What Can I Bring

We're often asked, "What can I bring?"

Some things are hard to get here. For others, the local brands don't last very long. If you're coming down to visit, these things would be most welcome, with "emergency" items in red below.

Priorities:

School Supplies--the school year started in February here. If you're curious, the government-published list of what was required at the start of school, CLICK HERE. The initial rush is over, and with the help of many of you, we met the demand.

There is an ongoing need, however, for the day-to-day supplies that both the students and the schools use. Erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, protractors. Notebooks sized approximately 6½" x 8¾", spiral bound and lined. Construction paper, crayons, colored pencils, regular #2 pencils, ball point pens.

Printer ink--all four colors for an Epson T20 printer, original Epson cartridges (with the parrott on the outside of the package). They're really expensive here. We've tried compatible cartridges, and they just don't do well in this climate. We use them to print greeting cards and prints, to provide revenue in support of our programs.

Envelopes--ivory colored, "Invitation" size envelopes, size 5 ¾″ x 4 ⅜″ - sold with the greeting cards.

Three-ring binders - plastic construction, white preferred, pockets inside front and back covers, with a clear acrylic cover for inserts on the front cover.

Flashlights and decent batteries--with parts that can be easily purchased--"normal" bulbs, standard "D" cell batteries. These are often the only way a student has of walking home into the jungle in the evening, and for homework when candles just won't do the job.

Laptop power supply and AC power cord We have more and more kids wanting to learn on the computers, and we have a perfectly good Dell laptop here with a bad power supply and power cord. It's almost impossible to get these down here. The Part number on the power supply is PA 1900-05D.

Ongoing Needs:

Ponchos and Compact Umbrellas--a real need in the rain forest--good quality materials.

Britta Water Filters--small, round, for a pitcher. We filter water for about 100-150 people a week. A rough calculation has it that we've served 80,000 cups of filtered water as coffee, fruit juice, or drinking water

Rain Forest-Friendly Paper--both greeting-card stock (60-80#), and brochure stock (120#) white or off-white.

Used DVDs with good movies for kids--no war, police, violence, foul language--generally rated G or PG, with a Spanish language soundtrack available. We had good luck looking in US pawnshops--$6 a DVD. If you're interested in providing DVDs, Download a list of the DVDs we already have by clicking on this link and clicking on the PDF file.

Used/new books in the spirituality/new thought genre, English or Spanish

Used/new books of children's stories, English or Spanish

Used/New Blankets--single, double--no electric ones

Bathing Suits--for both girls and boys,

Children's Underwear--both girls and boys

Used Clothes--for children, and for adults.

Terry cloth dish towels--the fabrics we have been able to get here are not very absorbent

Thick, heavy shower curtains or tarps--can be used to waterproof a thatch roof

The tarps available here are "very" -- very big, very heavy, and very expensive.

Toothbrushes--expensive, and they're gone through quickly--don't forget Toothpaste

PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK… ...if you plan on bringing anything down.

That will help coordinate with anyone else who may be planning on traveling here.