Getting Ready to Go!

It takes a lot to get a missionary ready to go out and serve for two years!  Just getting the appropriate travel documents in line can be quite overwhelming.  Brazil will allow missionaries into the country if they have a current passport and a religious proselyting visa.  The passport was easy, the visa required a little more.  One of the requirements we had to meet to obtain the visa was to show proof that Carson had graduated with 4 years of religious education.  The church has an amazing seminary program.  For the last four years Carson has attended an early morning seminary class before starting his classes at the high school.  His transcript and graduation certificate from this program allowed him to obtain his visa.  After a drive up to Olympia to submit paperwork to the Secretary of State office and then a flight to San Francisco to the Brazilian consulate to present himself and his paperwork in person to the country of Brazil, Carson had all of his travel papers in order.

Visa Photo

Then the real work began:

Medical Forms had to be completed with his appropriate travel vaccinations complete and the pesky warts on the bottom of his feet taken care of.  The shots proved easier than the warts and we sent him off with the bottom of his foot looking horrible.  I am finding solace in the fact that he will be at the training center for 6 weeks with a medical facility before he has to start walking 10-12 miles a day on that foot.  I am sure it will heal by then.  (We have been treating these warts since FEBRUARY!!)

Dr. Sherilyn Foltz-Cook's torture chamber at Cascade Family Medicine 

Carson's left foot after his final treatment.
Stubborn Warts!!!

Now, think of getting ready for a trip to a foreign country without knowing exactly what your accommodations are going to be like for two years.  We planned for every scenario we could think of with a little help from other Brazil missionary Moms on Facebook and LOTS of packages from Amazon.  I feel confident he has everything he needs to be successful while he is away (that includes 2 years worth of deodorant &skin care products [which we hear are not very good in Brazil and super expensive], sunscreen since he will be so near the equator and Ultrathon bug repellant [again things that are best bought in the states], bed and bathroom linens, mosquito netting, three pairs of dress shoes and a pair of athletic shoes, 6 pairs of dress pants, 12 white shirts (and underclothing :) a few pairs of casual/athletic clothes, all of his books for study, a full fledged first aid kit, camera with batteries and SD cards, power converters, alarm clock, hangers...you get the idea)  I was told after about the 7th or 8th box from Amazon came that there was no way I was going to fit all that into his luggage.

Ron at Remington's CTR Clothing

When The Shoe Fits 
I know that if your feet aren't happy you aren't happy!
It is worth the expense.

Will it all fit?  Absolutely.
I am not sending him without any one of these items!

Challenge accepted!  I was even able to get in a family size jar of peanut butter in, which I hear is like gold over there.  There was room for a box of protein bars, but Carson didn't want them (I am sure he will be wishing he had them after a few days in).  I am proud to say his two checked bags were under 50 lbs (barely) and his carry-on bag and personal item were very manageable.

Now, I have nothing left to worry about, right?!!!???