno Pad (Gregg ruled) to be just right. I keep it with me at all times. This allows continual note taking. From the front I keep a daily journal updated all through the day. From the rear I keep notes of names, addresses, places, events, Scriptural insights, applications, illustrations, etc. I keep a rubber band around the bottom to keep the pad closed when not in use and I have found this help protect the pages inside. Be sure and write your name and address on the cover and title it "Uganda Trip 200?" (this way it will not become confused with the tablets I am sure you will make on future trips to Uganda)

Hot-Water Bottle
Usually at least one of our team members takes an old fashioned hot-water bottle that can be used on a pulled muscle, etc. This is not a high priority item, but could be of use and it is another thing that can be left behind and be of use to the Ugandans. You might find the story of a hot-water bottle and a little girls prayer interesting.

Leisure Reading Materials
There is a good deal of time spent on a trip to Uganda waiting in airports, waiting on the plane, waiting to speak, waiting to eat, waiting to go to sleep (no TV), and even a few hours scheduled just to relax. Two activities that help use these times wisely are keeping your "journal" up-to-date (see above) and reading you take with you. What you take is up to you. I usually put one book in my carry-on and others in my checked bags. You may even want to select titles you can read and then give the books away before you leave Uganda. Of course now that E-readers are available, it is even easier to take all kinds of books to read and study.